22/09/2026
Chapter Twenty-Six
The Man Who Followed Her
Amelia couldn’t move.
Neither could Ethan.
They stood on opposite sides of the hotel lobby, staring at each other.
For the first time since she had met him, Amelia didn’t see the man who used to wait outside the hospital for her.
She saw a man carrying secrets.
Ethan slowly walked toward her.
“Amelia.”
She didn’t answer.
“Why are you here?”
She almost laughed.
“That’s your question?”
He stopped a few feet away.
“I was looking for you.”
“You followed me?”
“No.”
“Then how did you know I was here?”
“I didn’t.”
Amelia stared at him.
“You’re lying.”
Ethan’s expression tightened.
“Who told you to come here?”
“Why does that matter?”
“Because this place isn’t safe.”
She looked around.
“Safe from what?”
Ethan didn’t answer.
“From Adrian?”
His face changed.
Amelia saw it.
That tiny reaction she had been waiting for.
“You know him,” she whispered.
Ethan looked away.
“I knew of him.”
“No. You knew him.”
“Amelia—”
“You were here that night.”
He froze.
“Three years ago.”
Silence.
“You were at the Rosewood Hotel.”
Ethan’s eyes returned to hers.
“Who told you that?”
“So you were.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
He sighed.
“Amelia, there are things you don’t understand.”
“Then explain them.”
“I can’t.”
She shook her head.
“Of course.”
She turned away.
Ethan caught her arm gently.
“Wait.”
Amelia immediately pulled away.
“Don’t.”
He released her.
His face fell.
“I would never hurt you.”
“You keep saying that while hiding things from me.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“From what?”
He looked toward the reception desk.
“Not here.”
Amelia followed his gaze.
The receptionist had disappeared.
Her heart began beating faster.
“What happened here?”
Ethan lowered his voice.
“Adrian found something.”
“What?”
“I don’t know everything.”
“But you know something.”
“Yes.”
“What?”
Ethan hesitated.
“Something connected to your family.”
Amelia stared at him.
“What did Adrian find?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why did you meet him?”
Ethan’s eyes narrowed.
“You’ve been talking to Victoria.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“She told you about that night?”
“Part of it.”
He looked away.
“Of course she did.”
“What does that mean?”
“Victoria doesn’t know the whole story.”
“Neither do you?”
“I know enough.”
“Then tell me.”
Ethan looked directly at her.
“Adrian was trying to get information from someone close to your family.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because it’s the truth.”
Amelia shook her head.
“You’re not telling me everything.”
“No.”
The honesty surprised her.
Ethan continued.
“I’m not.”
“Why?”
“Because I promised someone I wouldn’t.”
Amelia’s heart stopped.
“Who?”
He didn’t answer.
“Who did you promise?”
Ethan looked at her.
“Your father.”
Amelia felt the world go silent.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“What did he ask you to promise?”
Ethan took a breath.
“That I would keep you away from the investigation.”
Amelia’s face went pale.
“Why?”
“I was told it was for your safety.”
“And you believed him?”
“At the time.”
“At the time?”
Ethan nodded.
“I didn’t understand everything either.”
Amelia looked away.
Three years.
Three years of believing she had sacrificed her career for love.
Three years of believing Ethan had simply wanted more of her time.
But now she was beginning to understand that something much larger had been happening behind the scenes.
“What about Victoria?”
Ethan’s expression changed.
“What about her?”
“She worked with you.”
“I never asked her to betray you.”
“But she did.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
Amelia stared at him.
“Did you love her?”
Ethan looked shocked.
“What?”
“Did you ever have feelings for Victoria?”
“No.”
The answer came immediately.
But Amelia didn’t know whether to believe it.
She turned away.
Then her phone vibrated.
She looked down.
Another message from the unknown number.
Unknown: Ask Ethan what happened after Adrian left the hotel.
Amelia’s eyes lifted.
“What happened after Adrian left?”
Ethan went silent.
“Ethan.”
He looked at her.
“You need to leave.”
“No.”
“Amelia, please.”
“What happened?”
“I can’t tell you here.”
“Then tell me somewhere else.”
He shook his head.
“Not tonight.”
“Why?”
“Because someone is watching us.”
Amelia’s blood ran cold.
She looked around the lobby.
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then how do you know?”
Ethan stepped closer.
“Because I saw them outside.”
Amelia turned toward the glass doors.
A dark car was parked across the street.
Its windows were tinted.
She couldn’t see inside.
“Who is it?”
“I don’t know.”
She looked at Ethan.
For once, he seemed genuinely afraid.
Then the car started moving.
It drove away.
Amelia turned back.
“Where are you going?”
Ethan was already walking toward the exit.
“Home.”
“That’s it?”
“I’ll explain everything.”
“When?”
“Soon.”
“You’ve been saying that for three years.”
He stopped.
Those words clearly hurt him.
But Amelia didn’t take them back.
Ethan looked at her for a long moment.
Then he said quietly,
“Maybe you should ask your father what happened that night.”
And he walked away.
⸻
Amelia remained in the hotel lobby.
She couldn’t breathe properly.
Her father.
Ethan.
Victoria.
Adrian.
The Rosewood Hotel.
Everything was connected.
But there was still one missing piece.
She opened Adrian’s notebook again.
She flipped through the pages.
Then something fell out.
A small folded piece of paper.
Amelia picked it up.
She unfolded it.
There were only three words written on it.
Ask about Helena.
Amelia frowned.
Helena.
Who was Helena?
She stared at the name.
Then her phone vibrated.
This time, it wasn’t the unknown number.
It was her father.
Dad: Come home immediately.
A second message followed.
Dad: There are things I need to tell you.
Amelia looked at the paper again.
Ask about Helena.
For the first time, she wondered whether Helena was the person who could finally connect every piece of the mystery.
And somewhere deep inside her, Amelia knew one thing.
Whatever her father was about to tell her…
it would change everything.
