CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 5
THE NIGHT OF THE CRASH
The clock struck seventeen times.
No one moved.
Ethan stared at the woman standing beside Sophie.
She was wearing Anna's coat.
She had Anna's voice.
She knew Anna's memories.
She had held Sophie like a mother.
But she wasn't Anna.
"My name isn't Anna."
The sentence kept repeating inside Ethan's head.
He looked at her.
Then at the photograph.
Then back at her face.
"Who are you?"
The woman swallowed.
"My name is Elena."
"Elena what?"
"Elena Varga."
Ethan shook his head.
"No."
She looked confused.
"No?"
"No, because Anna never mentioned an Elena."
"She couldn't."
"Why?"
"Because if she had, you would have remembered."
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
"Stop speaking in riddles."
Jonathan Hale lowered the gun.
"Ethan, you need to listen."
"You knew."
Jonathan nodded.
"You knew she wasn't Anna."
"Yes."
"For three years?"
"Yes."
"And you let me believe she was my wife?"
Jonathan looked at Elena.
"Because that was the plan."
Ethan's face hardened.
"What plan?"
Elena stepped forward.
"The plan Anna made before she died."
Ethan stopped.
"Anna is dead?"
Elena nodded.
"Yes."
His anger disappeared.
For a moment, there was only emptiness.
"No."
"Ethan—"
"No."
He looked at Sophie.
The little girl was crying silently.
Ethan dropped to his knees beside her.
"Sweetheart."
Sophie reached for him.
He pulled her close.
"Daddy..."
"I'm here."
"Is Mommy really dead?"
Ethan couldn't answer.
Elena closed her eyes.
"Yes."
Sophie began sobbing.
Ethan held her tighter.
He wanted to protect her from the truth.
But the truth had already found them.
Three years earlier.
The night of the crash began with rain.
Not a storm.
Not even particularly heavy rain.
Just a steady curtain of water falling over the highway.
Anna sat in the passenger seat.
Ethan drove.
The windshield wipers moved rhythmically.
Back and forth.
Back and forth.
Anna was holding a folder against her chest.
She looked nervous.
Ethan glanced at her.
"You've been quiet."
"I'm thinking."
"About?"
"You."
He smiled.
"That's usually dangerous."
She didn't smile.
"Ethan."
"What?"
"If something happens to me tonight..."
He immediately interrupted.
"Nothing is going to happen."
"Listen."
"I'm listening."
"Promise me you'll protect Sophie."
"I always protect her."
"No."
Anna turned toward him.
"I mean from everyone."
Ethan frowned.
"Everyone?"
"Even people you trust."
The words stayed with him.
He didn't understand them then.
He would remember them later.
Every single night.
They approached the next intersection.
Anna looked into the side mirror.
Then the rearview mirror.
Then the side mirror again.
Ethan noticed.
"Are we being followed?"
"I don't know."
He checked.
A black SUV was several car lengths behind them.
It had been there for ten minutes.
Ethan changed lanes.
The SUV changed lanes.
His hands tightened around the steering wheel.
"Anna."
"I know."
"Call the police."
She pulled out her phone.
Before she could dial—
The SUV accelerated.
Ethan stepped on the gas.
The road became a blur.
Rain struck the windshield.
Anna grabbed the dashboard.
"Ethan!"
"I've got it."
The SUV moved closer.
Then something happened.
The steering wheel suddenly became difficult to turn.
Ethan fought it.
"What the hell?"
Anna looked at him.
"What?"
"The steering."
He pressed the brake.
Nothing.
His eyes widened.
"The brakes."
Anna understood immediately.
"They're gone."
Ethan pulled the emergency brake.
The car swerved.
The SUV disappeared behind them.
Anna grabbed Ethan's arm.
"Turn left!"
"I can't!"
"There!"
A concrete barrier appeared through the rain.
Ethan turned the wheel.
The car slammed into the barrier.
Metal screamed.
Glass exploded.
Anna's body was thrown sideways.
Ethan's head struck the steering wheel.
Then darkness.
When Ethan opened his eyes, everything was silent.
