Rain had been falling for hours. It poured relentlessly from the black sky, beating against the windows of the small police station and flooding the empty streets outside. Officer Daniel had almost fallen asleep at his desk when the front door opened, the sound soft and almost lost beneath the thunder. He looked up. And froze. A woman stood at the entrance. She was barefoot, her long, dark hair clinging to her face and shoulders as water dripped onto the floor. Her clothes were soaked through, dirty, and torn at the sleeves. But that wasn't what made Daniel stare. It was the blood. There was blood on her hands. "Miss?" The woman didn't move. Daniel slowly stood from his chair. "Miss, can you hear me?" Her eyes moved toward him. They were wide and terrified. She looked behind her, then toward the windows, and finally back at him, as if she expected someone to walk through the door at any moment. Daniel walked closer. "Are you injured?" The woman looked down at her hands. For a moment, she seemed confused by the blood. She rubbed her fingers together before suddenly pulling her hands against her chest. "I..." Her voice was barely a whisper. Daniel softened his expression. "You're safe here. Sit down." The woman didn't move. Instead, she asked, "Where am I?" Daniel frowned. "You're at the police station." Her breathing changed. It became faster and more frightened. "No." She took a step backward. "No. No, I can't—" "Hey." Daniel raised both hands. "Nobody is going to hurt you." The woman stared at him. For several seconds, neither of them spoke. Finally, Daniel pulled a chair forward. "Please. Sit." Slowly, she walked toward it, her bare feet leaving wet footprints across the floor. Daniel noticed something else. Her hands weren't the only place where there was blood. There was also a dark stain on the edge of her dress. "Are you hurt?" he asked again. She looked down. "I don't know." Daniel immediately called for another officer. Within minutes, the quiet police station became busy. Someone brought a first-aid kit while someone else brought a blanket, but the woman barely reacted. She sat quietly in the chair, staring at nothing. Daniel crouched in front of her. "What's your name?" Her eyes slowly moved toward him. "My name?" "Yes." She stared at him as if the question was difficult. Then she whispered, "Cindy." Daniel nodded. "Cindy what?" Silence. Cindy looked down at her hands. "I..." Her forehead tightened as she struggled to remember. "I don't know." Daniel exchanged a glance with the other officer. "You don't know your last name?" Cindy shook her head. A terrible feeling appeared in Daniel's chest. "Okay," he said gently. "That's okay. We'll figure it out." Cindy suddenly grabbed his wrist. Daniel froze. Her fingers were cold. "Don't let him find me." Daniel looked at her. "Who?" Her eyes widened. And suddenly—something changed. Cindy released his hand and stared ahead, her breathing becoming shallow. A memory. A dark hallway. The sound of footsteps. A door closing. A man's voice. *If you leave this house tonight, there will be no coming back.* Cindy gasped. Daniel immediately stood. "Cindy?" She covered her ears. "No..." "Cindy!" "He said—" Her voice broke. Daniel leaned closer. "Who said what?" Cindy slowly looked up at him. Tears filled her eyes. "My husband." The entire room became quiet. Daniel pulled out his notebook. "What's your husband's name?" Cindy pressed her fingers against her forehead. She was trying to remember, trying desperately to piece together the fragments in her mind. Then—a name appeared in her mind. A man's face. Dark eyes. A cold expression. And blood. So much blood. Cindy began shaking. "Karen." Daniel paused. "What?" "Karen." "Karen who?" Cindy shook her head. "I don't know." "Do you know where he lives?" "No." "What does he look like?" Cindy closed her eyes. For one brief second, she saw him standing beside a window, wearing a black suit. His face was expressionless, his eyes fixed on her. Then she opened her eyes again. "I don't remember." Daniel sighed. "Okay. That's fine." But Cindy suddenly looked at him, her voice quiet and terrified. "He will kill me." Daniel's expression changed. "Who?" "My husband." Cindy's lips trembled. "Karen." Daniel stood and walked toward his computer. He typed the name. Nothing. He tried again, then searched through the missing persons database. He didn't expect to find anything, but when the results appeared, Daniel stopped. One file. His eyes narrowed as he clicked it. A photograph appeared. Daniel looked at the photograph, then slowly turned toward Cindy. She was sitting quietly, wrapped in a blanket and looking completely lost. Daniel looked back at the screen. The photograph showed a smiling young woman. The same eyes. The same face. The same woman. His heartbeat slowed. At the top of the file were three words. MISSING PERSON. Daniel opened the report, his eyes moving down the screen. Name: Cindy— He stopped. The last name was there. Daniel read it again, then looked at Cindy. "Cindy?" She looked up. "Yes?" "Do you know what year it is?" She frowned. "What?" "What year do you think it is?" Cindy looked confused. Then she answered. Daniel's face changed. He slowly sat down. "That's not the year." Cindy stared at him. "What?" Daniel turned the computer toward her. Cindy looked at the screen. Her photograph. Her name. Her missing persons report. Then she saw the date. Three years ago. Her face became pale. "No." "Cindy—" "No." She stood suddenly, and the chair fell backward. "This isn't possible." Daniel stood. "Please, calm down." "I was not gone for three years!" Her voice echoed through the station. "I was—" She stopped. