Maya stared at the shattered mirror.

She could no longer feel the cold.

She could no longer hear the rain.

She could barely hear Adrian shouting her name.

All she could hear was the voice from behind the glass.

You were never the victim, Maya.

You were the reason Nadia died.

The words had entered her mind like poison.

She looked down at the black rose lying beside her mother’s body.

Its petals were wet.

Not with rain.

With blood.

Maya slowly picked it up.

Adrian grabbed her wrist.

“Don’t.”

Maya looked at him.

“Why?”

“Because every time you touch one of those things…”

“You see something.”

“Maybe that’s what it wants.”

“What wants?”

Adrian looked at the broken mirror.

“I don’t know.”

Maya stared at the black rose.

“Then we’re running out of time.”

Adrian looked at her.

“Time for what?”

Maya pointed toward her mother’s body.

“My mother is dead.”

“Yes.”

“Edward Vale is dead.”

“Yes.”

“Marcus Hale.”

“Dead.”

“William Crane.”

“Dead.”

“Thomas Reed.”

“Dead.”

Maya looked at him.

“Everyone connected to Nadia is dying.”

Adrian’s face became serious.

“And now your mother.”

Maya shook her head.

“No.”

“What?”

“My mother wasn’t one of them.”

“How do you know?”

“Because she tried to protect Nadia.”

Adrian looked at the note.

THE SIXTH MAN IS NOT THE KILLER.

Maya whispered:

“The killer is someone else.”

“The seventh.”

Adrian looked at the shattered mirror.

“But who?”

Maya stared at the black rose.

“Someone who was there that night.”

“Someone who knew Nadia.”

“Someone who knows me.”

Adrian frowned.

“That doesn’t narrow it down.”

Maya looked at him.

“It does.”

“How?”

“Because the killer knows things about my childhood.”

Adrian understood.

“The photographs.”

“The secret room.”

“The fire.”

“Someone has been watching you.”

“For twenty-two years.”

Maya nodded.

“And that person knew where I would be.”

Adrian’s expression changed.

“Blackwood.”

Maya looked at him.

“Exactly.”

“The killer brought me here.”

“Why?”

“To finish something.”

Adrian looked at the dead woman.

“Your mother.”

Maya nodded.

“She knew the truth.”

“That’s why she was killed.”

“Yes.”

“Then what was the truth?”

Maya looked at the note again.

“The seventh.”

---

They buried Maya’s mother before sunset.

There was no funeral.

No family.

No priest.

Only Maya and Adrian.

The rain had returned.

It fell over the small cemetery outside Blackwood.

Maya stood beside the grave.

Her mother’s coffin disappeared beneath the earth.

She watched silently.

She didn’t cry.

She had cried enough.

At least…

That’s what she told herself.

When the grave was finally covered, Adrian stood beside her.

“I’m sorry.”

Maya looked at him.

“For what?”

“For everything.”

“You didn’t kill her.”

“I knew about the fire.”

“You were seventeen.”

“I knew my father was dangerous.”

“You were seventeen.”

“I should have done something.”

Maya stared at the grave.

“Maybe.”

Adrian looked at her.

“But you didn’t.”

“No.”

“And now you’re trying.”

“Yes.”

Maya finally looked at him.

“Then help me find the seventh man.”

Adrian nodded.

“I will.”

Maya turned away.

Then she heard something.

A whisper.

Very faint.

“Maya.”

She froze.

Adrian looked at her.

“What?”

“Did you hear that?”

“No.”

The voice came again.

“Maya…”

Maya turned toward the grave.

The soil was moving.

Adrian immediately pulled his gun.

“Maya, get back.”

The ground cracked.

Something pushed upward.

Maya screamed.

A hand emerged from the soil.

Then another.

Adrian grabbed Maya and pulled her away.

A figure slowly rose from the grave.

A woman.

Covered in mud.

Her white dress torn.

Her face hidden by wet hair.

Maya froze.

“Nadia?”

The woman lifted her head.

It wasn’t Nadia.

It was an old woman.

Maya recognized her.

Mrs. Hart.

The innkeeper.

The woman who had been murdered.

Maya stared in horror.

