Chapter 8: The Man Who Owned My Past
The photograph stayed on my desk for two hours.
I couldn’t stop looking at it.
My own face stared back at me.
Three years younger.
Different.
Not physically.
Something else.
The man in the photograph looked confident.
Calm.
Like he knew exactly what he was doing.
But I remembered nothing.
Marcus stood across from me.
“Sir.””
I didn’t respond.
“Victor.””
I finally looked up.
“Find the doctor.””
Marcus nodded.
“We already started.””
“Already?””
He hesitated.
“There’s something else.””
“What?””
“The doctor’s name.””
My chest tightened.
“Who?””
“Dr. Adrian Cole.””
The name meant nothing.
Until Serena spoke.
“He was Richard’s doctor.””
I looked at her.
“You knew him?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
She looked uncomfortable.
“Because he treated Richard.””
“And me?””
She didn’t answer.
That was enough.
“You knew.””
“I suspected.””
“You suspected I was being manipulated and said nothing?””
“I tried.””
“When?””
“When Claire was alive.””
I stared.
“What did she tell you?””
Serena sat down.
“She told me you were changing.””
“Changing how?””
“You were forgetting conversations.””
I felt my stomach drop.
“She thought you were being poisoned.””
The room went silent.
“Poisoned?””
“Yes.””
“By Richard?””
Serena nodded.
“But she couldn’t prove it.””
I walked to the window.
The city outside looked normal.
People walking.
Cars moving.
Everyone living ordinary lives.
Meanwhile, my entire past was collapsing.
“Why didn’t Claire tell me?””
Serena’s voice softened.
“Because she tried.””
I turned.
“What?””
“She tried many times.””
My heart sank.
“But Richard always got there first.””
I remembered.
Arguments.
Missing meetings.
Moments when Claire looked at me like she wanted to say something.
And I had ignored her.
Because I trusted my own memory.
The next morning, Marcus found Dr. Adrian Cole.
He was living under a different name.
A quiet town outside Boston.
When we arrived, he looked like he had been expecting us.
He opened the door.
And the first thing he said was:
“You finally remembered.””
My blood ran cold.
“You know me?””
He sighed.
“Yes.””
“Explain.””
Dr. Cole stepped aside.
“Come in.””
I didn’t move.
“I’m not here for coffee.””
“I know.””
He looked at me sadly.
“You’re here because Claire’s message reached you.””
I froze.
“How do you know about Claire?””
“Because I helped her.””
“Then tell me everything.””
Inside his house, he opened a locked cabinet.
He pulled out medical records.
Mine.
I recognized the name.
Victor Blackwood.
Diagnosis.
Treatment.
Notes.
I read the first line.
*Patient experiencing memory disruption following traumatic event.*
I looked up.
“What traumatic event?””
Dr. Cole hesitated.
“The night your father died.””
I stared.
“My father died in a car accident.””
“No.””
The word was quiet.
But devastating.
“He didn’t.””
The room spun.
“What?””
Dr. Cole looked at me.
“Your father was murdered.””
Nobody spoke.
I felt numb.
“Why would everyone say accident?””
“Because Richard arranged it.””
I looked at the records again.
“What does this have to do with me?””
“Everything.””
He pointed to the file.
“Your father knew Richard was stealing from the company.””
“And?””
“He planned to expose him.””
I swallowed.
“So Richard killed him.””
“Yes.””
“And then?””
“He needed control.””
Dr. Cole looked at me.
“You were the only person standing between him and Blackwood Industries.””
My voice was barely audible.
“So he made me forget.””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Dr. Cole looked down.
“Medication. Psychological manipulation. Isolation.””
My hands shook.
“And Serena?””
“She was supposed to watch you.””
I felt anger rise.
“She was part of it.””
“At first.””
I looked at him.
“At first?””
Dr. Cole nodded.
“Serena changed sides.””
“Why?””
“Because Claire convinced her.””
I closed my eyes.
Claire.
Even after everything.
She had been fighting alone.
“She loved you, Victor.””
The words hurt.
Because I wasn’t sure I deserved them.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“I tried.””
“When?””
“After Claire died.””
“What happened?””
Dr. Cole looked away.
“Richard found out.””
“And?””
“He threatened my family.””
Silence.
Then my phone rang.
Marcus.
I answered.
“Sir.””
His voice was urgent.
“We have a problem.””
“What?””
“Richard knows we found Dr. Cole.””
My blood went cold.
“How?””
A pause.
Then Marcus said:
“Because someone inside your house told him.””
I looked at Serena.
She immediately shook her head.
“No.””
But Marcus continued.
“And Victor…”
“What?””
“We checked the security footage from the night Claire died.””
My grip tightened.
“What did you find?””
A long silence.
Then:
“You weren’t alone with Claire that night.””
My heart stopped.
“Who was there?””
May you like
Marcus answered:
“Yourself.””