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. Daniel watched her. "Where were you?" Cindy stared at him, her eyes filling with tears as she tried desperately to remember. Where had she been? She remembered darkness. She remembered running. She remembered waking up. But nothing else. Nothing. "I don't know." Her knees weakened, and Daniel caught her before she fell. Cindy began crying. Not loudly, just quietly, her entire body shaking. Daniel looked at the missing persons file again. Then something else caught his attention. The person who reported Cindy missing. Her husband. Karen. Daniel's eyes narrowed. He opened the report. Then froze. The name wasn't unfamiliar. Karen wasn't just Cindy's husband. He was connected to one of the most powerful and feared criminal families in the city. Daniel looked down at Cindy. She was crying into her hands, completely unaware of what he had just discovered. And for the first time that night, Daniel began to wonder— Was Cindy really safe? Or had she just walked directly into another danger?

CHAPTER 2: THE HUSBAND SHE COULDN’T REMEMBER Cindy stared at the computer screen. Her photograph stared back at her. She looked different in it. Happy. Her hair was neatly arranged, and there was a genuine smile on her face. Cindy touched the screen with trembling fingers. "That's me." Officer Daniel stood beside her. "Yes." "But..." Her voice faded as her eyes returned to the date beneath the photograph. Her stomach twisted when she saw the words: Missing for three years. Three years. It didn't make sense. Cindy slowly shook her head. "No." Daniel pulled a chair closer. "Cindy, please sit down." She didn't move. "This is wrong." "The report was filed three years ago." "No." "Cindy—" "I wasn't gone for three years!" Her voice rose, causing several officers to turn and look at her. Cindy pressed both hands against her head as her breathing became uneven. She tried desperately to remember. Where had she been? What had happened? The last thing she remembered clearly was— A house. A large house with dark walls and long corridors. Then a door. A locked door. Cindy gasped as a sharp pain shot through her head, and she stumbled backward. Daniel quickly caught her arm. "Easy." "Don't touch me!" She pulled away. Daniel immediately raised his hands. "I'm sorry." Cindy closed her eyes. Something was coming back. A memory. She was standing in front of a mirror. Someone was behind her—a tall man dressed in black, his hands resting on her shoulders. Cindy couldn't see his face. Then his voice filled her ears. "If you leave this house tonight, Cindy, there will be no coming back." Her eyes flew open. Karen. Her heart began pounding. Karen. She remembered the name. But why? Who was he? Her husband. She knew that somehow. Yet she couldn't remember their wedding. She couldn't remember falling in love with him. She couldn't remember anything about the man she had supposedly spent her life with. Only fear. Blood. And darkness. Daniel carefully watched her. "Do you remember something?" Cindy looked at him. "My husband." "Karen?" She nodded. "He said something to me." "What did he say?" Cindy hesitated, her lips trembling. "If you leave this house tonight, there will be no coming back." She swallowed. "I don't know." It was a lie. She didn't know why she didn't want to tell him. Maybe because saying those words aloud would make them real. Daniel nodded slowly. "That's okay." He returned to his desk and began searching through the missing persons file again. Cindy's eyes moved back to the photograph. Her name was written beneath it. Cindy Vale. She whispered it quietly. "Cindy Vale." The name felt familiar and strange at the same time, as though it belonged to someone else. Daniel looked up. "Do you recognize it?" "My last name." "Yes." Cindy repeated it. "Cindy Vale." She slowly sat down. "I should remember my own name." Daniel didn't answer. There was nothing comforting to say. After several moments, Cindy spoke again. "Who reported me missing?" Daniel stopped typing. Cindy looked at him. "Who reported me missing?" His expression changed. That was enough for Cindy to know something was wrong. "Officer?" Daniel looked at the screen, then back at her. "Your husband." The room became silent. Cindy