Nadine_Elyna_0981

Ava Mitchell returns to New York after a year in hiding following the tragic death of her fiancé, Ben Carter, in a Times Square accident. Her life has never been the same. But when Ava sees a man who looks exactly like Ben, her beliefs begin to crumble. Could Ben still be alive? Or is there a much bigger secret waiting to be uncovered?

In her search for answers, Ava is pulled into a world of disguises, betrayal, and deadly conspiracies. Amid the chaos of New York City, Ava must choose: pursue the love she lost, or save herself from the danger closing in.

What Remains Of Us (Yang Tersisa dari Kita)

The wind screamed against the windows of the townhouse on Waverly Place, rattling the old frames like bones eager to escape a forgotten grave. Ava stood frozen in the library doorway, her breath visible in the sudden drop of temperature. Upstairs, the footsteps echoed again—slow, deliberate, heavier than her own. Not imagination. Not memory. Someone—or something—was truly up there.

She clutched the cassette tape tighter in her hand. "Cassandra. March 17." The name still haunted her, etched into her skin like a secret begging to surface. Ava glanced back toward the front door. Escape was an option. But something inside her—a strange mixture of duty and obsession—urged her forward.

Creeping through the narrow hallway, Ava reached the staircase. Every creak of the old wood felt amplified. At the top, the corridor stretched out before her, moonlight bleeding through a crack in the roof, casting streaks of silver across the dusty floorboards.

The first door on the left was slightly ajar. Her heart pounded in her throat as she pushed it open. It was a bedroom—simple, old-fashioned. The bed untouched, sheets neatly folded. But on the dresser, beside a tarnished silver brush, sat a polaroid. Ava picked it up. It was a photo of Ben as a child, standing beside a woman she didn't recognize. The back read: "Ben & Cassandra – Waverly, 1997."

Her blood chilled. Cassandra wasn't just a name. She had been real. And she had been here.

A crash echoed from the far end of the hall.

Ava whipped around, heart hammering. She ran toward the sound, nearly slipping on the worn rug. The last door on the right swung open slowly. She pushed inside.

Boxes. Stacked high. Dust blanketing every surface. The smell of mildew and something sour. In the center of the room stood an old reel-to-reel recorder, still humming. The tape on it spun slowly, whispering static.

Ava stepped forward and pressed the stop button. She rewound it, hands trembling. Then play.

A woman's voice, calm and clear, filled the room.

"If you're hearing this, it means Ben broke the seal. And that means you, Ava, have come farther than I ever expected."

Her knees weakened. She sank onto a crate, listening.

"This house hides more than just memories. In the drawer beneath the piano, you'll find the second key. Ben kept the third in Cambridge, the last place he felt safe. Together, they'll open the archive. But know this, child—truth comes at a cost."

Ava sat still. Breathing. Processing.

She stood and turned toward the door.

But standing there, silhouetted by the attic light, was a figure. Male. Familiar.

"You weren't supposed to come here alone," he said.

His face was pale, gaunt, but unmistakably him. Ava took a step back.

"But not for long. They followed me. We don't have much time."

Below them, the front door burst open.

Ben pulled her behind a stack of boxes.

"They want Cassandra's archive. But we can't let them find it. Not yet."

Ben reached into his coat and pulled out a small velvet pouch. Inside, a key—ornate, old, and cold to the touch.

"We run," he whispered, "and we fight to remember."

Chapter 19 - The Edge of Disclosure