While searching, his fingers brushed against a weathered file, its pages whispering the long-guarded tale of Victoria’s life. From the very beginning, Mr. Jaxon had known her every move, including those of her mother and his not true father.
With cautious curiosity, Axel pried open the file, uncovering an important details of Victoria's formative years, tracing her path until she crossed paths with Blaze at the calm Spring Meadow. 
"What’s this?" Victoria asked curiously.
Axel snapped the file shut with practiced swiftness, caught off guard by her sudden approach.
"What is it, Axel? You look like you've seen a ghost," Victoria pressed, her tone mixed with annoyance. "You’re not very good at hiding secrets."
"You’re really sharp," Axel replied evenly, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Victoria's brow furrowed, unsure whether to take his words as praise or an insult.
"Hand it over," she demanded, holding out her hand impatiently. "And keep searching. There's more to find in that cabinet."
Hesitantly, Axel handed the file to Victoria's grasp, his eyes darting back to the cabinet, his mission far from over.
Victoria took the documents from Axel while he continued searching for more information.
As Victoria unfolded the documents, her eyes fell on the photos, memories seemed to flood back. She remembered nights when she felt completely alone, nights where she felt utterly abandoned, sprinting through a world shrouded in chaos and danger. A young girl, desperately trying to outrun the shadows of a dark and frightening night.
A single tear betrayed her, slipping down her cheek before she could catch it. She hastily brushed it away, chiding herself for the momentary lapse.
"No, this is not the time to cry," she whispered fiercely. "We only have a few hours before Mr. Jaxon might return." The clock was ticking, and they couldn't afford any delays.
“There’s nothing more here, that’s all I found,” Axel's voice cut through the mist of her pleasantly lost, grounding her back in the present.
Victoria turned to him, "Why didn’t Anthony recognize me right away?" she asked
“Ah,” Axel sighed, pausing to rub the back of his neck. “He mentioned to me once that his memories were blurry. Your face back then, he gradually forgot it, and that scared him.”
A heavy silence settled between them, the weight of lost time and forgotten faces pressing down. But there was no time to dwell on the past.
“Anyway, there’s another key here, but I don’t know which door it opens,” Victoria said, pulling out a small key from her pocket. 
“Is there any place or door in your mansion that Mr. Jaxon doesn’t allow you to go?” Axel asked 
“The door in the library,” Anthony replied, the answer coming to him instantly. It had always been a forbidden place
It was Anthony, leaning heavily against the doorframe. His shirt was stained with blood, a dark, spreading patch across his stomach. He looked pale, his eyes glazed with pain.
“Sorry, I didn’t notice your call right away. I hurried over here as fast as I could,” he said, his voice strained. He took a few unsteady steps into the room, his hand clutching his wound.
Victoria rushed to his side, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and relief.
"Anthony, what happened?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Anthony managed a weak smile, his eyes meeting hers with a flicker of recognition and regret. “It’s a long story, but we don’t have much time. We need to use that key. Now.”
“An accident, huh?” Axel's smirk was a mischievous curve of his lips, his eyes twinkling with a secret he was hesitate to share.
The air was charged with a silent understanding that passed between him and Anthony, an unspoken language of shared history and mutual respect. Victoria, standing just outside this private bubble, crossed her arms, her annoyance growing with every second of their wordless exchange.
“Change your clothes first,” she commanded, her voice a mixture of irritation and urgency. “My father will definitely wonder if he sees you like that.”
“Ohhh, hurry up, lovers. We must hurry,” Axel teased, his grin widening.
“What?” Victoria's arms tightened across her chest, her defensive stance making her look smaller and more vulnerable.
Anthony, unable to hide the secret smile forming at his lips, gave a small nod and retreated to the room to change. As he disappeared from view, Victoria's frustration calming. She had so many questions, but she knew time was not on their side.
“Follow me,” Victoria instructed, her voice firm and making no argument.
Axel, recognizing the determination in her eyes, shrugged and fell into step behind her. The corridors of the mansion were a maze of history and wealth, but Axel barely noticed.
When they arrived at the library, the grand double doors opened to reveal Anthony, already there and changed. The room was a wide expanse of knowledge, towering bookshelves lined with volumes that seemed to whisper secrets of ages past.
“This is the first time I've been here. It’s bigger than my room,” Axel remarked, his admiration breaking through his usual nonchalance. His eyes roamed the library, taking in the highly scale of it.
“Axel, you should focus,” Anthony’s voice brought him back to the task at hand
Blushing slightly, Axel nodded and fell in line behind Victoria and Anthony, his mind shifting to the seriousness of their mission. Victoria led them to a secluded corner of the library, her fingers dancing across a series of hidden switches. With a soft click, a panel slid away to reveal a narrow staircase descending into darkness.
“I'll stay here,” Victoria announced
“That’s not possible,” Anthony hesitated, his voice catching with uncertainty.
“Why? Are you afraid I might betray you? That I might deceive you like you did to me, Anthony? Or should I say Blaze?” Victoria’s eyes burned with a mixture of hurt and accusation, her words a blade slicing.
Anthony couldn't find words to respond. He stood there, exposed, his secret name hanging in the air between them.
“Oh... so you know? You know the truth about who am I!” Victoria’s voice was a harsh whisper, each word dripping with the betrayal she felt.
“I only found out after we went to that place, to the Spring Meadow. Everything became clear,” Anthony admitted, his voice barely audible.
In the silence that followed, Anthony realized Axel was no longer by his side. His ally had already entered through the hidden door, his trust hinted and unspoken.
“Follow him, Blaze. You have only one chance at this,” Victoria’s voice was sharp, a command that cut through the tension.
Anthony nodded, his resolve hardening as he stepped through the door after Axel, leaving Victoria and the past behind.