The Ghosts of the Past

Evelyn's breath caught in her throat.

The man standing in the doorway—tall, broad, and wrapped in the weight of something unspoken—had just said the words she had been chasing for weeks.

"I know why they wanted your father dead."

The air felt thick, charged with something between fear and urgency.

Theo stepped forward, his posture tense. "Who are you?"

The man's gaze flickered between them before he finally said, "Ethan Reyes. I worked with your father."

Evelyn's grip on the door tightened. The name sounded vaguely familiar, like something she had come across in her father's old files but hadn't pieced together yet.

Before she could speak, Theo's voice dropped a degree colder. "And what do you want?"

Ethan exhaled. "To tell you the truth. But not here." His eyes moved past them, scanning the street as if expecting someone to be watching. "We need to talk somewhere safe."

Evelyn exchanged a glance with Theo.

Everything in her screamed not to trust this man—she had learned the hard way that trust was a luxury in a world where her father's past was still haunting her. But at the same time… if he really had answers, she couldn't walk away from them.

Theo studied Ethan with a look that was sharp enough to cut.

Finally, he stepped back slightly, allowing Evelyn to make the decision.

She swallowed. "There's a café two blocks from here. It's open all night."

Ethan nodded. "Meet me there in ten minutes. And don't bring anyone else."

Without another word, he turned and disappeared into the night.

Evelyn barely had time to process it before Theo closed the door behind them.

The silence was heavy.

Then Theo muttered, "This is a terrible idea."

Evelyn let out a dry laugh. "I was just about to say the same thing."

---

A Conversation in the Dark

The café was quiet, lit by the dim glow of streetlights outside. A few tired souls were scattered across the room—students hunched over textbooks, a man nursing a black coffee like it was the only thing keeping him awake, and the barista, barely paying attention as she wiped down the counter.

Ethan was already there, sitting at a booth in the farthest corner.

Theo and Evelyn slid into the seat across from him, and the weight of the moment settled between them.

Ethan leaned forward. "I'll get straight to the point. Your father was investigating something bigger than you realize."

Evelyn's heart pounded. "Bigger than corporate corruption?"

"Bigger than just one company," Ethan corrected. "Your father was tracking an entire network. People in power who have been laundering money, controlling politicians, and silencing anyone who gets in their way."

Theo's jaw clenched. "And he got too close."

Ethan nodded. "They didn't just kill him, Evelyn. They erased him. Every record, every piece of evidence—gone. Like he never existed."

Evelyn gripped the edge of the table. "Then how do you know all this?"

"Because I was helping him," Ethan admitted. "I was the one who got him the files. The ones he left for you."

Theo's eyes darkened. "If you were so close to him, why didn't you stop it?"

Ethan flinched, just slightly. "I tried. But the moment I realized how deep it ran, I knew I was already a target." His voice was rough with something that almost sounded like guilt. "I barely got out alive."

Evelyn's mind was spinning.

Her father had known. He had seen the storm coming and still ran straight into it. And now, she was standing in the wreckage he left behind.

"What do they want now?" Theo asked.

Ethan hesitated. "You."

The word landed like a gunshot.

Evelyn felt Theo go rigid beside her.

"They think you have something your father left behind," Ethan explained. "Something they never found."

Evelyn's stomach twisted. "I don't."

Ethan held her gaze. "Then you need to find out what it is before they do."

Theo's hand rested on the table, fingers just inches from hers. Not touching, but close. A silent reminder that she wasn't alone in this.

Evelyn inhaled slowly. "And what about you? Why are you here now?"

Ethan's lips pressed into a thin line. "Because I owe it to your father to make sure they don't kill you too."

---

A Moment Before the Storm

By the time they got back to Evelyn's apartment, the exhaustion was starting to settle in. But sleep wasn't an option.

She paced the living room, hands in her hair. "This is insane."

Theo leaned against the counter, arms crossed. "Yeah. It is."

Evelyn groaned. "You're supposed to tell me that I'm overreacting and that everything will be fine."

Theo raised an eyebrow. "When have I ever done that?"

She threw a pillow at him.

He caught it effortlessly, lips twitching.

Evelyn sighed, rubbing her face. "This is too much. I don't even know where to start."

Theo watched her for a moment, then said, "Sit down."

She frowned. "What?"

"Sit," he repeated, his voice softer this time.

She hesitated before finally sinking onto the couch.

Theo sat beside her. Not too close, but close enough that she could feel his warmth.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, quietly, Theo said, "You don't have to figure everything out tonight."

Evelyn let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "But I can't just—"

Theo cut her off by reaching for her hand.

It was a small gesture.

Just his fingers lightly brushing against hers.

But it made her stop.

It made her *breathe*.

His voice was low when he said, "We'll figure it out. Together."

Evelyn swallowed. "Theo…"

He didn't move away. Didn't let go.

And for the first time in a long time, the chaos didn't feel so heavy.

She exhaled, her fingers curling around his just slightly.

"Okay," she whispered.

And for now, that was enough.

---

End of Chapter 22