stared at him. "Karen?" "Yes." She laughed, but it was a small, humorless laugh. "No." Daniel frowned. "Cindy—" "He was the one I escaped from." "We don't know that yet." Cindy stood. "I told you he was going to kill me!" "And I believe you're frightened." Her eyes narrowed. "But?" Daniel sighed. "But fear and memory aren't always the same thing." Cindy looked at him angrily. "You think I'm lying?" "No." "Then why are you defending him?" "I'm not." Daniel turned the computer slightly toward her. "Your husband reported you missing. According to this file, he spent months looking for you." Cindy stared at him. "That proves nothing." "No." "It doesn't." Daniel nodded. "It doesn't." Cindy folded her arms around herself. She hated this. She hated not knowing. She hated that every person in the room seemed to know more about her life than she did. She looked at Daniel. "Tell me about him." Daniel was silent. "Karen." She swallowed. "What kind of man is he?" Daniel leaned back in his chair. "I don't know him personally." "But?" Daniel hesitated. Cindy's stomach tightened. "But what?" "He comes from a powerful family." "What does that mean?" Daniel didn't immediately answer. That frightened her even more. "What does that mean?" His eyes met hers. "It means your husband isn't an ordinary man." Cindy felt cold. Outside, thunder crashed. Daniel lowered his voice. "His family has connections." "Connections to what?" Again, silence. Cindy took a step toward him. "Tell me." Daniel looked around the station before looking back at her. "There have been rumours." "Rumours?" "About his family." "What rumours?" "Cindy..." "What kind of rumours?" Daniel sighed. "Organized crime." Her body froze. For a second, she couldn't breathe. Organized crime. The words echoed inside her head. Suddenly— Blood. A man lying on the floor. Someone screaming. A gunshot. Cindy gasped and grabbed the edge of the desk. Daniel stood. "Cindy?" She shook her head, struggling to breathe. "I saw—" "What?" "I saw someone." "Who?" "I don't know!" Her voice broke. "There was blood." Daniel came closer. "What else?" "A man." "Who was he?" "I couldn't see his face." Cindy squeezed her eyes shut. There was something else. Someone was crying. A woman. No. Was it her? She opened her eyes. "I want to go home." Daniel looked confused. "Do you remember where you live?" Cindy's face fell. No. She didn't. "I..." She looked around the room. "I don't know." For the first time since entering the police station, Cindy felt completely alone. She had no home, no memories, and no idea who she could trust. And somewhere outside— A husband she couldn't remember was looking for her. --- Miles away from the police station, a black car moved through the rain. The man sitting in the backseat hadn't spoken for several minutes. His name was Karen Vale. His eyes remained fixed on the phone in his hand. The message on the screen had arrived less than ten minutes ago. We may have found her. Karen read it again. Then again. His face showed nothing. No surprise. No excitement. Nothing. The man sitting in front of him glanced through the rear-view mirror. "Should I turn the car around?" Karen didn't respond. The driver waited. "Sir?" Karen finally looked up. "Read the message again." The driver frowned. "Sir?" "The message." The driver picked up his phone. "Someone matching Cindy's description arrived at the Central Police Station approximately thirty minutes ago." Karen's jaw tightened, only slightly. "Matching her description?" "That's what they said." "Did they confirm it was her?" "Not yet." Karen looked out the window. Rain slid down the glass. For three years, he had received messages like this. A woman seen in another city. A woman crossing a border. A body found somewhere. Every single lead had ended the same way. Nothing. Karen looked back at his phone. We may have found her. His fingers slowly tightened around it. "Where is the station?" "Twenty minutes away." "Make it ten." The driver immediately pressed harder on the accelerator, and the car sped through the empty streets. Karen leaned back and closed his eyes. Despite everything, a memory returned. Cindy. Standing in front of him, angry, her eyes filled with tears. "You don't get to decide everything for me, Karen." His eyes opened. He looked at his reflection in the window. For three years, he had wondered if she had survived. For three years, he had searched. And now— She might be alive. But something was wrong. Karen could feel it. He picked up his phone and made a call. The person answered immediately. "Karen." "Find out who brought her to that station." There was silence. "Her?" Karen's expression darkened. "Don't make me repeat myself." "Yes, sir." "And find out where she's been for the last three years." The person hesitated. "Do you think she remembers?" Karen looked out the window. That question had been haunting him since the message arrived. Did she remember? Did she remember what happened that night? Karen's