Shadows of the Past

Elena's breath caught in her throat.

Two identical faces.

One she had kissed. One she had never seen before.

Her grip on her gun tightened. "Who the hell are you?"

The man smirked, stepping forward under the dim rooftop light. Unlike Adrian, whose presence was always composed, this man carried an air of ruthless confidence.

"Elena Carter," he drawled, ignoring her question. "I've heard a lot about you."

A chill crept down her spine.

His voice wasn't quite like Adrian's—it was colder, sharper, like a blade slicing through the air.

"Where is Adrian?" she demanded.

His smirk widened. "Adrian?" He let the name roll off his tongue, as if testing it. "Ah, you mean my dear twin brother."

Her heart lurched.

Twin.

Her mind raced back to the file she had found—Liam Cross, international fugitive.

This wasn't Adrian. This was Liam.

And Adrian had never told her about him.

"You're lying," she shot back. "Adrian doesn't have a brother."

Liam chuckled. "He wouldn't tell you about me. I'm the secret he buried long ago."

Elena's fingers twitched over her gun, but Liam lifted his hands in mock surrender. "Relax, Detective. I'm not here to hurt you."

"Then why are you here?" she asked, voice laced with suspicion.

His eyes darkened. "To warn you."

Elena narrowed her gaze.

Liam took a step closer, and she didn't move. "You're being watched, Elena. My brother… he's not who you think he is."

She swallowed hard, refusing to let his words shake her.

"You expect me to believe you?" she said.

Liam tilted his head. "Check the records again. You'll find that Adrian Cross died five years ago."

Her breath hitched.

Liam leaned in slightly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"The man you love isn't Adrian."

The Truth Buried in Blood

Elena didn't sleep that night.

She sat in her apartment, hunched over her laptop, hacking into databases she wasn't supposed to touch.

Her hands trembled as she typed Adrian Cross into the system again.

Her screen flashed.

Error: No Records Found.

A knot tightened in her stomach.

She tried again. No match.

Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she switched her search to Liam Cross.

Name: Liam CrossStatus: Wanted – International CrimesKnown Alias: Adrian Cross

Her blood ran cold.

Alias?

She clicked the file open, scanning through blurry surveillance images. One in particular caught her attention—

A man standing in front of Solace, giving orders.

Her heart nearly stopped.

It was Adrian.

Or was it Liam?

Her hands shook as she scrolled down. Then she saw it.

A death certificate.

Issued five years ago.

Adrian Cross—Deceased.

Elena's world tilted.

She gripped the edge of her desk, her breath coming in sharp gasps.

If Adrian Cross was dead…

Then who was the man she had fallen in love with?

A Call She Shouldn't Answer

Her phone buzzed.

Her pulse jumped as she saw the name flashing on the screen.

Adrian.

She hesitated.

The rational part of her screamed don't pick up.

But her heart ached with unanswered questions.

She pressed answer.

"Elena," Adrian's voice was steady, but she could hear something beneath it—urgency, maybe even fear.

She couldn't hold back. "Who are you?"

Silence.

Then, a sigh. "Where are you?"

She clenched her jaw. "Answer me first."

A pause.

"Elena, listen to me carefully," he said, voice low. "You need to stop digging."

Her grip tightened on the phone. "And if I don't?"

Adrian exhaled. "Then you'll force me to do something I don't want to do."

A chill ran down her spine.

This wasn't a threat.

It was a warning.

"Elena," his voice softened. "Meet me. Just once. Let me explain everything."

Every instinct screamed at her to say no.

But she wasn't the type to run from the truth.

"Where?" she asked.

A long pause. Then—

"Solace. Midnight."

The line went dead.

Elena stared at the screen, heart pounding.

She had two choices.

Walk away now and pretend she never uncovered the truth.

Or go to Solace at midnight…

And risk falling into the arms of a man she could no longer trust.