Breaking the Silence

Chapter Nine:

The house was eerily quiet. Too quiet.

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to make sense of the whirlwind I’d just been thrown into. Scarlett’s sudden reappearance. My father’s lies. Liam’s silence.

But I couldn’t sleep. Not tonight. Something felt wrong. My skin prickled, and my instincts screamed that I wasn’t alone.

A sound broke the stillness—a faint creak of the floorboards downstairs.

I sat up straight, heart pounding. I had locked all the doors. Checked every window. So who—?

There it was again.

A shadow flitted across the hallway.

My breath caught in my throat. I grabbed my phone, fingers shaking, and dialed Liam’s number. No answer.

Of course.

I slipped out of bed, my feet barely making a sound against the floor as I crept toward the staircase. The air was cold, too cold, and it felt like every step I took was echoing through the empty house.

At the bottom of the stairs, I froze.

The front door was wide open.

Someone had broken in.

I cursed under my breath and backed away, my mind racing. Who would do this? Was it connected to Scarlett? To Liam’s enemies?

I grabbed a heavy lamp from the living room, clutching it like a weapon. My heart hammered in my chest, but I forced myself to stay calm.

Another sound. Footsteps. But this time, they weren’t from behind. They were in front of me

And then a voice—a familiar voice.

“Isla, don’t do anything stupid.”

I spun around to see Liam standing in the doorway, his face grim, eyes scanning the room. “Liam!” I whispered, relieved but still on edge. “What are you doing here?”

“I was trying to call you,” he said, stepping inside. “I’ve been trying to warn you. You’re in danger.”

“Danger?” My voice trembled. “From who?”

Liam’s face hardened. “It’s them. They know where you are. They’ve been watching you.”

“Who? Liam, what is going on?”

Before he could answer, the door slammed shut behind him with a force that made the walls shake.

I whipped around.

Scarlett stood there, her figure silhouetted against the dim light. Her eyes were cold as ice.

“Are you really going to let her in, Liam?” Scarlett’s voice was sharp, bitter. “After everything we’ve been through?”

“Not now, Scarlett,” Liam said, his voice tight. “This isn’t the time.”

I stepped forward, feeling the tension thick in the air. “What is going on, Liam? Why is she here? What does she mean?”

Liam looked at me, his eyes filled with regret. “Isla, you don’t understand. The people we’ve been running from—they’re closing in. And it’s not just because of Scarlett. It’s because of you.”

“Me?” I repeated, shocked. “What do you mean?

Scarlett sneered. “It’s always been about you, Isla. You’re the key to everything.”

Liam’s expression darkened. “No, Scarlett. It’s about the past. About what you and I—”

“Enough,” Scarlett cut him off. “We can pretend all we want, but the truth is, Liam, you can’t protect her. You never could.”

I stepped back, feeling the walls close in on me. “What is she talking about?”

Liam’s face twisted in pain. “I didn’t want you to be dragged into this, Isla. But it’s already too late.”

Scarlett took a step toward me. “You’re a part of this mess now. And there’s nothing Liam can do to keep you safe.”

I turned to Liam. “Is that true? Am I involved in all this?”

He closed his eyes. “Yes, Isla. You’re the target. And no matter what we do, they won’t stop until they get what they want.”

“You told her everything, Liam?” Scarlett laughed bitterly. “You really think she’s ready for this?”

“I had to tell her,” Liam said, his voice firm. “She has the right to know.”

A silence fell between us, thick with anger and old wounds. Scarlett glared at Liam like he was a traitor. Her gaze shifted to me, icy and calculating.

“I’ve protected you all these years, Isla,” Scarlett said, her tone venomous. “And now you’re a liability.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but Liam stepped in front of me. “Enough, Scarlett. I won’t let you scare her anymore.”

Scarlett’s eyes narrowed. “You think you can protect her? You were never enough for me, Liam. And you’re certainly not enough to protect her now.”

“You don’t get to say that,” Liam spat. “You abandoned both of us.”

“Because you made me!” Scarlett shot back, her voice shaking with fury. “You pushed me into a corner, Liam. And I’m done being your pawn.”

I stood there, caught in the middle of a war that wasn’t mine. The truth of who I was—and why I was in danger—was starting to take shape, but I wasn’t ready for the depth of it.

“You both need to leave,” I said, my voice trembling but firm. “I don’t want to be a part of this anymore.”

Liam turned to face me, his eyes softening. “Isla, I’m trying to protect you.”

“I don’t care,” I whispered. “I need to figure this out on my own.”

With that, I turned and walked away, leaving both of them in the silence of my house. But in my heart, I felt the weight of something darker on the horizon.

And I wasn’t sure if I was ready to face it.

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