He couldn't hear the rain.
He couldn't hear the engine.
He couldn't hear Anna.
"Anna?"
No answer.
He tried to move.
Pain shot through his chest.
"Anna."
He turned.
She was unconscious.
Blood covered her forehead.
"Anna!"
He reached toward her.
Her eyes opened.
"Ethan..."
"I'm here."
"Get out."
"What?"
"Get out of the car."
"We need help."
"Now."
He tried his door.
It was jammed.
Anna looked toward the back seat.
"Sophie?"
Ethan's heart stopped.
Sophie wasn't in the car.
She had been home.
Safe.
Anna exhaled.
"Good."
Ethan reached for his phone.
No signal.
Then headlights appeared through the rain.
A vehicle stopped.
Someone stepped out.
Ethan squinted.
"Help!"
The person approached.
A man.
Dark coat.
Umbrella.
Ethan couldn't see his face.
The man opened the passenger door.
He looked at Anna.
Then Ethan.
Then he said:
"She's dead."
Ethan shook his head.
"No."
The man leaned closer.
Anna was still breathing.
Barely.
"She's dead," he repeated.
"Help her!"
The man pulled Ethan from the driver's seat.
Ethan tried to fight him.
"What are you doing?"
"You have to come with me."
"Anna!"
The man looked back at the wreckage.
"There's nothing you can do."
"I won't leave her."
The man struck Ethan across the face.
Everything went black.
The next memory was a hospital.
White walls.
A machine beeping.
Ethan opened his eyes.
A doctor stood beside him.
"You were very lucky."
"Anna."
The doctor paused.
"I'm sorry."
Ethan tried to sit up.
"Where is my wife?"
The doctor didn't answer.
"Where is Anna?"
"I'm sorry."
Ethan screamed.
"No!"
A nurse injected something into his arm.
The room blurred.
Then he heard a voice.
Jonathan Hale.
"You need to calm down."
"Where is my wife?"
Jonathan sat beside the bed.
"Ethan."
"Where is she?"
"She died."
"No."
"I saw her."
"She was alive when they pulled you from the vehicle."
Ethan stared.
"Who told you that?"
"Police."
"Where is her body?"
Jonathan looked away.
"Recovered."
"Let me see her."
"You can't."
"Why?"
"Because the condition of the body..."
Ethan began crying.
"Why didn't you call me?"
"You were unconscious."
"How long?"
"Four days."
Ethan looked at the ceiling.
Four days.
Four days without Anna.
Four days without knowing.
Then Jonathan said something strange.
"The police believe you were responsible."
Ethan looked at him.
"What?"
"You were driving."
"I lost control."
"They believe you were speeding."
"I wasn't."
"There was alcohol in your blood."
Ethan froze.
"No."
"Enough to establish impairment."
"I don't drink."
"I know."
"But the report says otherwise."
Ethan stared.
Something felt wrong.
"What happened to the car?"
"Destroyed."
"The black SUV?"
"What SUV?"
Ethan looked at Jonathan.
"There was another vehicle."
Jonathan shook his head.
"No one saw another vehicle."
"I did."
"You were injured."
"I know what I saw."
Jonathan leaned closer.
"Ethan, you were traumatized."
"I know what I saw."
"You need to rest."
"No."
"Ethan."
"Where is Anna's phone?"
Jonathan went silent.
"Her phone."
"Why?"
"I want it."
"It's evidence."
"Then give it to me."
Jonathan hesitated.
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because it was never found."
Ethan stared.
Something was wrong.
Something was terribly wrong.
Three days later, Celeste entered the hospital.
She was crying.
She hugged Ethan.
"I'm so sorry."
Ethan pushed her away.
"You knew?"
"What?"
"About Anna."
Celeste's face changed.
"What are you talking about?"
"She told me she was afraid."
"Of what?"
"I don't know."
Celeste sat down.
"Anna had been acting strangely for weeks."
"How?"
"Paranoid."
"About?"
"You."
Ethan froze.
"Me?"
Celeste nodded.
"She thought you were hiding something."
