CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 8
THE MEMORY ETHAN LOST
"Ethan..."
The voice still echoed through the basement.
"Don't trust Richard."
Then the gunshot.
Then darkness.
Then Sophie's scream.
When the emergency lights finally came on, Ethan was on the floor.
Blood covered his sleeve.
Marcus was kneeling beside him.
"Sir!"
Ethan looked around.
Richard was gone.
And Sophie was gone.
Elena was standing near the wall, frozen.
Jonathan was nowhere to be seen.
Celeste had disappeared too.
Ethan's heart stopped.
"Sophie?"
No answer.
He got to his feet.
"Sophie!"
Marcus grabbed his arm.
"Sir, wait."
"Where is my daughter?"
"We're searching."
"Search faster!"
Ethan ran through the passage.
He reached the garage.
The doors were open.
Rain poured outside.
A black SUV was disappearing down the driveway.
Ethan stared at the taillights.
"Richard."
Marcus ran behind him.
"Don't chase them."
"My daughter is in that car."
"We don't know that."
Ethan pointed.
"She was standing beside me."
Marcus looked at the SUV.
Then at Ethan.
"Who fired the shot?"
"I don't know."
"Who was holding the gun?"
"I don't know."
"Where was Celeste?"
Ethan stopped.
He couldn't remember.
The basement had been dark for perhaps ten seconds.
But in those ten seconds, everything had changed.
He looked at Elena.
"Where is Celeste?"
Elena shook her head.
"I don't know."
Ethan's voice became cold.
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
"You were watching her."
"I was watching Sophie."
"Then where did she go?"
Elena didn't answer.
Ethan turned toward Marcus.
"Lock down the estate."
"It's already surrounded."
"Every road."
"Yes."
"Airports."
"Already contacted."
"Private airfields."
Marcus nodded.
Then he stopped.
"Sir..."
"What?"
"There was no vehicle on the west road."
Ethan frowned.
"What?"
"The security cameras show nothing."
"That's impossible."
"The SUV disappeared."
"Into the woods?"
"No."
"Then where?"
Marcus looked at him.
"It was never there."
Ethan stared.
"What?"
"The cameras show the garage doors opening."
"But no vehicle leaves."
Ethan felt a chill.
"What are you saying?"
Marcus lowered his voice.
"Someone made us see it."
Two hours later, the mansion was empty.
Police had arrived.
Security teams searched every inch of the property.
Nothing.
No Sophie.
No Richard.
No Celeste.
No Jonathan.
The only evidence was a single bullet lodged in the wall.
Marcus placed it on the table.
"The shooter used a suppressed handgun."
Ethan stared at it.
"Could it have been Richard?"
"Possibly."
"Could it have been Celeste?"
"Possibly."
"Jonathan?"
"Possibly."
Ethan clenched his fists.
"Everyone is a possibility."
Marcus nodded.
"That's the problem."
Ethan looked toward the staircase.
"Find my daughter."
"We will."
"Alive."
Marcus looked at him.
"Yes."
"Don't tell me we'll try."
Marcus nodded.
"Alive."
Ethan sat down.
His head was pounding.
He closed his eyes.
And suddenly—
he remembered the basement.
The darkness.
Sophie screaming.
A hand grabbing him.
Not Richard.
A woman's hand.
Then a whisper.
"You're not supposed to remember."
Ethan opened his eyes.
"Elena."
She looked at him.
"What?"
"Come here."
She approached carefully.
"Do you remember what happened when the lights went out?"
She hesitated.
"Not everything."
"What do you remember?"
"I heard Sophie scream."
"Then?"
"I heard a gunshot."
"Then?"
"I felt someone run past me."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Male or female?"
"Female."
Ethan stood.
"Celeste."
Elena shook her head.
"No."
"How do you know?"
"Because I saw her before the lights went out."
"Where?"
"Standing beside Jonathan."
Ethan froze.
"Jonathan."
Elena nodded.
"They were talking."
"About what?"
"I couldn't hear."
Ethan looked at Marcus.
"Find Jonathan."
"We're trying."
"No."
Ethan's voice became quiet.
"Find the old hospital."
Marcus frowned.
"What hospital?"
"The one where I woke up after the crash."
"Why?"
"Because that's where it started."
The hospital had been abandoned for nearly two years.
The building stood behind a chain-link fence.
Windows were broken.
Hallways were dark.
Old signs hung from the walls.
Ethan walked inside with Marcus and Elena.
Every step brought back fragments.
White lights.
Machines.
Blood.
Anna's voice.
His father's voice.
A woman crying.
They reached the old intensive-care wing.
Room 17.
Ethan stopped.
The door was still there.
The number had been removed.
But the outline remained.
He touched it.
And everything changed.
A memory slammed into him.
