The restaurant fell silent as the man stepped inside.
Every heartbeat felt louder than the music.
Victoria backed away, unable to believe her eyes.
“You can’t be here,” she whispered.
The man smiled sadly.
“I never died.”
The little girl looked from him to Victoria.
“You both lied to me my whole life.”
Victoria’s eyes filled with tears.
“I lied to protect you.”
The man reached into his coat and placed an old photograph on the table.
It showed the three of them together—taken thirteen years earlier.
The little girl stared at the picture.
“That’s… me.”
Victoria nodded.
“You’re our daughter.”
The girl’s basket of roses slipped from her hands, flowers scattering across the marble floor.
“You mean… I’ve had parents all this time?”
Before either of them could answer, the restaurant lights suddenly went dark.
A loud voice echoed from the entrance.
“Nobody leaves.”
When the emergency lights flickered on, the old photograph—and the ruby Rosewood ring—had vanished.
The End… or is it?
