"She's my sister?"
The words barely left my mouth.
I looked at the girl standing across the room.
Lily.
My sister.
Ten years of my life had passed without me ever knowing she existed.
She looked at me with tears in her eyes.
"I didn't know either," she whispered. "Not until recently."
I turned toward my father.
"How could you hide a child from me?"
He didn't answer.
"How?"
My voice broke.
My uncle stepped forward.
"Because your father wanted everyone to believe she died in the fire."
I stared at him.
"Why?"
"Because she was the only person who could prove what happened that night."
I looked at Lily.
"How?"
My uncle pointed at the photograph in Adrian's hand.
"She was there."
Lily shook her head.
"I was a baby. I couldn't remember anything."
"You didn't need to."
He looked at me.
"Your mother kept something."
"What?"
"A recording."
My heart raced.
"What recording?"
My father finally spoke.
"Don't."
I turned toward him.
"Where is it?"
He remained silent.
"Father, where is it?"
His eyes hardened.
"You've already learned too much."
I stepped toward him.
"No. I've learned that you lied to me my entire life."
Lily suddenly spoke.
"Your father isn't the only one who lied."
Everyone turned toward her.
She reached into her bag.
"I found this in your mother's room."
She pulled out a small black memory card.
My heart pounded.
"What's on it?"
"I don't know."
Adrian took it carefully.
"We need a computer."
We rushed to my room.
My hands trembled as Adrian inserted the card into my laptop.
There was only one file.
FIRE_NIGHT.mp4
I stared at the screen.
Nobody spoke.
Adrian clicked the file.
The video began.
The footage was dark and shaky.
Then the warehouse appeared.
My father walked into the frame.
Richard Blackwood followed.
Samuel Morgan came behind them.
They were arguing.
I couldn't hear everything.
Then another person entered.
My father's brother.
My uncle.
He was carrying a container.
My heart stopped.
The video suddenly became clearer.
He poured something around the warehouse.
Then someone shouted.
"Don't do it!"
The camera turned.
My mother.
She was holding a baby.
Lily.
I covered my mouth.
Then the fire started.
My mother screamed.
The video went black.
Nobody moved.
Then a final audio clip played.
My father's voice.
"Take the child and leave."
I stared at him.
"Who was he talking to?"
My father didn't answer.
The video ended.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Nobody spoke.
I whispered, "Who is this?"
A man's voice finally came through.
"Now you know what happened to your sister."
My heart stopped.
"Where is my mother?"
A quiet laugh.
"That's the question you should be asking."
"Who are you?"
The line went dead.
I looked at Adrian.
His expression was grim.
"We need to leave."
"Why?"
He pointed toward the window.
A black car had just stopped outside.
Two men stepped out.
Then a third.
My father's guards immediately moved toward them.
But one of the men looked directly up at my window.
And smiled.
I knew that face.
I had seen him before.
He was one of my father's most trusted men.
The man everyone believed was protecting our family.
He had been watching us all along.
And suddenly I understood.
The person threatening us wasn't outside the family.
He was already inside it.