Chapter 13

Alexander stood in Vanessa's former apartment, dust floating in the air. He had searched hospitals, train stations, and even every city she might have gone to. Yet, it all ended with no results. That day, he was inexplicably drawn here to her former home. As he pushed the door open, the sunlight caught the drifting dust. It was like time stood still in the space. The place was clean, and not much was left behind, except for a small metal box on the desk. He walked over, his fingers trembling slightly as he lifted the lid. Inside was a single photograph. The man in the picture looked almost exactly like him, but the smile was softer, and his arm wrapped protectively around Vanessa's shoulders. Alexander recognized that it was actually Matthias, his brother, who had died in a car crash five years ago. His breath hitched, like a weight had been dropped straight into his chest. He flipped the photo over, and there was a short handwritten note on the back. "Nessa, live on." The ink