Chapter 10 : The Truth

The air outside the old house was heavy with unspoken tension. The night cloaked the world in silence, broken only by the faint rustle of leaves and the distant hum of the city. I could still feel the weight of the confrontation with my father and Ethan. Every word they had spoken replayed in my mind like a haunting melody I couldn’t escape.

Leo walked beside me, his hand occasionally brushing against mine as if he wanted to offer comfort but wasn’t sure how. I kept my eyes on the uneven ground beneath my feet, unsure of how to process what had just unfolded.

“Lila,” Leo finally said, his voice low and measured. “You’re not okay, are you?”

I stopped walking and turned to face him. The concern etched on his face was genuine, and for a moment, I wanted to collapse into his arms and let him carry the weight of everything. But I couldn’t. Not yet.

“I don’t even know what ‘okay’ means anymore,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

He reached out, his fingers brushing against my arm. “You don’t have to do this alone.”

I looked up at him, searching his eyes for answers. “But what if I don’t know who to trust anymore? What if everything I’ve believed about my life has been a lie?”

Leo hesitated, his jaw tightening. “Trust isn’t easy, especially when the people closest to you have betrayed you. But I need you to trust me, Lila. I’ll protect you—no matter what it takes.”

His words were a lifeline in the storm raging inside me, but they also scared me. How could I place my trust in anyone when the foundations of my world had been shattered?

Before I could respond, the sound of footsteps behind us broke the fragile moment. We turned in unison, and there she was—Sophie.

Sophie was one of those friends who always seemed to appear at the worst possible moment but somehow managed to make it better. Her wild curls framed her face, and her eyes sparkled with a mix of curiosity and mischief.

“Am I interrupting something?” she asked, a sly grin tugging at her lips.

I sighed, unable to suppress a small smile. “Sophie, what are you doing here?”

She shrugged, stepping closer. “I could ask you the same thing. You’ve been avoiding me, Lila. I had to track you down to make sure you’re still alive.”

Leo arched an eyebrow at her. “How exactly did you track us down?”

Sophie waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, please. I have my ways. You should know by now that nothing gets past me.”

Her playful demeanor was a stark contrast to the heaviness that had consumed my evening, and for a moment, I was grateful for her presence. Sophie had a way of reminding me that life wasn’t all doom and gloom, even when it felt like it.

“I’m glad you’re here,” I said, surprising myself with the sincerity in my voice.

She tilted her head, studying me. “You look like you’ve been through the wringer. What’s going on?”

I hesitated, glancing at Leo. His expression softened, and he gave a small nod, as if to say it was okay to let her in.

“It’s… complicated,” I said, the words feeling woefully inadequate.

Sophie crossed her arms, her playful grin fading. “Lila, complicated is my middle name. Spill.”

As I recounted the events of the evening, Sophie’s expression shifted from curiosity to shock to anger. By the time I finished, she was pacing back and forth, muttering under her breath.

“This is insane,” she finally said, stopping in front of me. “Your father? Ethan? What kind of twisted soap opera are you living in?”

Leo chuckled softly, and I shot him a glare. “It’s not funny,” I snapped.

“No, it’s not,” he agreed, though the corners of his mouth twitched. “But Sophie has a point. This is a lot to deal with.”

Sophie placed a hand on her hip, her eyes narrowing. “So what’s the plan? You can’t just sit around and wait for them to make the next move.”

“I don’t even know what the next move is,” I admitted. “I don’t know what they want from me.”

Sophie’s gaze softened, and she reached out to squeeze my hand. “Then we figure it out. Together.”

Her words brought a flicker of hope to the darkness, and for the first time in hours, I felt a glimmer of strength.

But just as quickly as it came, the hope was shattered by the sound of a phone ringing. Leo pulled his phone from his pocket, his expression darkening as he read the screen.

“It’s him,” he said, his voice tense.

I didn’t need to ask who he meant. My heart raced as he answered the call, his voice sharp and controlled.

“What do you want?”

The voice on the other end was muffled, but I could hear the urgency in it. Leo’s eyes flicked to me, his expression hardening.

