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Chapter Six: The Woman Who Knew Too Much
Amara barely slept that night.
The message kept replaying in her mind.
ELENA HAS NOT TOLD YOU EVERYTHING.
She had thought that her mother's confession would answer some of her questions, but instead, it had created even more.
What had Mrs. Elena left out?
Why had she and Vanessa promised to protect the truth?
And what had really happened to the student at Brightfield Academy?
Amara wanted to ask her mother more questions, but she had gone unusually quiet after the last message arrived. She had excused herself and gone to her bedroom, leaving Amara alone with her thoughts.
The following morning, Amara decided she would speak to Victoria.
If Vanessa knew the truth, perhaps Victoria could help her find a way to contact her aunt.
At school, Amara found Victoria standing beside the noticeboard outside their classroom.
"Victoria, I need your help," Amara said.
Victoria turned around. "What happened?"
Amara showed her the message on her phone.
Victoria read it twice, and her expression became serious.
"Your mother told you something, didn't she?"
"Yes. She said she and your aunt discovered something at Brightfield years ago. She also told me to find Vanessa."
Victoria looked away.
"I knew this day might come."
Amara frowned. "What do you mean?"
"My aunt has been expecting someone to ask questions about the past. She never told me everything, but sometimes I hear her talking on the phone about Brightfield."
"Can you take me to her?"
Victoria hesitated.
"I can ask her if she'll speak to you. But Amara, you have to promise me something."
"What?"
"If she tells you to leave the past alone, don't argue with her. Whatever happened years ago affected both our families."
Amara nodded, although she wasn't sure she could keep that promise.
During the school day, she tried to concentrate on her lessons. However, every time a teacher mentioned a name or wrote a date on the board, her mind returned to the missing school records.
At lunchtime, Ada sat beside her.
"You've been acting strangely lately," Ada said. "You keep looking over your shoulder, and you barely listen when people talk to you."
Amara forced a smile. "I'm just dealing with something at home."
Ada studied her face.
"You know you can talk to me, right?"
Amara felt guilty for keeping so much from her friend.
"I know, Ada. I'll explain when I can."
Ada nodded, although she still looked concerned.
Before the final bell, Victoria passed Amara a small piece of paper.
"My aunt's address," she whispered. "I'll meet you there tomorrow afternoon. Don't go alone before I arrive."
Amara slipped the paper into her pocket.
"Thank you."
Victoria walked away without another word.
That evening, Amara showed the address to her mother.
Mrs. Elena immediately recognized it.
"Where did you get this?" she asked.
"Victoria gave it to me. It's Vanessa's address."
Her mother's expression changed.
"You must be careful when you speak to her."
"Why? You told me to find her."
"I know what I said." Mrs. Elena sighed. "But Vanessa has carried this burden for a long time. She may not be ready to tell you everything."
Amara looked directly at her mother.
"Then why does everyone keep telling me only half the truth?"
Mrs. Elena had no answer.
The following afternoon, Amara met Victoria outside a quiet house on a street she had never visited before.
The house was surrounded by a low fence. Several flowerpots stood beside the entrance, and the curtains were drawn across the front windows.
Victoria knocked three times.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then the door opened.
A woman stood before them.
She had dark eyes, neatly arranged hair, and a serious expression. Amara recognized her immediately from the photograph she had found in Room 12.
Vanessa.
The woman looked at Victoria first, then turned her attention to Amara.
When her eyes settled on Amara's face, she became completely still.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she whispered, "Elena's daughter."
Amara nodded.
"Yes. My name is Amara."
Vanessa stepped back from the doorway.
"Come inside."
The sitting room was quiet, with old photographs arranged on a shelf beside the television. Amara noticed one picture showing two young women standing in front of Brightfield Academy.
Her mother and Vanessa.
They looked happy, unaware of whatever trouble lay ahead.
Vanessa followed Amara's gaze.
"We were different people back then," she said softly.
Amara sat down.
"I came because I need to know what happened at Brightfield."
Vanessa's face hardened.
"Has Elena told you anything?"
"She said a student was involved in an incident, and the evidence disappeared."
Vanessa closed her eyes briefly.
"So she's finally admitted that much."
"What else is there?"
Vanessa stood and walked toward the shelf. She picked up an old photograph and turned it over in her hands.
"There was another person who knew what happened," she said. "Someone who was supposed to help us reveal the truth."
"Who?"
Vanessa turned back toward Amara.
"Before I tell you, you must understand something. The person who hid those records may still be at Brightfield."
Amara's heart began to pound.
"Do you know who it is?"
Vanessa opened her mouth to answer, but a sudden knock interrupted her.
All three of them turned toward the door.
Vanessa's face lost its colour.
She quickly placed the photograph back on the shelf.
"Victoria," she whispered, "take Amara into the back room. Now."
"Why?" Victoria asked.
Vanessa lowered her voice.
"Because if the person outside discovers she's here, we may never get another chance to uncoverChapter Six: The Woman Who Knew Too Much
Amara barely slept that night.
The message kept replaying in her mind.
ELENA HAS NOT TOLD YOU EVERYTHING.
