The Last Upload: The Day I Should Have Walked Away Some files are meant to stay lost. That lesson came too late for me, and now, as I sit here typing this, I feel the same presence that haunted Emily creeping closer. This is my story—the one I wish I never had to share. I’m a data recovery specialist. People bring me their crashed hard drives, soaked phones, and corrupted files when hope is all but gone. Most of the time, I’m the miracle worker who restores their digital lives. But sometimes, there are things that should stay broken. This was one of those times.  The Client’s Plea She walked into my office clutching a water-damaged laptop like it was a lifeline. Karen Watson, mid-40s, with tear-streaked cheeks and trembling hands. Her voice cracked as she explained, “My daughter Emily… she’s been missing for three weeks. The police… they’ve found nothing. But she was always on this computer. There has to be something… anything that could tell us where she went.” This w...