“We’ll be there,” he said before hanging up.

“What is it?” I asked, dread creeping into my voice.

Leo’s jaw tightened, and he looked at me with a seriousness that made my stomach churn.

“They’re making their move. And we need to be ready.”

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The drive to the meeting point was tense, the air in the car heavy with unspoken fears. Sophie sat in the backseat, her usual chatter replaced by a rare silence. Leo’s grip on the steering wheel was white-knuckled, his jaw clenched as he navigated the winding roads.

I stared out the window, my thoughts racing. Whatever was waiting for us, I knew it would change everything.

When we arrived, the scene was eerily quiet. The warehouse loomed ahead, its windows dark and foreboding. Leo parked the car, and we stepped out, the sound of our footsteps echoing in the stillness.

As we approached the entrance, the door creaked open, and a figure stepped into the light.

It was Ethan.

And he wasn’t alone.

The door creaked open, and Ethan stepped into the dim light of the warehouse. His expression was unreadable, a mask of calm that only made him more unnerving. But what caught my attention was the figure standing behind him.

It was my father.

“Lila,” Ethan said, his voice smooth but laced with something sinister. “I’m glad you came. This saves us the trouble of finding you.”

Leo immediately stepped in front of me, his posture protective. “What do you want, Ethan? Haven’t you done enough damage?”

Ethan smirked, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Oh, Leo, always so quick to play the hero. But this isn’t about you. This is about Lila and the truth she’s been running from.”

I felt my knees weaken, but Sophie’s hand on my arm steadied me. Her grip was firm, grounding me in the moment.

“What truth?” I asked, my voice trembling despite my best effort to stay composed.

Ethan exchanged a glance with my father, who shifted uncomfortably. “The truth about why your father has been so desperate to keep you away from me,” Ethan said.

My father stepped forward, his face etched with a mix of regret and determination. “Lila, I’ve made mistakes—mistakes I thought I could protect you from. But it seems I was wrong.”

“Protect me?” I repeated, my voice rising. “By keeping secrets? By lying to me my entire life?”

Leo reached back, brushing his hand against mine in silent support. Sophie, too, was tense beside me, her sharp eyes darting between Ethan and my father.

“This isn’t the time for a family therapy session,” Ethan cut in, his tone impatient. “The point is, Lila, you’ve been living in a carefully constructed illusion. And now, it’s time for the truth to come out.”

“What truth?” I demanded, stepping out from behind Leo. My anger burned away the fear, leaving me desperate for answers.

Ethan’s smile widened, and he gestured toward my father. “Go on. Tell her. Or should I?”

My father hesitated, his eyes filled with a sorrow that made my chest ache. “Lila,” he began, his voice barely above a whisper, “Ethan… Ethan is your—”

Before he could finish, a loud crash echoed through the warehouse, cutting him off. The sound of glass shattering and footsteps reverberated, and suddenly, we weren’t alone.

A group of men in dark clothing emerged from the shadows, their faces obscured. My heart pounded as they surrounded us, their presence suffocating.

“Ethan, what is this?” Leo demanded, his voice sharp.

Ethan’s calm demeanor didn’t falter. “Insurance,” he said simply. “You see, Lila, I’ve been very patient. But patience has its limits.”

Leo moved closer to me, his body tense and ready to act. “If you think you can use her to get what you want, you’re making a big mistake.”

Ethan chuckled, the sound chilling. “Oh, Leo, always so noble. But this isn’t about what I want. It’s about what she deserves to know.”

One of the men stepped forward, holding out a small, black envelope. Ethan took it and turned to me, his eyes locking onto mine.

“This,” he said, holding the envelope out to me, “contains everything you need to know. The truth about your father, about me, and about why your life has always been more complicated than you realized.”

I hesitated, my hands trembling as I reached for the envelope. But before I could take it, Sophie stepped forward, snatching it out of his hand.

“If you think we’re going to let you manipulate her like this, you’ve got another thing coming,” she said, her voice fierce.

Ethan’s smile faltered for the first time, but he quickly regained his composure. “Very well,” he said. “Read it. Or don’t. Either way, the truth has a way of coming out.”