He was lying on the hospital bed.
Jonathan stood beside him.
Celeste stood near the window.
Richard was holding a folder.
And Anna—
Anna was alive.
She was sitting beside him.
Ethan could hear himself speaking.
"Erase it."
Jonathan looked at him.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes."
Anna was crying.
"Don't do this."
Ethan looked at her.
"If I remember, they'll kill Sophie."
Anna shook her head.
"They'll kill you."
"Then let them."
"No."
Ethan reached for her hand.
"I love you."
Anna squeezed his fingers.
"I love you too."
Jonathan prepared a syringe.
Ethan looked at him.
"How long?"
"Three years."
"Will I remember her?"
"Fragments."
"Will I remember Sophie?"
"Yes."
"Will I remember Richard?"
"Maybe."
"Will I remember what I did?"
Jonathan stopped.
Anna looked at him.
"No."
Ethan whispered:
"That's the point."
The memory vanished.
Ethan collapsed against the wall.
Marcus caught him.
"What did you see?"
Ethan looked at him.
"I asked them to erase my memory."
Elena closed her eyes.
"I knew."
"You knew?"
"Anna told me."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because she made me promise."
Ethan looked toward Room 17.
"What was I trying to forget?"
Elena hesitated.
"The truth about the crash."
"I already know the crash was arranged."
"No."
She looked at him.
"You don't."
Ethan frowned.
"What don't I know?"
"The crash wasn't the beginning."
"Then what was?"
Elena stepped into the room.
"The night you killed Richard's father."
The memory came again.
But this time it was clearer.
Ethan was standing in an office.
He was younger.
Angry.
Richard's father was sitting behind a desk.
A black ledger was open between them.
Ethan shouted:
"You stole from my company."
The older man laughed.
"Your father gave me permission."
"He's dead."
"Exactly."
Ethan slammed his hand onto the desk.
"Where is the money?"
"Safe."
"Give it back."
"No."
"Where is Anna?"
The man smiled.
"She knows too much."
Ethan froze.
"What did you do to her?"
"Nothing."
"Where is she?"
"Ask Richard."
The door opened.
Richard entered.
He was younger too.
He looked at Ethan.
Then at his father.
"What happened?"
Ethan pointed at him.
"Your father has Anna."
Richard looked confused.
"No."
"He does."
Richard turned toward his father.
"Where is she?"
The older man stood.
"She's dead."
Richard froze.
Ethan grabbed the man's collar.
"You're lying."
The man laughed.
"Your wife is already dead."
Ethan's vision went red.
He saw a gun on the desk.
He grabbed it.
Richard shouted:
"Ethan!"
The gun fired.
The older man fell.
Silence.
Richard stared at Ethan.
"You killed him."
Ethan looked at the gun.
"I..."
Richard stepped backward.
"You killed my father."
Then another voice came from the doorway.
Anna.
"Ethan."
He turned.
She was alive.
Blood covered her coat.
Ethan stared.
"Anna?"
She ran toward him.
"Drop the gun."
He did.
She grabbed his hand.
"We have to go."
Richard stood frozen.
"Why?"
Anna looked at him.
"Because they're coming."
"Who?"
"Everyone."
A car horn sounded outside.
Anna pulled Ethan toward the door.
Richard followed.
"Wait!"
They ran.
Ethan opened his eyes.
He was back in Room 17.
His face was wet with tears.
"I killed him."
Elena nodded.
"Yes."
"But why?"
"Because he had kidnapped Anna."
Ethan stared.
"What?"
"He had her for two days."
"Why?"
"She found the ledger."
"And Richard?"
"Richard didn't know."
Ethan looked at her.
"Then why does he hate me?"
"Because he believes you murdered his father."
"I did."
"Yes."
"Then why didn't Anna tell him?"
"Because if he knew why, he would have gone after the people behind his father."
"Who?"
Elena whispered:
"Celeste."
Ethan's eyes widened.
"She ordered his father's death?"
"No."
"Then what?"
"She manipulated Richard."
"How?"
"She told him you killed his father for money."
Ethan closed his eyes.
"So Richard has been hunting me for years."
"Yes."
"Without knowing the truth."
"Yes."
"And Celeste used him."
"Yes."
Ethan looked at the floor.
"Then where is Sophie?"
Elena didn't answer.
Ethan turned.
"Where?"
Elena looked terrified.
"I think I know."
A phone rang.
Not Ethan's.
Elena's.
She answered.
Nobody spoke.
Then a distorted voice said:
"Bring Ethan to the old train station."
Elena froze.
"Who is this?"
"You know."
"Where is Sophie?"
"Safe."
Ethan grabbed the phone.
"Let me talk to my daughter."
Silence.
Then—
"Daddy?"
Ethan's heart broke.
