Chapter 5: Unraveling Lies
1164 Words
Lila's fingers dangled around the edge of Elias' desk as the security film played again on the monitor. The blurry image of her presumed-deceased mother sent thrills down her spine.
Elias' voice was gentle yet forceful. “We need to be logical about this.”
Lila’s head snapped at him. “Logical? That’s my mother. The woman I buried years ago. And now she’s walking into your building like she never left?”
Elias leaned forward, his piercing blue eyes locking onto hers. “I understand how this looks. However, leaping to conclusions will not assist us.
She breathed forcefully, her emotions clashing with rationality. "Fine. Then tell me, intelligent one, what is the rational justification for this."
Marcus cleared his throat at the open entrance. “We have two possible scenarios. Either she faked her death, or someone is playing an elaborate game.”
Lila scoffed. “Both sound insane.”
Elias nodded. “Yet here we are.”
Lila turned back to the screen, watching the footage again. “I need to see the rest of this video. I need to know where she went after this.”
Marcus hesitated. “That’s the problem. After she enters the building, the cameras cut out for twenty minutes.”
Lila’s stomach twisted. “So someone erased the footage?”
“Looks that way.”
Elias swore behind his breath. "Whoever is doing this, they're careful."
Lila ran a nervous palm over her hair. "I do not comprehend. If she really is alive, why now? Why show up after all these years?”
Elias' voice lowered a little. "We'll work it out."
She turned to face him completely. “And if we don’t?”
His jaw stiffened. "That's not a choice."
When they reached at Blackwood Manor, they were obviously at odds. Lila started to steal looks at Elias, who had a firm grasp on the steering wheel and an enigmatic expression.
Finally, she ended the quiet. "Do you trust me now?"
Elias kept his eyes on the road. “I never doubted you.”
She let out a humorless laugh. “Really? Because it sure felt like you did.”
He sighed. “I needed proof. Now we have it.”
Lila turned toward him. "And what specifically are we proposing to do regarding it?"
Elias' jaw constricted. “Find her.”
She blinked. “Just like that?”
“Yes.”
Lila scoffed. "You are making it seem so easy."
He maintained his grip on the wheel. "It won't happen. But we have resources. And I don’t like unanswered questions.”
Lila rested in her seat. "Alright, then, Elias Blackwood, let's search for a ghost."
That night, Elias grabbed himself a drink in his study, his thoughts racing. He couldn't blame Lila for pacing upstairs, most likely out of annoyance.
He hardly heard her quiet footsteps before she stood at the doorway. “Drinking alone?”
He glanced at her. “Need one?”
She thought for a moment while going inside. "Sure."
He poured her a drink and passed it over. Their fingers brushed. A brief look, but one that sent chills down Lila's spine.
She drank and groaned. "Is this how you usually live?" Surrounded by secrets and threats?”
Elias smirked. “It keeps things interesting.”
Lila rolled her eyes. "That's a particular direction to look at it."
He gazed at her for a time. "This is a lot for you."
“No kidding.”
“Do you regret it?”
She met his gaze. “Regret what?”
“Being here. The contract. The marriage.”
Lila hesitated. She should say yes. She should tell him she wanted out. However, the words ceased to come.
Instead, she said gently, "I am not sure yet."
Elias stepped forward, their bodies inches away. “Honest.”
She swallowed hard. “I try to be.”
His fingers brushed across hers again, this time with meaning. "Good."
For a short period, she believed he might kiss her. The atmosphere between them was full with unsaid words. But then the harsh ring of Elias' phone interrupted the moment.
He pulled away, answering it. “What?”
Lila stepped back, her heart pounding.
Elias’s expression darkened. “Are you sure?”
Lila watched him closely. “What is it?”
Elias hung up, his gaze locking onto hers. “They found her.”
Lila's breathe tightened. "Where?"
He pulled his jacket. "She's expecting us."
Her stomach twisted. “Now?”
Elias nodded. “Get ready, Lila.” "We intend to get some information."
Lila clutched her jacket as energy surged through her entire body. As she led Elias out the doorway, she had an uneasy idea.
What if she was not prepared for the reality?
The drive was quiet with tension between them. Lila glimpsed out through the window and saw hazy city lights passing by. The notion of confronting her mother—if it was indeed her—set off a torrent of emotions in her.
Elias' voice finally burst through the hush. "Are you set up for this?"
She turned towards him, her chest thumping. "Are you?"
Elias did not answer instantly. He tightened his grasp on the wheel. "I dislike surprises."
Lila gave a fake laugh. "Welcome to my world."
When they arrived, a black SUV was already stationed outside the secluded secure residence. Marcus waited for them, arms rolled up, his expression blank.
"She's inside," he replied simply.
Lila's hands clasped at the sides. “And?”
Marcus hesitated. “She was expecting you.”
Elias exhaled sharply. "Let's go."
Lila's heartbeat pounded in her ears as she led them in. The room was faintly lit, with a solitary bulb casting a pleasant glow on the woman sitting at the table.
She looked up. And Lila’s world tilted.
Her mother was healthy and well, sitting there as if she had never parted ways with Lila all those years before.
Lila took cautious steps forward. "Mom?"
The woman smiled slowly and tiredly. "Hello, darling."
Lila's breathe quickened. Her legs felt weak. “I—how?”
Her mother sighed. "There are a lot you don't realize."
Elias’s voice was sharp. “Start talking.”
The woman's stare shifted to him and then back to Lila. "It wasn't secure before."
Lila swallowed hard. “And it is now?”
Her mother hesitated. “Not even close.”
Elias took a step forward, his presence dominating the room. “Who’s after her?”
Her mother’s expression darkened. “The same people who killed Charles Blackwood.”
Lila’s pulse spiked. “Wait. What?”
Her mother exhaled. “Charles didn’t die of natural causes. And now they want you out of the way.
The weight of her remarks smashed into Lila's chest. She gazed at Elias, her words shaky. "This isn't just related to the inheritance."
Elias’s gaze hardened. “No. It’s about power. And we just walked straight into their trap.”
- Writer
