"Hello, Eleanor."
Eleanor stopped breathing.
She knew that voice.
She didn't know where from, but somewhere buried deep inside her mind, that voice belonged to a memory she had spent years trying to forget.
Raven immediately stepped in front of her.
"Who are you?"
The woman slowly stepped into the room.
The emergency lights flickered again, revealing the silver mask covering the upper half of her face.
She looked at Raven.
Then at Eleanor.
"My name is Vanessa Richard."
Eleanor's eyes widened.
The name struck something inside her.
"Vanessa…"
Vanessa smiled.
"So you do remember."
Raven's expression hardened.
"You know her?"
Vanessa tilted her head.
"I knew her mother."
Raven's voice became colder.
"You knew Ellen?"
"Very well."
Dr. Cross stepped backward.
"Vanessa, this wasn't part of the agreement."
Vanessa turned toward him.
"You're in no position to discuss agreements with me, Alexander."
Raven noticed the fear in the doctor's eyes.
"You're afraid of her."
Dr. Cross said nothing.
Vanessa looked back at Eleanor.
"You've grown into a beautiful woman."
Eleanor's stomach turned.
"How do you know me?"
Vanessa removed one glove slowly.
"Because I knew you before you knew yourself."
Eleanor's breathing became uneven.
A memory flashed.
A little girl.
Ellen holding her hand.
Vanessa standing nearby.
The silver mask.
A strange room.
Eleanor whispered,
"You were there."
Vanessa smiled.
"Yes."
Raven immediately looked at Eleanor.
"What do you remember?"
Eleanor pressed a hand against her temple.
"I don't know."
Vanessa took a step forward.
"Don't force it."
Raven blocked her.
"Stay away from her."
Vanessa laughed softly.
"You sound exactly like Ellen."
Raven's eyes hardened.
"Don't say my mother's name."
"Why?"
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
"She was the reason all of this happened."
Eleanor looked at her.
"My mother didn't deserve to die."
Vanessa stared at her.
"No."
Her voice became strangely quiet.
"She didn't."
Raven froze.
"You're admitting she was murdered?"
Vanessa looked directly at Raven.
"I never said I killed her."
Silence.
Dr. Cross closed his eyes.
Raven's voice dropped.
"Then who did?"
Vanessa turned toward the photograph on the desk.
"The same person who has been manipulating your family for years."
Eleanor whispered,
"Who?"
Vanessa looked at her.
"You're not ready."
Eleanor stepped forward.
"I am."
Vanessa's eyes softened.
"No, Eleanor."
She slowly removed the silver mask.
Eleanor stared at her face.
And another memory exploded inside her mind.
Vanessa standing beside Ellen.
Sofia crying.
Mark shouting.
A gunshot.
Ellen pushing Eleanor behind her.
And Vanessa screaming—
"Run!"
Eleanor gasped.
Raven caught her before she fell.
"Eleanor!"
Vanessa's expression changed.
"You remembered."
Eleanor looked up at her.
"You saved me."
Vanessa nodded.
"Yes."
Raven stared at Vanessa.
"Then why have you been hiding from us?"
Vanessa looked toward the window.
"Because the people who killed Ellen have been watching you for years."
Raven's phone suddenly vibrated.
Andrea.
Raven answered.
"Talk."
Andrea's voice was urgent.
"Raven, we've identified Vanessa Richard."
Raven looked at Vanessa.
"What did you find?"
A pause.
Then Andrea said:
"She was listed as one of Ellen Hale's closest friends."
Eleanor stared at Vanessa.
Andrea continued.
"But that's not the disturbing part."
"What is?"
"Vanessa Richard officially died six months before Ellen."
Raven's blood ran cold.
She slowly lowered the phone.
Vanessa smiled.
"Now you understand why I needed the mask."
To be continued…