“That’s impossible.”

Mrs. Hart smiled.

Blood ran from her mouth.

“Nothing is impossible in Blackwood.”

Then her body collapsed.

Maya and Adrian stared.

Adrian slowly approached.

He checked her pulse.

Nothing.

Again.

Dead.

Maya whispered:

“She was already dead.”

Adrian nodded.

“Yes.”

“Then how did she come back?”

Adrian looked toward the grave.

“I don’t know.”

Maya closed her eyes.

“Stop saying that.”

Suddenly…

Mrs. Hart’s hand moved.

Maya screamed.

Adrian raised his gun.

The dead woman pointed toward Maya.

Her mouth opened.

A strange voice came out.

Not her voice.

A man’s voice.

“The seventh is watching.”

Then her body went still.

Maya stared.

Adrian lowered his gun.

“That’s not possible.”

Maya whispered:

“Welcome to Blackwood.”

---

They returned to the police station.

Maya spread everything across a table.

Photographs.

Old files.

Nadia’s diary.

Her mother’s note.

The black rose.

Adrian stood opposite her.

“We have seven names.”

Maya looked at the wall.

“Six men.”

“And your mother.”

“Yes.”

“Your mother wasn’t involved.”

“She knew the truth.”

Adrian pointed at the names.

“Edward Vale.”

“Marcus Hale.”

“William Crane.”

“Thomas Reed.”

“Richard Cross.”

“Samuel Sterling.”

Maya frowned.

“Samuel was my real father.”

“Yes.”

“Richard killed him.”

“Yes.”

“And then Richard took his identity.”

“Yes.”

Maya looked at the list.

“Then Richard became Samuel.”

Adrian nodded.

“But Richard was killed.”

“Yes.”

“By whom?”

Adrian stared at her.

“We don’t know.”

Maya suddenly looked up.

“Wait.”

“What?”

“How did Richard die?”

Adrian hesitated.

“Heart attack.”

“Where?”

“His home.”

“Who found him?”

“I did.”

Maya stared.

“You?”

Adrian nodded.

“You found your father dead.”

“Yes.”

“Did you see the body?”

“Yes.”

“Did you identify him?”

Adrian’s face changed.

“Yes.”

“How?”

“His face.”

Maya shook her head.

“No.”

“What?”

“Did you have DNA?”

“No.”

“Fingerprints?”

“I don’t remember.”

Maya stared.

“Adrian.”

He became silent.

“Was it really your father?”

“I thought so.”

Maya stepped closer.

“Then maybe Richard isn’t dead.”

Adrian’s face went pale.

“No.”

“Maybe he’s the seventh.”

“Richard was killed twenty-two years ago.”

“Then who was the man we saw?”

Adrian shook his head.

“I don’t know.”

Maya pointed at the list.

“Maybe the sixth man isn’t Richard.”

Adrian looked at her.

“Maybe it’s someone else.”

“Who?”

Maya stared at the seventh blank space.

The room became silent.

Then she remembered something.

The photograph.

The one from the secret room.

The photograph of Nadia.

Her mother.

Samuel.

Richard.

And someone else.

Someone standing behind them.

Maya grabbed her bag.

“Where are you going?”

“Home.”

“Your home?”

“My old home.”

“Why?”

“Because there’s another photograph.”

Adrian followed.

“What photograph?”

“The one my mother kept hidden.”

“Where?”

Maya looked at him.

“In my father’s study.”

---

The house was dark when they arrived.

Maya unlocked the door.

Inside…

Everything was exactly as they had left it.

Except one thing.

The black rose.

It was sitting on the stairs.

Maya stopped.

Adrian raised his gun.

“Someone has been here.”

Maya nodded.

She slowly climbed the stairs.

The rose remained on the step.

She passed it.

They entered the study.

Dust covered the desk.

Maya searched the drawers.

Nothing.

She checked the bookshelves.

Nothing.

Then she noticed something.

A painting.

Her father.

Samuel Sterling.

Maya stared at it.

“That’s not him.”

Adrian looked.

“What?”

“The man in the painting.”

“That’s Samuel.”

“No.”

Maya stepped closer.

“Look at the eyes.”

