The Photograph at MidnightAt exactly 12:17 a.m., Ethan Carter heard three knocks on his apartment door.He was still awake.Rain hammered against the windows of his small apartment, and the city outside had disappeared behind a curtain of water. Ethan sat alone at his kitchen table, staring at an unopened envelope beside a cold cup of coffee.The envelope contained his final termination letter.Three months earlier, Ethan had been an ordinary man. He had worked as an accountant for a construction company, paid his bills, helped his younger sister when he could, and spent his weekends repairing old furniture.Then everything had changed.His employer had accused him of stealing nearly two hundred thousand dollars.Ethan knew he was innocent.But the evidence had been perfect.His password had been used.His fingerprints had been found on financial documents.And security footage appeared to show him entering the company's records room on the night the money disappeared.He had lost hi

The Woman in the Dark“Ethan!”The woman's voice echoed through Blackwood Station.Ethan stood frozen inside the underground room, still holding the photograph of Olivia and Daniel.Olivia's warning repeated in his head.She killed Daniel.But the woman upstairs was screaming his name.Was she in danger?Or was it a trap?Ethan slipped the photograph into his jacket and climbed the stairs.The underground room disappeared behind him as he reached the main hall.“Where are you?” he called.No answer.Only the sound of rain beating against the broken windows.Then he saw her.The woman in the black coat was standing near the old ticket counter.Blood covered her shoulder.She was holding a small pistol.“Don't come closer,” she said.Ethan stopped.“You're hurt.”“I know.”“Who shot you?”She looked toward the entrance.“They came for you.”“Who?”“The people who erased your memory.”Ethan's eyes narrowed.“You killed Daniel.”The woman's expression changed.“Who told you that?”“My sis

Room 17The door to Room 17 opened by itself.Ethan Carter stood frozen in the hallway.From inside came the sound of slow breathing.Then silence.“Olivia?” he whispered.No answer.He looked at his phone.00:33:47Thirty-three minutes remained.Daniel's warning echoed in his mind.Don't open Room 17.But Olivia had screamed his name.If she was inside, Ethan couldn't leave her.He pushed the door open.The room was dark.A single emergency light flickered above an old hospital bed.Olivia sat on the bed.Her wrists were tied.Her face was bruised.“Ethan!”He rushed toward her.“Olivia!”He began cutting the ropes.“Are you hurt?”“I don't know.”“Who did this?”Olivia looked toward the corner.Ethan followed her gaze.Nobody was there.Then Olivia whispered:“Someone was here.”“Who?”“I don't know.”“You're lying.”She looked at him.“What?”“You knew about Daniel.”Olivia's eyes filled with tears.“Ethan, I was trying to protect you.”“You let me believe Daniel was dead.”“Becaus

The Daughter He ForgotThe lock clicked.Ethan Carter turned toward the chamber door.It was sealed.No one moved.The little girl beside him continued holding his hand.Her fingers were cold.“Daddy?”Ethan looked down at her.Those eyes.His eyes.For seven years, he had believed the biggest mystery of his life was the disappearance of Daniel Reed.Now he was standing beside a child he had apparently chosen to forget.“What’s your name?” Ethan asked softly.The girl hesitated.“Lily.”“Lily what?”She looked toward Rachel.Rachel couldn't meet his eyes.“Lily Morgan,” the girl whispered.Ethan's heart sank.“Why do you have Rachel's surname?”Rachel finally spoke.“Because I raised her.”“You knew where she was all these years?”“Yes.”“And you never told me?”“You made me promise.”“I don't remember making that promise.”“You weren't supposed to.”Ethan stepped away from Lily.The child immediately reached for him again.“Don't leave.”The words broke something inside him.“I won't

The Last BetrayalThe gunshot echoed through the chamber.Ethan Carter instinctively threw himself in front of Lily.For a moment, there was only silence.Then the emergency lights flickered back on.Daniel Reed stood near the doorway, his gun still raised.But he wasn't aiming at Ethan.He had shot the control panel.Sparks rained from the ceiling.Rachel stared at him.“You could have killed her.”Daniel lowered his weapon.“That was the point.”Ethan's eyes narrowed.“Explain.”Daniel looked at Lily.“She is not Victoria's daughter.”Ethan froze.“You just said she was.”“I needed them to hear that.”“Who?”Daniel pointed toward the ceiling.“Everyone watching us.”Rachel looked around.“Cameras.”Daniel nodded.“Meridian has been monitoring this room since you activated the archive.”Ethan looked at the screens.Several small red lights were blinking.Daniel continued.“The moment the system opened, they knew we had found the final file.”Ethan's anger didn't disappear.“You've be