The alarm echoed through the mansion like a warning siren.
Red lights flashed across the walls, bathing the hallway in a dangerous glow.
Emily's heart pounded violently in her chest.
"There's an intruder inside the mansion," the guard had said.
Inside.
Not outside.
Inside.
Alexander's expression instantly turned cold and dangerous.
"Lock down every exit," he ordered sharply.
"Yes, sir!"
Guards immediately rushed through the halls, communicating through their earpieces.
Emily stood frozen beside the desk.
Her mind struggled to process what was happening.
Someone had broken into Alexander Knight's mansion.
That alone was terrifying.
But what made it worse…
Was that the intruder had been last seen near her room.
Daniel looked toward the hallway, his eyes narrowing.
"That's not normal."
Alexander glanced at him briefly.
"What do you mean?"
Daniel crossed his arms.
"This mansion has some of the best private security systems in the city. Cameras, sensors, guards."
He paused.
"For someone to get this far… they either knew the layout…"
His voice lowered.
"…or someone helped them."
Emily felt a chill crawl up her spine.
"Someone inside the mansion?"
Alexander didn't respond.
But the silence itself was enough of an answer.
Just then, another guard's voice came through Alexander's phone.
"Sir, the intruder is moving toward the east wing."
Emily's breath caught.
"That's where my room is."
Alexander grabbed his coat immediately.
"Stay here."
Emily shook her head quickly.
"No."
His eyes hardened.
"Emily—"
"I'm not hiding while someone breaks into the house because of me," she said firmly.
Alexander studied her for a moment.
Then he sighed quietly.
"Fine."
He turned toward the guards.
"She stays with me."
Within seconds they were moving quickly down the hallway.
The flashing lights made everything feel surreal.
Emily's footsteps echoed against the marble floor as they followed Alexander.
Her thoughts raced.
Who would risk breaking into the mansion?
And why now?
They turned the corner toward the east wing.
Suddenly—
A loud crash echoed ahead.
Glass shattering.
Emily flinched.
"That came from my room," she whispered.
Alexander immediately moved faster.
The guards spread out, surrounding the hallway carefully.
When they finally reached the door—
It was wide open.
Emily's heart sank.
Her room looked completely destroyed.
Drawers pulled out.
Furniture overturned.
Glass scattered across the floor.
Someone had been searching for something.
Alexander's voice dropped dangerously.
"Find them."
The guards rushed deeper into the room.
Emily stepped inside slowly.
Her eyes scanned the mess.
"What were they looking for…?"
Daniel walked toward the window.
It had been forced open.
"They escaped this way," he said.
Alexander's jaw tightened.
But something else caught Emily's attention.
Her desk.
The drawer where she kept the photograph.
The photograph of the man from her childhood.
Her hands began to shake.
"No…"
She rushed to the desk and opened the drawer.
Empty.
Her heart dropped.
"They took it."
Alexander turned immediately.
"What?"
"The photograph," Emily whispered.
"The one from the archive room."
Daniel frowned.
"So that's what they wanted."
Emily felt fear rise in her chest.
"But why would someone steal that?"
Alexander looked toward the broken window.
"Because that photograph reveals something important."
Daniel nodded slowly.
"And whoever broke in… doesn't want us to know what it is."
Emily wrapped her arms around herself.
Her thoughts spun wildly.
The man from her childhood.
The mysterious organization.
The erased memories.
Everything was connected somehow.
Just then—
One of the guards rushed back into the room.
"Sir!"
Alexander turned sharply.
"Report."
"We found something outside."
Alexander's eyes narrowed.
"What?"
The guard held out a small object.
A metal badge.
Emily leaned closer.
Her breath caught.
Because engraved into the metal…
Was the exact same symbol from the torn black cloth.
But this time—
There was something else beneath it.
A name.
Alexander read it quietly.
Then his expression changed completely.
Emily's heart started racing again.
"What does it say?"
Alexander looked at her slowly.
His voice low.
"Project E."
Emily frowned.
"Project… E?"
Daniel suddenly went still.
Realization flashed across his face.
"Oh no."
Alexander looked at him sharply.
"What?"
Daniel's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Emily… the 'E' doesn't stand for the project."
Emily felt her pulse spike.
"Then what does it stand for?"
Daniel looked directly into her eyes.
"It stands for you."
Emily felt the world spin.
"Project Emily."