Adrian stared.

The face was similar.

But the eyes were different.

Maya shook her head.

“This is not my father.”

Adrian examined the painting.

“Then who is it?”

Maya touched the frame.

It moved.

Behind it was a hidden compartment.

Inside…

A small box.

Maya opened it.

There was a cassette tape.

A key.

And a photograph.

Maya picked up the photograph.

Her heart stopped.

It showed seven people.

Edward Vale.

Marcus Hale.

William Crane.

Thomas Reed.

Richard Cross.

Samuel Sterling.

And…

Maya’s mother.

All seven were standing together.

Maya stared.

Her mother had lied.

She wasn’t innocent.

She had been there.

Adrian whispered:

“Your mother was one of them.”

Maya shook her head.

“No.”

“She’s in the photograph.”

“That doesn’t mean she was involved.”

“Then why was she there?”

Maya looked at the back.

A message.

THE SEVEN.

ONE WILL BETRAY THEM.

ONE WILL DIE.

ONE WILL REMEMBER.

ONE WILL RETURN.

Maya’s hands trembled.

“One will remember.”

Adrian looked at her.

“You.”

Maya nodded.

“One will return.”

“Nadia.”

“Maybe.”

“One will betray them.”

“Your mother?”

Maya looked at the photograph.

“And one will die.”

Adrian stared.

“Who?”

Maya slowly turned the photograph over.

There was another name.

Written underneath.

THE SEVENTH — ELIAS VANE.

Maya froze.

Adrian’s face went white.

“No.”

Maya whispered:

“Elias.”

The forensic psychologist.

The man who had been helping them.

The man who knew everything about the murders.

The man who had been present during the fire.

The man who had disappeared from Maya’s childhood memories.

Maya finally understood.

“He was the seventh.”

Adrian shook his head.

“Elias was just a child.”

“So was Richard.”

“So was I.”

Maya looked at the photograph.

“Elias knew Nadia.”

“He knew my mother.”

“He knew my father.”

“And he knew me.”

Adrian stared at the name.

“Then why didn’t he kill us?”

Maya’s eyes moved to the final sentence.

THE ONE WHO REMEMBERS WILL OPEN THE DOOR.

Maya whispered:

“I was the key.”

---

The cassette recorder sat on the desk.

Maya inserted the tape.

Static filled the room.

Then…

Her mother’s voice.

Maya froze.

“If you are listening to this…”

Her voice was shaking.

“Then I am dead.”

Maya closed her eyes.

Her mother continued.

“Maya, I’m sorry.”

“Everything I told you was a lie.”

Maya’s eyes filled with tears.

“Your father was Samuel Sterling.”

“But the man you knew as your father was Richard Cross.”

“Richard killed Samuel.”

“He took his name.”

“He took his home.”

“And he took you.”

Maya covered her mouth.

The recording continued.

“But Richard was not the seventh.”

Maya looked at Adrian.

The voice continued.

“The seventh was Elias Vane.”

Maya froze.

“Elias was the one who designed the experiment.”

“He was the one who wanted to study Nadia.”

“He was the one who wanted the child.”

Maya whispered:

“The child.”

Her mother continued.

“Maya, you were not an experiment.”

“You were a witness.”

“But Elias believed your memories contained something important.”

Maya’s heart raced.

“You saw the murder.”

“You saw who killed Samuel.”

“You saw what happened to Nadia.”

“And you saw the seventh man.”

The recording stopped.

Maya stared at the machine.

“No.”

Adrian stepped closer.

“What?”

“I don’t remember.”

“Maybe you will.”

“No.”

“Maya.”

“I don’t remember!”

She threw the cassette across the room.

It shattered.

Adrian didn’t move.

Maya began crying.

“I was a baby.”

“I couldn’t see.”

“You saw something.”

“I couldn’t!”

“You survived.”

“Why?”

Adrian stepped closer.

“Because Nadia saved you.”

Maya looked at him.

“And why did she save me?”

Adrian didn’t answer.

Maya suddenly remembered.

The fire.

The smoke.

Nadia holding her.

A man entering.

Samuel screaming.

Richard shouting.

And then…

A seventh man.