She had thought that her mother's confession would answer some of her questions, but instead, it had created even more.
What had Mrs. Elena left out?
Why had she and Vanessa promised to protect the truth?
And what had really happened to the student at Brightfield Academy?
Amara wanted to ask her mother more questions, but she had gone unusually quiet after the last message arrived. She had excused herself and gone to her bedroom, leaving Amara alone with her thoughts.
The following morning, Amara decided she would speak to Victoria.
If Vanessa knew the truth, perhaps Victoria could help her find a way to contact her aunt.
At school, Amara found Victoria standing beside the noticeboard outside their classroom.
"Victoria, I need your help," Amara said.
Victoria turned around. "What happened?"
Amara showed her the message on her phone.
Victoria read it twice, and her expression became serious.
"Your mother told you something, didn't she?"
"Yes. She said she and your aunt discovered something at Brightfield years ago. She also told me to find Vanessa."
Victoria looked away.
"I knew this day might come."
Amara frowned. "What do you mean?"
"My aunt has been expecting someone to ask questions about the past. She never told me everything, but sometimes I hear her talking on the phone about Brightfield."
"Can you take me to her?"
Victoria hesitated.
"I can ask her if she'll speak to you. But Amara, you have to promise me something."
"What?"
"If she tells you to leave the past alone, don't argue with her. Whatever happened years ago affected both our families."
Amara nodded, although she wasn't sure she could keep that promise.
During the school day, she tried to concentrate on her lessons. However, every time a teacher mentioned a name or wrote a date on the board, her mind returned to the missing school records.
At lunchtime, Ada sat beside her.
"You've been acting strangely lately," Ada said. "You keep looking over your shoulder, and you barely listen when people talk to you."
Amara forced a smile. "I'm just dealing with something at home."
Ada studied her face.
"You know you can talk to me, right?"
Amara felt guilty for keeping so much from her friend.
"I know, Ada. I'll explain when I can."
Ada nodded, although she still looked concerned.
Before the final bell, Victoria passed Amara a small piece of paper.
"My aunt's address," she whispered. "I'll meet you there tomorrow afternoon. Don't go alone before I arrive."
Amara slipped the paper into her pocket.
"Thank you."
Victoria walked away without another word.
That evening, Amara showed the address to her mother.
Mrs. Elena immediately recognized it.
"Where did you get this?" she asked.
"Victoria gave it to me. It's Vanessa's address."
Her mother's expression changed.
"You must be careful when you speak to her."
"Why? You told me to find her."
"I know what I said." Mrs. Elena sighed. "But Vanessa has carried this burden for a long time. She may not be ready to tell you everything."
Amara looked directly at her mother.
"Then why does everyone keep telling me only half the truth?"
Mrs. Elena had no answer.
The following afternoon, Amara met Victoria outside a quiet house on a street she had never visited before.
The house was surrounded by a low fence. Several flowerpots stood beside the entrance, and the curtains were drawn across the front windows.
Victoria knocked three times.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then the door opened.
A woman stood before them.
She had dark eyes, neatly arranged hair, and a serious expression. Amara recognized her immediately from the photograph she had found in Room 12.
Vanessa.
The woman looked at Victoria first, then turned her attention to Amara.
When her eyes settled on Amara's face, she became completely still.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she whispered, "Elena's daughter."
Amara nodded.
"Yes. My name is Amara."
Vanessa stepped back from the doorway.
"Come inside."
The sitting room was quiet, with old photographs arranged on a shelf beside the television. Amara noticed one picture showing two young women standing in front of Brightfield Academy.
Her mother and Vanessa.
They looked happy, unaware of whatever trouble lay ahead.
Vanessa followed Amara's gaze.
"We were different people back then," she said softly.
Amara sat down.
"I came because I need to know what happened at Brightfield."
Vanessa's face hardened.
"Has Elena told you anything?"
"She said a student was involved in an incident, and the evidence disappeared."
Vanessa closed her eyes briefly.
"So she's finally admitted that much."
"What else is there?"
Vanessa stood and walked toward the shelf. She picked up an old photograph and turned it over in her hands.
"There was another person who knew what happened," she said. "Someone who was supposed to help us reveal the truth."
"Who?"
Vanessa turned back toward Amara.
"Before I tell you, you must understand something. The person who hid those records may still be at Brightfield."
Amara's heart began to pound.
"Do you know who it is?"
Vanessa opened her mouth to answer, but a sudden knock interrupted her.
All three of them turned toward the door.
Vanessa's face lost its colour.
She quickly placed the photograph back on the shelf.
"Victoria," she whispered, "take Amara into the back room. Now."
"Why?" Victoria asked.
Vanessa lowered her voice.
"Because if the person outside discovers she's here, we may never get another chance to uncover the truth."
Another knock sounded.
Then a man's voice came from the other side of the door.
"Vanessa, I know the girls are inside."
Amara froze.
She knew that voice.
It was Mr. Daniels. the truth."
Another knock sounded.
Then a man's voice came from the other side of the door.
"Vanessa, I know the girls are inside."
Amara froze.
She knew that voice.
It was Mr. Daniels.
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