voice became quiet. "I don't know." The call ended. The driver glanced at him again. "Sir..." Karen looked up. "Do you think it's really her?" Karen didn't answer. His eyes returned to the rain-covered window. Then he whispered— "My wife is dead." --- Back at the police station, Cindy sat alone. Daniel had stepped away to speak with another officer, and the station had become quiet again. Too quiet. Cindy looked at the clock. She had no idea what time it was. She rubbed her arms, but the blanket around her shoulders wasn't enough to stop the cold. Then she noticed something. Her left hand. A ring. She hadn't noticed it earlier. Cindy stared at it, then slowly touched the simple wedding ring. The moment she did— Another memory returned. Cindy was laughing. Someone was holding her hand. She looked down. The same ring. Then she looked up. A man was standing in front of her. Karen. This time, she could see his face. Dark eyes. Dark hair. A serious expression. But he wasn't angry. He was smiling. Karen was smiling at her. Then the memory disappeared. Cindy pulled her hand away from the ring, her heart racing. "No." Why would she remember him smiling? Why would she remember feeling— Safe? Cindy looked around. "No." She shook her head. "He was going to kill me." She said it again, louder this time. "He was going to kill me." But something inside her didn't completely believe it. And that terrified her. --- Daniel returned. "Cindy?" She looked at him. He was holding his phone, and his expression was serious. "What happened?" Daniel hesitated. "We contacted your husband." Cindy immediately stood. "No." "Cindy—" "No!" She backed away. "Where is he?" "He knows you're here." Her face went pale. "Please." "Cindy, listen—" "Don't let him come near me." Daniel walked toward her. "I need you to calm down." "He'll kill me!" The front door of the police station suddenly opened. Everyone turned. Cindy stopped breathing. A man entered. Not Karen. Just another police officer. Cindy released a shaky breath, but her knees still felt weak. Daniel looked at her. "He's not here yet." Yet. The word frightened her. Cindy stared at the door, then at the windows. Every shadow suddenly looked dangerous. Every sound made her jump. She knew he was coming. She could feel it. Karen was coming. And she had no idea whether she wanted to run from him— Or run toward him. --- Outside the police station, a black car finally stopped. The engine went silent. Karen remained in the backseat, looking through the rain-covered window at the building across the street. Inside it— Possibly— His wife. Alive. After three years. His hand moved toward the door. Then stopped. His phone vibrated. A new message. Karen opened it. His expression changed. For the first time that night, genuine emotion appeared in his eyes. The message contained only six words. SHE DOESN'T REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED. Karen stared at the screen. Then slowly looked toward the police station. His voice was barely audible. "What did they do to you, Cindy?"

The message remained on Karen's screen. SHE DOESN'T REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED. For several seconds, Karen didn't move. Rain continued beating against the windows of the car while his driver waited quietly in front. "Sir?" Karen slowly lifted his eyes. "Who sent it?" "We're trying to trace the number." Karen looked back at the message. There was something deeply wrong about it. Only a few people knew what had happened three years ago, and some of those people were dead. His jaw tightened. "Find them." "Yes, sir." Karen opened the car door. Cold rain immediately hit his face. "Sir," his driver called. "Shouldn't we wait?" Karen stopped. "Wait for what?" "We don't know if it's really her." Karen looked toward the police station. "I know." Then he walked into the rain. Inside the police station, Cindy couldn't sit still. She had been staring at the front door for almost ten minutes. Daniel noticed. "He's not here yet." Cindy looked at him. "How do you know?" Daniel hesitated. "He hasn't entered." "That doesn't mean he's not here." Daniel frowned. Cindy looked toward the window. The rain outside made it difficult to see anything clearly. "He could be outside." "Cindy—" "He could be watching." Her voice trembled. Daniel sighed. "We have officers outside." Cindy laughed bitterly. "You don't understand." "Then help me understand." Cindy opened her mouth, but nothing came out. How could she explain something she couldn't remember? She pressed her hands against her forehead. "I don't know why I'm afraid of him." Daniel watched her carefully. "I don't remember him hurting me. But I remember being afraid." "Fear can stay with us even when memories disappear." Cindy looked at him. "Then why do I remember his face?" Daniel didn't answer. "Why do I remember his voice?" She looked down at her hand and stared at the wedding ring. "And why..." Her voice became quieter. "Why