Chapter 4 - THE FIRE SHE FORGOTAdrian drove home in silence.
The words repeated inside his mind.
She was never supposed to survive the fire.
He had no idea what Vivian meant.
Grace had never mentioned a fire.
And Adrian knew almost nothing about her childhood.
When he arrived at the mansion, Grace was sitting beside Leo’s crib.
She looked exhausted.
Adrian stood at the door.
“Can we talk?”
Grace nodded.
He closed the door quietly.
“There’s something I need to ask you.”
Grace looked concerned.
“What is it?”
“Were you ever in a fire?”
Everything changed.
Grace’s face lost color.
Adrian saw it.
“Grace?”
She stood slowly.
“Why would you ask me that?”
“Vivian said something.”
Grace looked away.
Adrian moved closer.
“What happened?”
“I don’t remember.”
“You don’t remember?”
Grace’s hands trembled.
“I was little.”
“How little?”
“Five.”
Adrian waited.
Grace stared at the floor.
“There was a house.”
“Your house?”
“I think so.”
Adrian felt a chill.
“I remember smoke.”
Grace touched her forehead.
“People screaming.”
She closed her eyes.
“Then nothing.”
“Who raised you?”
“My grandmother.”
“What happened to your parents?”
Grace’s eyes filled.
“My grandmother said they died.”
“In the fire?”
“She never told me.”
Adrian sat slowly.
Grace looked frightened now.
“I don’t like talking about it.”
“I understand.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You don’t.”
She turned toward him.
“Why is Vivian talking about my childhood?”
Adrian had no answer.
Grace whispered, “What did she say?”
He hesitated.
Then told her.
Grace became completely still.
“She said I wasn’t supposed to survive?”
Adrian nodded.
Grace backed away.
Leo stirred in his crib.
Grace immediately moved toward him.
Adrian watched.
She looked terrified.
Not guilty.
Terrified.
That mattered.
“Grace.”
She looked at him.
“I believe you.”
Her eyes filled.
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
The question surprised him.
“Because you saved my son.”
Grace shook her head.
“That doesn’t mean you know me.”
“No.”
Adrian admitted.
“But I want to.”
For a moment, they stood silently.
Then the front door opened downstairs.
Adrian immediately turned.
“Did you lock it?”
Grace nodded.
A man’s voice echoed through the house.
“Adrian!”
Adrian froze.
Grace whispered, “Who is that?”
He knew.
Marcus.
Adrian ran downstairs.
Grace stayed beside Leo.
In the foyer stood a tall man in a dark coat.
Older than Adrian.
A scar crossed his jaw.
His eyes were identical.
Marcus smiled.
“Hello, brother.”
Adrian stopped.
“You have a lot of nerve.”
Marcus looked around the mansion.
“Nice place.”
“Get out.”
Marcus laughed.
“I’ve been dead for twelve years, and that’s how you greet me?”
“You broke into my house.”
“Actually, the door was unlocked.”
Adrian’s face tightened.
Marcus looked upstairs.
“Is she here?”
Adrian stepped forward.
“Don’t.”
Marcus smiled.
“Grace.”
“Stay away from her.”
Marcus looked amused.
“Interesting.”
“What?”
“You care.”
Adrian’s voice became dangerous.
“Why are you here?”
Marcus looked directly at him.
“To warn you.”
Adrian laughed.
“You?”
“Yes.”
Marcus’s smile disappeared.
“Vivian is the least of your problems.”
Adrian stared.
“What does that mean?”
Marcus looked toward the stairs.
“Grace.”
Adrian stepped between him and the staircase.
Marcus’s eyes narrowed.
“You really don’t know.”
“Know what?”
Marcus smiled again.
Then he reached into his coat.
Adrian tensed.
Marcus pulled out a photograph.
Old.
Burned around the edges.
He handed it over.
Adrian looked down.
A family.
A woman.
A man.
A little girl.
Adrian’s heart stopped.
The little girl was Grace.
Adrian looked up.
Marcus was gone.
He had disappeared through the open front door.
Adrian ran outside.
Nothing.
Only darkness.
Grace stood at the top of the stairs.
“Adrian?”
He looked at the photograph.
Then at her.
“Come down.”
She walked slowly toward him.
Adrian held out the photograph.
Grace took it.
The moment she saw it, she dropped it.
“No.”
Adrian caught her arm.
“Grace.”
She was shaking violently.
“That’s my mother.”
“You remember her?”
“No.”
Grace touched her head.
“But I know her.”
Adrian picked up the photograph.
Behind the family stood a building.
A familiar building.
Blackwood Industries.
Adrian turned the photograph over.
Words were written in faded ink.
BLACKWOOD FOUNDATION SUMMER DINNER — 2003.
Adrian’s blood ran cold.
Grace’s family had been connected to his.
And suddenly, Adrian remembered something from his father’s past.
A scandal.
A fire.
A family that disappeared.
His father had ordered everyone never to discuss it.
Adrian looked at Grace.
Marcus had been right.
Grace had come into their lives for a reason.
But what neither of them knew was that the reason was far more dangerous than Marcus.
Because somewhere across the city, another person was watching them.
And in his hand was an old newspaper.
The headline read:
BLACKWOOD EXECUTIVE’S FAMILY DIES IN MYSTERIOUS FIRE.
Underneath the article was a photograph.
A man Adrian had known his entire life.
His father.
May you like
And standing beside him was Grace’s mother.
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