Maya saw his face.

Her eyes widened.

“I know.”

Adrian froze.

“Know what?”

“I saw him.”

“Who?”

Maya looked at him.

Her voice became a whisper.

“Elias.”

Adrian stared.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“You couldn’t have.”

“I remember.”

“What did you see?”

Maya’s breathing became faster.

“Elias killed Samuel.”

Adrian stepped backward.

“He killed my father.”

Maya nodded.

“Then he killed Nadia.”

Adrian shook his head.

“No.”

Maya looked confused.

“What?”

“Elias didn’t kill Nadia.”

“Then who did?”

Adrian’s face changed.

“Your mother.”

Maya froze.

“No.”

“Your mother killed Nadia.”

“Why?”

“Because Nadia was going to expose them.”

Maya shook her head.

“That’s impossible.”

“Your mother was one of the seven.”

“She betrayed them.”

“Yes.”

“Then why kill Nadia?”

Adrian looked at the photograph.

“To save you.”

Maya stopped breathing.

Her mother had killed Nadia.

But Nadia had saved Maya.

Nothing made sense.

Then…

The lights went out.

A woman’s voice came from the corner.

“Maya.”

Maya froze.

Adrian raised his gun.

The voice came again.

“Don’t listen to him.”

Maya whispered:

“Nadia?”

A figure appeared.

White dress.

Blood-covered hands.

Nadia.

She looked at Adrian.

“He’s lying.”

Adrian shouted:

“You’re dead!”

Nadia smiled.

“Yes.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Because she needs to know.”

Maya stepped closer.

“Know what?”

Nadia looked at her.

“Your mother didn’t kill me.”

Maya froze.

Adrian shouted:

“Don’t listen to her!”

Nadia turned toward him.

“Why?”

“Because you’re manipulating her.”

Nadia laughed.

“I don’t need to.”

She looked at Maya.

“She already remembers.”

Maya’s mind exploded with memories.

The fire.

The screaming.

Nadia.

Her mother.

Samuel.

Elias.

Richard.

And finally…

The seventh man.

Maya screamed.

She fell to the floor.

Adrian rushed toward her.

“Maya!”

She pushed him away.

“No!”

“What happened?”

Maya looked at him.

“You.”

Adrian froze.

“What?”

“You were there.”

“Yes.”

“You saw everything.”

“Yes.”

“You knew who killed Nadia.”

Adrian stepped backward.

Maya’s voice became cold.

“You knew the truth.”

Adrian shook his head.

“No.”

“Tell me.”

“Maya—”

“Tell me!”

Adrian’s eyes filled with tears.

“I saw Nadia die.”

“Who killed her?”

Silence.

Maya pointed her gun at him.

“Who?”

Adrian looked at her.

Then…

He whispered:

“I did.”

Maya’s world stopped.

Nadia disappeared.

The lights came back.

Adrian stood alone.

Maya’s gun trembled in her hand.

“You…”

Adrian closed his eyes.

“I killed Nadia.”

Maya couldn’t speak.

“I didn’t mean to.”

“You killed her.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because she begged me.”

Maya stared.

“What?”

“She told me to kill her.”

“Why?”

“Because Elias was going to torture her.”

“She knew she couldn’t escape.”

“She asked me to end it.”

Maya’s gun lowered.

“No.”

Adrian was crying now.

“I was seventeen.”

“Nadia was nineteen.”

“She was dying.”

“She was afraid.”

“She gave me a choice.”

Maya whispered:

“What choice?”

Adrian looked at her.

“Kill her…”

“Or let Elias take her.”

Silence.

Maya’s eyes filled with tears.

“So you killed her.”

“Yes.”

“Then why are the others dying?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why is Nadia here?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why does she want revenge?”

Adrian looked at the black rose.

“Maybe she doesn’t.”

Maya froze.

“What?”

Adrian whispered:

“Maybe someone else is using her.”

Suddenly…

A loud crash came from upstairs.

Maya and Adrian turned.

Someone was walking above them.

Slowly.

One step.

Then another.

Maya raised her gun.

“Who is that?”

Adrian whispered:

“Elias.”

The footsteps stopped.