"Sophie!"
"I'm okay."
"Are you hurt?"
"No."
"Where are you?"
"I don't know."
"Look around."
"I can't see."
"What do you mean?"
"It's dark."
Ethan closed his eyes.
"Listen to me."
"Okay."
"Don't be afraid."
"I'm not."
A pause.
Then Sophie whispered:
"Daddy..."
"Yes?"
"Richard isn't the one who took me."
Ethan's heart stopped.
"Who did?"
Sophie started crying.
"The woman."
"What woman?"
"The one who sounds like Mommy."
Ethan looked at Elena.
Elena's face went white.
"Sophie..."
The call ended.
Ethan stared at the phone.
"Who sounds like Anna?"
Elena shook her head.
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"No."
"You know."
"I don't."
Ethan stepped closer.
"Who else can sound like Anna?"
Elena whispered:
"Someone who knew her better than anyone."
"Who?"
Elena looked toward the door.
"Her sister."
Ethan froze.
"Anna had a sister."
"Yes."
"What was her name?"
Elena swallowed.
"Isabel."
Ethan shook his head.
"Anna never told me."
"Because she thought Isabel was dead."
"Was she?"
Elena looked at him.
"No."
Ethan's blood ran cold.
"Where is she?"
Elena whispered:
"With Celeste."
They reached the old train station just before midnight.
The building was abandoned.
The tracks were overgrown.
Rain fell steadily.
Ethan entered alone.
"Hello?"
His voice echoed.
Then he heard footsteps.
A woman appeared.
Long dark hair.
Pale face.
Blue coat.
Ethan stopped.
For a second, his heart thought it was Anna.
Then the woman smiled.
"You finally remembered."
Ethan stared.
"Isabel?"
She nodded.
"My sister talked about you."
"Where is Sophie?"
"Safe."
"Bring her out."
"Not yet."
"Where is Celeste?"
"Behind you."
Ethan turned.
Celeste stood in the doorway.
She was holding Sophie.
The little girl was crying.
Ethan's voice broke.
"Let her go."
Celeste smiled.
"Not until you give me the ledger."
"I don't have it."
"You do."
"No."
"You lost three years."
Ethan stared.
"What does that have to do with the ledger?"
Celeste stepped closer.
"Everything."
She looked at Isabel.
"Tell him."
Isabel nodded.
"The night of the crash, Anna didn't die."
Ethan knew that.
"But she wasn't supposed to survive."
"I know."
"No."
Isabel shook her head.
"You don't understand."
She pointed toward Ethan.
"The crash wasn't arranged to kill Anna."
Ethan froze.
"It was arranged to make you disappear."
"Why?"
"Because someone had discovered you were investigating the Black Ledger."
Ethan looked at Celeste.
She smiled.
"Yes."
Isabel continued.
"Your memories were erased because you had seen the ledger."
Ethan's voice trembled.
"What was inside it?"
"Every name."
"Every name of who?"
"Everyone involved."
"Who had it?"
Isabel looked at Celeste.
"She did."
Ethan stared.
Celeste smiled.
"Your first real memory was never about the crash."
"What was it?"
Celeste stepped closer.
"It was about the night you gave me the ledger."
Ethan shook his head.
"I never gave you anything."
"You did."
"When?"
"Three years ago."
"Why?"
"Because you trusted me."
Ethan's heart sank.
Celeste continued.
"You walked into Room 17."
"You were there."
"Yes."
"You took my memories."
"Yes."
"And the ledger?"
Celeste smiled.
"You gave it to me willingly."
Ethan stared at her.
"Why would I do that?"
Celeste looked at Sophie.
"Because I promised to keep her alive."
Ethan's blood went cold.
"You threatened my daughter."
"No."
She shook her head.
"I saved her."
"From what?"
Celeste's smile disappeared.
"From you."
Ethan froze.
"What?"
"You were becoming dangerous."
"To whom?"
"To everyone."
Ethan stepped forward.
"What did I do?"
Celeste looked directly into his eyes.
"You remembered the truth."
"Which was?"
Celeste whispered:
"You were never investigating the Black Ledger."
Ethan stopped breathing.
"You created it."
Silence.
Rain struck the broken windows.
Sophie stared at him.
Isabel lowered her head.
And Ethan suddenly remembered the missing piece.
The room.
The ledger.
His father's office.
Richard's father.
Anna.
Celeste.
All of them.
And his own handwriting across the first page.
BLACK LEDGER — CREATED BY ETHAN CARTER.
Ethan staggered backward.
"No."
Celeste smiled.
"Now you remember."
A train whistle sounded in the distance.
And Ethan realized the most terrifying truth of all:
May you like
He hadn't spent three years trying to uncover someone else's secret.
He had spent three years trying to forget his own.