The tension in the room was suffocating as Ethan gestured to his men, and they began to retreat into the shadows. But before he left, he turned back to me, his gaze piercing.

“Lila, the clock is ticking. Make your choice carefully.”

And with that, he disappeared, leaving us in the eerie silence of the warehouse.

I turned to Sophie, who was clutching the envelope like it was a live wire. “Sophie, give it to me,” I said, my voice steady despite the chaos swirling inside me.

She hesitated, her eyes searching mine. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

“No,” I admitted. “But I have to know.”

She handed me the envelope, and I tore it open, my heart racing. The papers inside were thick, filled with words that blurred together as my mind struggled to process them.

But one phrase stood out, clear as day:

“The heir to the fortune.”

I stood frozen as Ethan's words echoed in the empty warehouse. “The heir to the fortune.” What fortune? And why did it feel like my entire world had just shifted?

Leo’s hand on my arm grounded me, but his voice was sharp as he addressed Ethan. “You’ve been playing games with Lila’s life, twisting her emotions for what? Some inheritance?”

Ethan’s eyes flicked to Leo, and for the first time, I saw something crack in his mask. “You don’t get it, do you?” His voice was low, almost raw. “This isn’t just about money or power. It’s about what she deserves. What’s rightfully hers.”

“And dragging her into this chaos is what you call protecting her?” Leo shot back, his tone biting.

“Protecting her?” Ethan’s laugh was hollow, devoid of humor. “You think I wanted it to come to this? You think I wanted to watch her fall for someone like you while I—” He stopped himself, his jaw tightening.

My heart clenched as his words hung in the air, unfinished but heavy with meaning. “Ethan,” I whispered, stepping forward despite Leo’s protests. “What are you saying?”

His eyes softened as they met mine, and for a moment, the tension in the room seemed to fade. “Lila, I’ve known you my whole life. I’ve watched you laugh, cry, and fight for what you believe in. I’ve seen every part of you, and—” He paused, swallowing hard. “And I’ve loved you for every second of it.”

The weight of his confession hit me like a tidal wave, leaving me breathless. Ethan… loved me? The Ethan who had been my anchor through childhood, my silent protector? The same Ethan who now stood before me, shrouded in secrets and shadows?

Leo stiffened beside me, his grip on my arm tightening. “You can’t be serious,” he muttered, his voice low and dangerous.

Ethan’s gaze shifted to Leo, and his lips curled into a bitter smile. “Oh, I’m very serious. But don’t worry, Leo. I know she doesn’t see me that way. I’m just the guy who’s always been there, never the one she chooses.”

“That’s enough,” I snapped, my voice shaking. “Ethan, this isn’t about choices or feelings. This is about the truth. So stop dancing around it and tell me what’s going on!”

Ethan’s composure faltered, and he looked away, his hands clenching into fists. “Your father,” he began, his voice strained, “made a deal years ago. A deal that changed everything.”

My father, who had been silent until now, stepped forward, his face pale. “Lila, I—”

“No!” I interrupted, my anger bubbling over. “No more cryptic half-answers. I deserve the truth!”

Ethan exchanged a look with my father, and something unspoken passed between them. Finally, he sighed and turned back to me. “Your father promised your hand in marriage.”

The words hung in the air like a thunderclap, and I felt the ground shift beneath me. “What?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” my father said, his voice cracking. “It was a desperate move to protect you, to secure your future. But I never thought it would come to this.”

Leo’s face darkened, his anger barely contained. “You sold her off? To who?”

Ethan looked at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and something deeper. “To my family.”

The revelation hit me like a physical blow, and I staggered back, my mind racing. “You… you knew about this all along?”

“I found out recently,” Ethan admitted, his voice soft. “And I’ve been trying to figure out how to tell you. How to make it right.”

“But why?” I demanded, my chest tight with a mix of betrayal and confusion. “Why would your family want me?”

Ethan hesitated, and for the first time, I saw genuine fear in his eyes. “Because you’re not just anyone, Lila. You’re the key to everything.”

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