do I remember him smiling?" Daniel frowned. "What?" Cindy quickly looked away. "Nothing." She didn't want to explain it. She didn't want anyone to know that somewhere inside her broken memories was an image of Karen smiling at her. It made everything more confusing. The man she remembered smiling didn't look like someone she should fear. But another part of her remembered blood, darkness, and a locked door. Cindy suddenly stood. "I need some air." Daniel immediately shook his head. "No." She stared at him. "Why?" "Because we don't know what happened to you." "I'm inside a police station." "And you're frightened of someone." Cindy folded her arms. "You're treating me like a prisoner." "I'm trying to protect you." Cindy laughed without humor. "Everyone keeps saying that." Daniel looked at her. "What do you mean?" Cindy froze. Everyone keeps saying that. Where had those words come from? Suddenly, a memory appeared. A woman's voice. Soft and calm. "We're trying to protect you, Cindy." Cindy turned around quickly. The room spun. "Are you okay?" Daniel asked. Cindy didn't answer. She was somewhere else. A white room. Bright lights. Someone standing beside a bed. A woman. Cindy couldn't see her face. "You have to forget." Cindy gasped. Then the memory disappeared. She grabbed the edge of the desk. Daniel rushed toward her. "Cindy!" She pulled away. "Someone told me to forget." Daniel stared at her. "What?" "Someone..." She pressed her fingers against her temples. "They said I had to forget." "Forget what?" "I don't know." Daniel looked concerned. "Maybe you should see a doctor." "No." "Cindy—" "No!" Her voice echoed through the station. The front door suddenly opened. Cindy stopped breathing. Daniel turned around. A man stood in the doorway. Tall. Dressed completely in black. Rainwater dripped from his hair and coat. For a moment, Cindy couldn't see his face. Then he stepped inside. And she saw him. Her heart stopped. Karen. The room became silent. Cindy couldn't move. Karen couldn't either. For three years, he had imagined this moment. He had imagined finding her. He had imagined seeing her again. But none of those imagined moments had prepared him for reality. She looked thinner. Paler. Her hair was wet and messy. There was fear in her eyes. Fear of him. Karen felt something inside him tighten, but his face remained calm. Cindy took one step backward. Karen immediately stopped walking. "Hello, Cindy." His voice. The moment she heard it, her body reacted. Her breathing became uneven. Her fingers curled. Her heart raced. "No." Karen's eyes changed slightly. "Cindy—" "Don't come closer." Karen stopped. "I'm not going to hurt you." She laughed. It was a terrified sound. "That's what everyone says." Karen's expression became unreadable. Everyone. The word stayed in his mind. Who else had she been with? Where had she been? He wanted answers. Thousands of them. But looking at her now, he couldn't ask. Not yet. Daniel stepped forward. "Mr. Vale?" Karen looked at him. "Officer." "She is frightened." "I can see that." Cindy's eyes moved between them. "Don't talk about me like I'm not here." Karen looked at her. For the first time, their eyes met properly. Cindy felt something strange. A painful pressure inside her chest. She knew him somehow—more than she wanted to. Karen slowly spoke. "You disappeared." Cindy shook her head. "I escaped." Something flashed across his face. Pain, or anger. She couldn't tell. "From me?" he asked. His voice was quiet. Too quiet. Cindy swallowed. "Yes." Silence. Karen looked at her for several seconds. "Do you remember why?" The question caught her off guard. Cindy stared at him. "I..." She couldn't answer. Karen noticed. His eyes dropped briefly to her hands and then to the blood on her clothes. "Do you remember anything?" Cindy immediately became defensive. "I remember enough." "Do you?" Her eyes narrowed. Karen took a slow breath. "I'm not trying to upset you." "You came here." "Because the police called me." "You found me." Karen looked at her. "I've been looking for you for three years." Cindy shook her head. "Why?" The question hurt more than it should have. Karen looked away for a moment, then back at her. "Because you're my wife." Cindy laughed. "That doesn't answer my question." Karen was silent. Daniel watched both of them. The tension in the room had become impossible to ignore. Cindy looked directly at Karen. "Why did you look for me?" His voice became quieter. "Because I loved you." Cindy froze. The words entered her mind, but something inside her refused to accept them. She shook her head. "No." Karen's eyes darkened. "No?" "You can't love someone and make them afraid of you." Karen didn't respond. His silence frightened her. "See?" Cindy pointed at him. "You don't even deny it." Karen looked at her. "I don't know what you remember." "I remember enough." "Then tell me." Cindy stopped. Karen took one careful step forward. Cindy immediately stepped back. He stopped again. "Tell