Then a man’s voice came from upstairs.

“Very good, Adrian.”

Maya froze.

Elias.

“You finally told her.”

Adrian raised his gun.

“Elias!”

Elias laughed.

“But you forgot one thing.”

Maya stared at the ceiling.

“What?”

Silence.

Then Elias said:

“Nadia didn’t ask you to kill her.”

Adrian froze.

The room became silent.

Elias continued:

“She asked you to kill Maya.”

Maya’s blood turned cold.

“What?”

Adrian looked at her.

“No.”

Elias laughed.

“You were the reason Nadia died, Maya.”

Maya stepped backward.

“Why?”

“Because Nadia chose you.”

“And I couldn’t allow that.”

Adrian raised his gun toward the stairs.

“Show yourself!”

Elias’s voice became closer.

“You want to know who the seventh man is?”

Maya’s heart pounded.

The footsteps reached the top of the stairs.

“Look behind you.”

Maya slowly turned.

Adrian was standing there.

But something was wrong.

His face.

His eyes.

His expression.

Maya whispered:

“Adrian?”

He smiled.

A strange smile.

Then his voice changed.

It wasn’t Adrian’s voice.

It was Elias’s.

“Hello, Maya.”

Maya screamed.

The man in front of her laughed.

His face began to change.

Not physically.

But in Maya’s mind.

The face of Adrian disappeared.

And the face of the seventh man appeared.

Elias.

Maya fell backward.

The real Adrian’s voice came from upstairs.

“MAYA!”

She looked up.

Adrian was standing at the top of the stairs.

Gun in hand.

Alive.

The man beside Maya turned.

His face was now Elias.

Maya screamed.

The fake Adrian was gone.

Elias stood in his place.

He smiled.

“Finally.”

Maya raised her gun.

“You killed Nadia.”

Elias smiled.

“Yes.”

“You killed my father.”

“Yes.”

“You killed my mother.”

“No.”

Maya froze.

Elias’s smile disappeared.

“Your mother is still alive.”

Maya’s heart stopped.

“What?”

Elias stepped closer.

“She was never dead.”

“That body…”

“Wasn’t hers.”

Maya looked toward the stairs.

Adrian slowly lowered his gun.

Elias whispered:

“Your mother is with Nadia.”

“Where?”

Elias pointed toward Blackwood Manor.

“In the room where it all began.”

Maya stared.

“Why?”

Elias smiled.

“Because tonight…”

“We finally finish the experiment.”

A loud thunderclap shook the house.

All the windows shattered at once.

Maya screamed.

Elias disappeared.

And from outside…

A woman’s voice cried:

“Maya…”

Maya ran toward the door.

Adrian grabbed her.

“Where are you going?”

“To my mother.”

“No.”

“Let go!”

“Maya, it’s a trap.”

“I don’t care.”

Adrian held her tighter.

“You’ll die.”

Maya looked at him.

“Then come with me.”

Adrian stared.

Maya’s eyes filled with tears.

“You said you would help me find the truth.”

“I will.”

“Then help me.”

Adrian finally nodded.

“Okay.”

They ran into the night.

Toward Blackwood Manor.

Toward Nadia.

Toward the seventh man.

And toward the truth that had been waiting for Maya…

For twenty-two years.

But neither of them noticed the figure standing inside the window of Maya’s childhood home.

A woman.

Watching them leave.

She slowly stepped into the moonlight.

It was Maya’s mother.

Alive.

And beside her…

Was Nadia.

Her white dress was covered in blood.

Maya’s mother whispered:

“She remembers.”

Nadia looked toward the road.

“Yes.”

“Will she forgive me?”

Nadia shook her head.

“Not yet.”

“Then what happens now?”

Nadia smiled.

“Now she learns the truth.”

A shadow appeared behind them.

A man’s voice whispered:

“And then she dies.”

Nadia turned.

For the first time…

She looked afraid.

Because the voice belonged to someone neither Maya nor Adrian had suspected.

Someone who had been watching them all along.

Someone who had never died.

Someone who had never disappeared.

Someone who had been waiting for Maya to remember.

And when the shadow stepped into the light…

Nadia whispered one name.

“Samuel.”