My father's study was silent when I entered.
He stood beside the window, holding his phone.
Daniel was sitting across from him.
The moment I walked in, both men stopped talking.
My father's eyes settled on me.
"Sit."
I obeyed.
"What happened?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he walked toward his desk and placed his phone on it.
"Adrian has been seen."
My heart began racing.
"Where?"
"Near the eastern border."
I stared at him.
"Is he safe?"
My father gave me a cold look.
"Why are you so concerned?"
"Because I love him."
The room became silent.
Daniel looked away.
My father leaned against his desk.
"You still don't understand."
"Then explain it to me."
"You think Adrian is hiding because he's afraid of me."
"Isn't he?"
"No."
My heart skipped.
"Then why?"
My father looked toward Daniel.
Daniel's expression remained unreadable.
"Because he has something that belongs to me."
"What?"
Neither answered.
I stood.
"What does Adrian have?"
My father's voice became firm.
"That is not your concern."
"Everything concerning Adrian is my concern."
He slammed his hand against the desk.
"Enough!"
I flinched.
Daniel stood.
"She deserves to know something."
My father turned sharply toward him.
"You've said enough already."
Daniel remained silent.
I looked between them.
There was something they were both hiding.
Then my father's phone rang.
He answered.
"Yes?"
He listened.
His expression changed.
"What?"
A pause.
"Where?"
He immediately ended the call.
Daniel stood.
"What happened?"
My father looked at both of us.
"Adrian is here."
My heart stopped.
"Here?"
"He's in the city."
I couldn't stop the smile that escaped me.
After weeks of fear, uncertainty, and silence, Adrian was finally close.
My father noticed.
"Don't even think about leaving this house."
I looked at him.
"You can't keep me locked up forever."
"I can."
He turned toward the guards outside the study.
"Nobody lets her leave without my permission."
I stared at him in disbelief.
Then Daniel approached me.
"Don't do anything reckless."
I looked at him.
"Why are you suddenly concerned about me?"
"I'm not."
His voice was quiet.
"I'm concerned about what will happen if Adrian comes here."
"What will happen?"
Daniel didn't answer.
He walked away.
I returned to my room.
I waited until midnight.
Then I heard something.
Three soft knocks against my window.
My heart stopped.
I slowly approached.
Another three knocks.
I pulled the curtain aside.
And there he was.
Adrian.
Standing in the darkness below my window.
Older somehow.
Tired.
But alive.
I covered my mouth.
He looked up at me.
Neither of us spoke.
Then he pointed toward the door.
I understood.
I quietly opened my bedroom door and slipped downstairs.
When I reached the garden, he pulled me into his arms.
I cried against his chest.
"You came back."
"I told you I would."
"I thought my father…"
"I know."
I pulled away.
"Where have you been?"
"Running."
"From my father?"
"From everyone."
He looked around.
"Did you find anything?"
"Yes."
I took out the photograph.
His face changed when he saw it.
"Where did you get this?"
"Someone gave it to me."
He studied the photograph.
Then he looked at me.
"Who told you about the fourth man?"
"My mother."
Adrian became very still.
"What?"
"She said he's my father's brother."
He shook his head.
"That's impossible."
"Why?"
"Because I've met him."
My heart stopped.
"When?"
"Three days ago."
I stared at him.
"Where?"
Adrian looked toward the house.
"He isn't dead."
I felt a chill run through me.
"Then where is he?"
Adrian lowered his voice.
"He's the reason your father is terrified."
Before I could ask anything else, the garden lights suddenly came on.
We froze.
My father's voice echoed from behind us.
"Step away from my daughter."
I turned.
My father stood at the garden entrance.
And beside him was Daniel.
But Daniel wasn't looking at me.
He was staring at Adrian with an expression I couldn't understand.
Fear.
Not anger.
Fear.
And that was when I realized something was terribly wrong.
Daniel knew Adrian.
And neither of them had told me.