"That's impossible."
"She said you were involved in something dangerous."
Ethan stared.
"Did she say what?"
"No."
Celeste looked down.
"But she told me if anything happened to her, I should protect Sophie."
Ethan's heart broke.
"She's gone."
Celeste nodded.
"Yes."
Then she reached into her purse.
"I found this in her room."
A photograph.
Anna and Ethan.
Happy.
Smiling.
Ethan touched it.
His hands shook.
On the back was a message.
If I die, don't let Ethan remember.
Ethan stared at the words.
"What does this mean?"
Celeste shook her head.
"I don't know."
Jonathan entered the room.
He saw the photograph.
His face changed.
"Ethan."
"What?"
"Give me that."
"Why?"
"It's part of the investigation."
Ethan held it tighter.
"No."
Jonathan looked at Celeste.
A silent exchange passed between them.
Ethan noticed.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing."
"You're lying."
Jonathan sighed.
"Ethan, you are in no condition to investigate this."
"Then I'll investigate when I leave."
"You won't."
Ethan looked at him.
"What?"
"You won't remember."
The words came out too quickly.
Jonathan froze.
Celeste froze.
Ethan stared.
"What did you say?"
Jonathan recovered.
"I said you won't remember the details."
Ethan watched him carefully.
"Why?"
"Because trauma affects memory."
"Is that what you told yourself?"
Jonathan said nothing.
Two weeks after the crash, Ethan's memories began changing.
At first, it was small.
He forgot conversations.
Names.
Appointments.
Then entire hours disappeared.
Sometimes he woke at night believing Anna was still alive.
Sometimes he remembered her death.
Sometimes he remembered nothing at all.
Doctors called it trauma.
Jonathan called it normal.
Celeste called it healing.
But Anna's photograph kept appearing in places Ethan didn't remember putting it.
His desk.
His car.
His bedroom.
Inside books.
As if someone wanted him to remember.
Or wanted him to think he remembered.
One night, Ethan woke from a nightmare.
He saw Anna standing beside the crashed car.
She was holding a folder.
She was screaming:
"Don't trust the man in the hospital!"
Ethan woke sweating.
He ran to the bathroom.
Then stopped.
Someone was standing behind him.
He turned.
Nobody.
But on the mirror, written in red lipstick, were four words:
YOU ASKED ME TO FORGET.
The following morning, Ethan confronted Jonathan.
"What did you do to me?"
Jonathan looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
"I know."
"Know what?"
"You erased something."
Jonathan's face went pale.
"Ethan..."
"Tell me."
"I can't."
"You can."
"I promised."
"To whom?"
Jonathan said nothing.
"To Anna?"
Silence.
Ethan stepped closer.
"She's dead."
Jonathan looked at him.
"Yes."
"Then why are you still protecting her?"
Jonathan's eyes filled with regret.
"Because she made me promise."
"Promise what?"
"That I would protect you."
Ethan laughed bitterly.
"You protected me by destroying my memory?"
"She believed it was the only way."
"Why?"
"Because you were going to die."
Ethan froze.
"What?"
"Not metaphorically."
Jonathan lowered his voice.
"They were going to kill you."
"Who?"
"Everyone involved."
"And Anna?"
"She knew."
"How?"
"She discovered the accounts."
"The money."
"Yes."
"Richard?"
"Richard was only one part."
"Celeste?"
"Another."
"Who else?"
Jonathan looked at him.
"You."
Ethan stopped.
"What?"
"You were part of it."
"No."
"You didn't know."
"Then how was I part of it?"
"Your name was being used."
"By whom?"
"We never found out."
Ethan's head began pounding.
Jonathan continued.
"Anna found out that someone had created accounts in your name."
"Twenty-seven million."
"Yes."
"Why didn't she go to the police?"
"Because the police were compromised."
Ethan stared.
"So she planned to disappear."
"Yes."
"She wanted me to forget."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because she believed someone close to you was feeding information to the people hunting her."
"Who?"
Jonathan hesitated.
"We suspected Richard."
"But?"
