HEART BOUND

WORDS THAT CUT DEEPER THAN KNIVES

(Season 1)

CHAPTER 23

Liora knew the moment Vanessa smiled at her.

It didn’t reach her eyes.

The compliments were too smooth. Too calculated.

She told herself she was imagining things.

That she was just bad at reading people.

Until the dressing room door clicked shut.

"Don’t play dumb with me," Vanessa said. Her voice was soft. Almost kind.

But her eyes were cold.

"Don’t you think you cling too much to them? Because from where I’m standing, all you are to the guys is a liability."

The air went out of Liora’s lungs.

Shock first. Then heat crawled up her neck.

Three hours.

They’d known each other for three hours.

"I don’t need you to tell me anything," Liora said. Her voice shook, but she forced it steady. "You don’t know me. And you don’t get to call me names."

She was blinking fast. Holding tears back with everything she had.

Because Vanessa’s words were hitting places she’d tried to bury.

"I’m sorry if that came out rude," Vanessa said, and smiled. Wide. Practiced.

"But it’s the truth. Have you ever asked yourself why the guys are still keeping you?"

She tilted her head like she was genuinely curious.

"Rhine told me Ryan hit you with his car. That’s how you ended up with them, right? Maybe they just kept you out of pity."

_Pity._

The word hit Liora like glass to the chest.

All the late-night talks. The teasing. The way Kai called her "pumpkin" and Zach made sure she ate.

Was it all guilt?

No.

It couldn’t be.

They loved her.

Didn’t they?

"Here are your shoes," Vanessa said brightly, like nothing happened. "I’ll be right there, okay?"

She walked away smiling.

Because she’d done exactly what she came to do.

Rhine had told her the story.

And Vanessa knew exactly which scar to press until it bled.

She knew she had gotten what she wanted, she was enjoying every bit of Liora's reaction.

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The words didn’t leave.

_Liability. Pity._

Days past after Liora's encounter with Vanessa, but she couldn't stop thinking about it.

The words looped in Liora’s head until she couldn’t sleep. Couldn’t eat. Couldn’t talk.

If she was a burden, then she had to stop being one.

She’d been living in a fantasy.

A family that chose her. That protected her. That looked at her like she mattered.

Her own blood never did.

So why would strangers?

She needed something that was hers.

Something no one could take away.

Her mother.

She wanted to know her. The sound of her laugh. The way she held a cup. What she looked like when she was happy.

Mr. Phillips and Dr. George were the only ones who knew.

And both of them were impossible to reach.

Then she remembered.

*The box.*

Dr. George had given it to her weeks ago. "From your mother," he’d said.

She hadn’t opened it.

Until now.

"Liora? You okay?"

Zach’s voice made her jump.

He’d been watching her for days.

Quiet. Hollow. Building walls between herself and the world.

"I’m fine," she said, and gave him a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

"We’re going to a movie," Kai called from the stairs. His jaw was tight. The shopping trip was supposed to fix this. It didn’t. "Go change."

"You guys go without me," she lied. "I’m tired."

Zach stared at her for a long time. Then sighed.

If she doesn't want to go maybe it is best to let her be for the time being, she might come around later. He thought to himself.

"Are you sure, Li?" Ryan asked.

She nodded quickly. Too quickly.

They left. Reluctant.

Picked up Rhine, Ellen, and one other girl.

"Where’s Liora?" Rhine asked the second she got in the car.

"She didn’t come," Zach said.

Rhine frowned. "Is she okay?" The guys have no idea what was wrong with her and she won't say a word about to anyone.

"Did something happened to Liora!?" Ellen asked. The last time she was with Liora and Rhine. She noticed a lot about her, she couldn't say much but she was sure something was wrong with her.

"She said she is fine "Ryan answered. Rhine was worried about liora and Ellen was curious about the whole thing because she felt something wrong was going on.

"We think she needs space," Kai said. But his knuckles were white on the steering wheel.

Ellen glanced at Rhine. "Something’s wrong. I can feel it ." Ellen whispered to Rhine

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It was late when Kalen returned. The house was dark.

Too dark.

The kind of quiet that makes your skin crawl.

Kalen stepped inside, keys in hand, expression blank.

And stopped.

Dim light from one lamp.

Liora.

Curled on the couch.

Crying.

And very, very drunk.

He slowly walked up to her and stared blankly at her. His eyes moved to the box in between her legs.

Something in his chest pulled.

His first instinct was to turn around. Walk away. This wasn’t his problem.

But she looked broken.

Really broken.

He moved closer. Silent. His face gave away nothing.

Blank. Unreadable.

His eyes dropped to the wooden box in her lap.

That’s when she noticed him.

"It’s you," she slurred, frowning. "Why do you like scaring me?" He didn't say a word.

She didn’t wait for an answer. She dug into the box with shaky hands and pulled out a photo.

"Sit," she said, tugging his sleeve. He almost lost balance and sat beside her.

She giggled at that. "You’re so clumsy, Mr. Grumpy."

Kalen didn’t react. Not outwardly.

Inside, he was cataloging everything.

The slurred words. The red eyes. The smell of wine.

Low alcohol tolerance.

"What are you doing?" he asked. Voice flat. Calm.

"Look," she said, holding the photo up between both hands like it was sacred. "This is my mom. Is she beautiful?"

Tears spilled again as she stared at it.

"Hannah Volar," Kalen said. His expression didn’t change. But his eyes flickered. Just once. "Was your mother."

"Yeah!!!" she beamed through tears. She kissed the photo, then turned to him.

"I never got to see her. Not until today. She’s so beautiful."

Then she laughed. Sudden. Sharp.

The smile dropped just as fast.

"You know I’m nothing like her," she whispered. "She was strong. But me? I’m just a liability. Vanessa was right."

Her voice cracked. But she was still smiling.

"Don’t you think that too?"

The wine was in control now.

Kalen stared at her. Blank face. No pity. No softness.

But his jaw ticked.

"You’re spinning," she giggled, waving her hand. "Stop spinning." Seeing her condition, he sigh and decided to help her to her room.

"Come on," he said finally. "You need to go to bed."

She threw her arms around him before he could move.

Kalen went completely still.

No reaction. No hug back. No push away.

Just stillness.

"I don’t want to go," she mumbled into his chest. "Mummy and daddy left me... Jae and my step-mummy don’t want me... You guys won’t leave me too, right?"

He didn’t answer.

Didn’t move a muscle.

"Why are you so warm," she whispered into his chest. "And soft."

That did it.

Kalen pulled her off him. Fast. Too fast.

His expression didn’t change.

She reached for him again, giggling.

He stood, scooped her up bridal-style, and walked to her room.

No words. No eye contact.

Just get her to bed and leave.

But when he laid her down, she grabbed his shirt and wouldn’t let go.

"Don’t go," she whispered.

He let out a quiet breath through his nose. Frustration.

Then sat on the edge of the bed.

Still. Blank.

Letting her cling to him while she drifted off.

He watched her.

Why did she drink?

Was it her mother?

Or was it Vanessa?

Who was Vanessa?

And where was everyone else in this house?

He had no answers.

All he had was a drunk, broken girl asleep on him.

And for the first time in years, Kalen Vex had no idea what his next move was supposed to be.

TBC