me what I did." She stared at him. A memory appeared. Blood. A locked room. A scream. Karen standing in front of her. Her eyes widened. "You..." Her voice shook. Karen waited. "You were there." His expression changed. "Where?" "There was blood." Daniel immediately looked at Karen. Cindy continued. "You were standing there." Karen's jaw tightened. "What else?" "You were..." She squeezed her eyes shut. "I can't remember." Karen didn't look relieved. He looked afraid. Cindy opened her eyes. "Why are you afraid?" Karen's eyes met hers. "I'm not." "You're lying." Karen said nothing. Cindy suddenly noticed something. Karen wasn't alone. Two men stood outside the station, both dressed in dark clothing and watching. She immediately stepped closer to Daniel. "Who are they?" Karen looked behind him. "My security." "Security?" Cindy laughed nervously. "Or bodyguards?" Karen looked at her. "Both." Daniel's expression hardened. "Mr. Vale, perhaps your men should wait outside." "They are outside." Cindy stared at Karen. Something about the two men made her stomach twist. She suddenly remembered another man. Someone with a scar on his face. Someone standing in a dark hallway. She gasped. Karen noticed immediately. "What is it?" Cindy backed away. "No." "Cindy?" "No!" Her hand moved toward her head. The memory became stronger. A hallway. The scarred man. A gun. Karen shouting. Then— A gunshot. Cindy screamed. Everyone froze. Daniel rushed toward her, but Cindy pushed past him. She ran straight toward the back of the police station. "Cindy!" Daniel shouted. Karen moved, but stopped himself. He could have reached her. He was faster. But the terror in her eyes made him freeze. "Don't follow me!" she screamed. Then she disappeared through the hallway. Daniel turned toward Karen. "Don't move." Karen's eyes remained fixed on the hallway. "She's terrified." "I know." "Then give her space." Karen slowly looked at him. "Officer, my wife has been missing for three years." Daniel didn't respond. Karen continued. "She arrives at a police station covered in blood with no memory of where she has been." Daniel's face became serious. "I understand." "No." Karen's voice dropped. "You don't." The officer stared at him. Karen looked back toward the hallway. "I don't know what happened to her." For the first time, Daniel saw something beneath Karen's controlled expression. Fear. Real fear. Karen's phone suddenly vibrated. He pulled it out. Another unknown message. His eyes moved across the screen. Then his entire body became still. YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE COME FOR HER. A second message arrived. SHE WAS SAFER WHEN SHE DIDN'T REMEMBER YOU. Karen's expression darkened. Then a photograph arrived. Karen stared at it. His face lost all colour. Daniel noticed. "What is it?" Karen didn't answer. Daniel stepped closer. "Mr. Vale?" Karen slowly lifted his eyes. "Find Cindy." Daniel frowned. "What?" "Now." "Why?" Karen looked toward the hallway. His voice was low, and for the first time, there was panic in it. "Because we're not the only ones looking for her." Meanwhile, Cindy stood alone in a small storage room. She had locked the door. Her hands were shaking as she pressed her back against the wall. Karen was here. He had found her. She closed her eyes. Why did seeing him hurt? Why did part of her want to believe him? Her phone suddenly rang. Cindy froze. She slowly looked down. The phone. She didn't remember owning it. She reached into her bag and found the device. The screen showed: UNKNOWN CALLER. Cindy stared at it. Then answered. "Hello?" For several seconds, nobody spoke. Then a woman's voice whispered: "Don't trust Karen." Cindy stopped breathing. "Who are you?" The woman didn't answer. Cindy gripped the phone. "Who are you?" The voice became quieter. "You escaped once, Cindy." Cindy's eyes widened. "You won't escape again." The call ended. Cindy stared at the phone, her heart pounding. Then someone knocked on the storage-room door. Cindy jumped. "Cindy?" Karen's voice. She covered her mouth. "Cindy, open the door." She didn't move. "Cindy." His voice was calm. Too calm. "Please." Cindy stared at the door, then at the phone. The mysterious woman had told her not to trust Karen. But Karen was the only person who had been searching for her. She closed her eyes. "Go away." There was silence. Then Karen spoke softly. "I'm not leaving." Cindy's eyes filled with tears. "Why?" Another silence. This time, longer. Then Karen answered: "Because I already lost you once." Cindy stood completely still. Her hand slowly moved toward the door. But before she could unlock it, her phone vibrated. One final message. ASK KAREN WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WOMAN IN THE WHITE ROOM. Cindy looked at the screen, and her blood turned cold. She slowly looked toward the door. Karen was standing on the other side. Waiting. And suddenly, Cindy knew one thing. Someone was lying. She just didn't know who.