"We were wrong."
Ethan felt a chill.
"Who was it?"
Jonathan looked at the door.
"Someone who had access to your home."
"Celeste."
Jonathan shook his head.
"Not Celeste."
Ethan's stomach tightened.
"Who?"
Jonathan whispered:
"Your security chief."
Back in the present, Ethan stared at Jonathan.
Marcus was standing behind him.
"That's impossible."
Jonathan shook his head.
"No."
Ethan looked at Marcus.
"You?"
Marcus looked devastated.
"No."
Jonathan raised his hands.
"I'm not saying Marcus was involved."
"Then who?"
Jonathan pulled out a photograph.
He placed it on the table.
It showed the crash scene.
Ethan picked it up.
The black SUV was visible in the background.
But that wasn't what mattered.
Someone stood beside the SUV.
A man.
Ethan zoomed in.
His face became clear.
Ethan stopped breathing.
He recognized him.
The same man who had been standing beside him outside the hospital.
The same man who had appeared in the photograph from Lisbon.
The same man who had been watching Anna.
Richard.
Ethan looked at Jonathan.
"Richard did it."
Jonathan nodded.
"Richard arranged the crash."
"Then why didn't you arrest him?"
"Because Richard disappeared."
"When?"
"The same night."
Ethan looked toward Elena.
She was holding Sophie.
"Then how did she survive?"
Jonathan looked at Elena.
"Because Anna knew she was going to die."
Elena stepped forward.
"Anna found me months before the crash."
Ethan stared.
"Why?"
"Because we looked alike."
Ethan looked at her carefully.
Now he understood.
The voice.
The hair.
The mannerisms.
The memories.
Anna had trained Elena to become her.
"She knew someone might need to replace her."
Elena nodded.
"She told me everything."
"Even about me?"
"Especially about you."
Ethan's voice cracked.
"Why didn't she tell me?"
"Because she believed you were being watched."
"She could have trusted me."
"She did."
"Then why?"
Elena looked at him.
"Because the person she feared most wasn't Richard."
Ethan froze.
"Who?"
Elena took out another photograph.
It showed the hospital.
Ethan lying unconscious.
Jonathan standing beside him.
Celeste standing behind them.
Richard standing near the door.
And another person.
A woman.
Ethan stared.
He knew her.
He had seen her hundreds of times.
She had been part of his life for years.
He whispered her name.
"Marianne."
His mother's sister.
The woman who had helped raise him after his father died.
The woman who had been one of his closest family members.
The woman who had introduced him to Celeste.
Elena nodded.
"She was the one Anna was afraid of."
Ethan's world shifted.
"My aunt?"
"She was the one financing Richard."
"Why?"
Elena shook her head.
"We don't know."
"Then find out."
Elena looked at him.
"Anna did."
"What did she discover?"
Elena pulled a sealed envelope from inside her coat.
She handed it to Ethan.
"She told me never to open this."
Ethan took it.
The handwriting on the front was Anna's.
FOR ETHAN — ONLY IF HE REMEMBERS THE CRASH.
His hands trembled.
He opened the envelope.
Inside was one sheet of paper.
Three sentences.
Ethan,
If you're reading this, then the plan failed.
The crash was never meant to kill me.
Ethan's eyes widened.
He read the final line.
It was meant to kill you.
Silence.
Sophie looked up.
"Daddy?"
Ethan couldn't answer.
He turned the page over.
There was a second message.
Written in darker ink.
And the person who ordered it was not Richard.
Ethan's heart stopped.
Below it was a name.
A name that made Jonathan step backward.
A name that made Elena cover Sophie's eyes.
A name Ethan had never suspected.
CELESTE.
Ethan stared at the page.
Then he looked toward the woman who had spent years pretending to be his friend.
Celeste was standing in the doorway.
Her face was pale.
She slowly smiled.
"Now you remember."
And Ethan realized something terrifying.
Celeste hadn't come to the mansion to rescue Sophie.
She had come because she knew Ethan was finally remembering everything.
May you like
And this time—
she had no intention of letting him survive the night.
