The mansion was unusually quiet.
Too quiet.
Emily stood by the tall window in Alexander's study, staring at the dark garden outside. The night wind rustled the trees, casting moving shadows across the ground.
For some reason, those shadows made her uneasy.
Ever since the incident in the archive room, a strange feeling had settled deep inside her chest.
A feeling that someone was watching.
Waiting.
Emily wrapped her arms around herself.
Her mind replayed the events again and again.
The photograph.
The strange symbol.
And the mysterious voice that had spoken to her through the locked room.
"You're getting closer, Emily."
The memory of those words made her heart beat faster.
Closer to what?
Behind her, the door opened.
Alexander stepped inside.
He had just finished speaking with the head of security, and his expression was darker than usual.
"Emily."
She turned immediately.
"Did they find anything?"
Alexander walked toward the desk slowly.
"Someone broke through the outer security cameras."
Emily's eyes widened.
"They came inside the mansion?"
"No," Alexander replied.
"But they were close enough to study the building."
Emily felt her stomach tighten.
"Why would someone do that?"
Alexander looked directly at her.
"Because of you."
Silence filled the room.
Emily shook her head.
"That doesn't make sense."
Alexander placed the torn piece of black cloth on the table.
The symbol stitched into it looked even more disturbing under the light.
"This symbol belongs to a private organization," he said.
Emily frowned.
"What kind of organization?"
Alexander didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he turned his laptop toward her.
On the screen was a photo of an old building.
Broken windows.
Rusting metal gates.
A sign that had almost completely faded.
Emily leaned closer.
Then suddenly—
Her breath caught.
"I know that place."
Alexander's eyes narrowed.
"You've seen it before?"
Emily nodded slowly.
"It's in the town where I grew up."
Her voice grew quieter.
"I used to walk past it when I was a child."
Alexander's expression hardened.
"That building used to belong to a research group."
"Research?" Emily asked.
"Yes."
He paused.
"But the strange thing is… no official records of their work exist anymore."
Emily felt a chill run down her spine.
"What does that have to do with me?"
Before Alexander could answer—
The study door suddenly opened.
Daniel walked in.
Without knocking.
Alexander's voice turned cold instantly.
"I thought we agreed you would stop appearing uninvited."
Daniel ignored the tension and walked straight toward the desk.
"You might want to hear this."
Alexander crossed his arms.
"Speak."
Daniel placed a thin file on the table.
"I found something about the organization connected to that symbol."
Emily felt her pulse quicken.
"What kind of something?"
Daniel opened the file slowly.
Inside were several old documents.
One of them had a list of names.
Emily leaned closer.
Then she froze.
Her heart stopped.
Because one of the names looked familiar.
Too familiar.
Alexander noticed her reaction immediately.
"What is it?"
Emily pointed at the page with shaking fingers.
"That name…"
Her voice barely came out.
"…that's my mother."
The room went completely silent.
Alexander stared at the document again.
"Are you sure?"
Emily nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Daniel exhaled quietly.
"That confirms it."
Alexander's eyes turned sharp.
"Confirms what?"
Daniel looked directly at Emily.
"That this organization didn't just know about you."
He paused.
"They were studying you."
Emily felt the ground disappear beneath her feet.
"Studying me…?"
Alexander's jaw tightened.
"For what purpose?"
Daniel flipped another page in the file.
This one contained a photograph.
Old.
Blurry.
But still clear enough to recognize the people inside it.
Emily stepped closer.
Her hands began trembling.
The picture showed a group of scientists standing inside a laboratory.
In the center of the room—
A small girl sat in a chair.
Surrounded by machines.
Emily's breathing became uneven.
Because that little girl…
Was her.
"I… don't remember this," she whispered.
Alexander looked at the photograph carefully.
His expression darkened dangerously.
"You don't remember because someone erased it."
Emily felt dizzy.
"Erased it?"
Daniel nodded slowly.
"Some memories can be suppressed."
Alexander turned toward him sharply.
"Are you saying someone manipulated her mind?"
Daniel didn't deny it.
"I'm saying someone went to extreme lengths to hide the truth."
Emily suddenly grabbed the edge of the desk to steady herself.
"This can't be real."
But deep inside…
Something felt horribly familiar.
Just then—
A loud alarm suddenly echoed through the mansion.
Red lights flashed across the hallway.
Alexander's head snapped toward the door.
"What now?"
One of the guards rushed into the room.
"Sir!"
Alexander's voice was sharp.
"Report."
The guard looked tense.
"There's an intruder inside the mansion."
Emily's heart skipped.
"Inside?"
Alexander moved toward the door immediately.
"Where?"
The guard swallowed.
"The surveillance cameras lost track of them…"
He hesitated.
"…near Emily's room."
The room went completely still.
Emily felt cold fear creep down her spine.
Because if someone had broken into the mansion—
And they were heading for her room—
Then they weren't here to steal anything.
They were here for her.
And this time…
They had made it inside.