WHERE LOVE SHOULDN'T BE

CHAPTER EIGHT

SOMEONE IN THE HOUSE

Lila didn't breathe.

She stood beside the sofa, staring into the darkness.

The footsteps stopped.

Nothing.

She waited.

One second.

Two.

Three.

"Lila..."

She almost screamed.

The voice came from behind her.

She turned quickly.

Brian stood near the doorway, breathing heavily.

"Brian!"

She rushed toward him.

He caught her by the shoulders.

"Are you okay?"

"Someone was here."

Brian's expression changed.

"What?"

"The lights went off and I heard someone walking."

"Where?"

"Hallway."

Brian immediately looked behind her.

"Did you see anything?"

"No."

"Did you hear the front door?"

"No."

Brian pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight.

"Stay here."

He walked down the hallway.

Lila followed.

"Brian, wait."

He turned.

"I said stay here."

"I'm not staying alone."

He stared at her for a moment.

Then he nodded.

"Fine. Stay behind me."

They moved through the house.

The hallway was empty.

Brian checked the kitchen.

Nothing.

The back door was locked.

The windows were closed.

He checked the living room again.

Nothing.

Lila hugged herself.

"Maybe I imagined it."

Brian looked at her.

"You didn't."

"How do you know?"

He looked toward the staircase.

"Because the back door was open when I left."

Lila's eyes widened.

"What?"

Brian walked toward it.

The lock was now broken.

He touched it.

Someone had forced it open.

He looked at Lila.

"Go upstairs."

"But—"

"Now."

This time, she didn't argue.

Brian searched every room.

Nothing.

No broken window.

No missing valuables.

No sign of anyone.

But something bothered him.

Whoever had entered the house hadn't come to steal anything.

They had come looking for something.

Or someone.

He went back downstairs.

Lila was waiting for him.

"Did you find anything?"

"No."

She sighed.

Brian looked at her carefully.

"Did you leave the house tonight?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

He nodded.

Then he noticed her bag on the floor.

"What's inside?"

"Books."

"Anything else?"

Lila looked at him.

"Why?"

"Just show me."

She hesitated.

Then picked up the bag.

She opened it.

Books.

Notebook.

Laptop.

A small purse.

Nothing unusual.

Brian's eyes moved to the notebook.

"What's that?"

"Notes."

"From school?"

"Yes."

He reached for it.

Lila pulled it away.

"Why are you checking my things?"

Brian stared at her.

"I’m trying to protect you."

"From what?"

He didn't answer.

Lila shook her head.

"You keep saying you're protecting me, but you won't tell me what I'm supposed to be afraid of."

Brian looked away.

He wanted to tell her.

God, he wanted to.

But there were some truths that could destroy a person before they were ready to carry them.

"Go to sleep," he said.

Lila laughed bitterly.

"Of course."

She walked upstairs.

Brian watched her go.

He waited until she disappeared.

Then he looked toward the broken back door.

His phone rang.

He answered.

"Yes."

A man's voice came through.

"Did you find anything?"

"No."

"Then we have a problem."

Brian's expression hardened.

"Who was inside?"

"We don't know."

"Find out."

"Brian—"

"I said find out."

He ended the call.

Then he noticed something on the floor.

A small object.

He bent down.

It was a silver button.

Brian picked it up.

He stared at it.

It looked expensive.

And strangely familiar.

Lila closed her bedroom door.

She leaned against it.

Her heart was still beating quickly.

She walked toward her bed and sat down.

She couldn't understand what was happening to her life.

Yesterday, she had been worried about school.

Today, someone had entered her house.

Her brother was hiding something.

And a stranger had somehow connected her to the past.

She reached for her notebook.

The note from the library was still inside.

She opened it.

If you want to know what happened to your parents, come to the old chapel tomorrow at midnight.

She stared at the words.

She had almost forgotten about the chapel.

Almost.

Then she remembered Brian's warning.

If you go there tonight, you may not come back the same.

She put the note away.

Maybe she should listen to him.

Maybe she should stop asking questions.

But then she remembered the photograph of her parents.

And the feeling she had whenever Brian refused to talk about them.

There was something he wasn't telling her.

She knew it now.

And she was tired of pretending she didn't.

The next morning, Lila arrived at Ivy College early.

She wanted a normal day.

Nothing more.

She walked across the courtyard with her books in her arms.

"Lila!"

She turned.

Mia ran toward her.

"You disappeared yesterday."

"I went home."

"Without telling me."

"I had to."

Mia studied her face.

"You look terrible."

"Thank you."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

Mia laughed.

They continued toward the lecture hall.

Then Mia suddenly stopped.

Lila looked at her.

"What?"

Mia pointed.

"That's him."

Lila followed her gaze.

Vincent stood near the stairs.

He was talking to another student.

His posture was relaxed, but his expression wasn't.

He looked like he hadn't slept.

Lila looked away.

Mia smiled.

"You noticed."

"I noticed nothing."

"Sure."

They walked past him.

But as Lila passed, Vincent spoke.

"Lila."

She stopped.

She turned.

"What?"

Vincent looked at her.

"You okay?"

The question surprised her.

"Why?"

"You look tired."

She gave him a small smile.

"So do you."

"I asked first."

"I'm fine."

Vincent studied her face.

For a second, he looked like he wanted to say something else.

Then he didn't.

"Okay."

Lila walked away.

She didn't see him watching her.

But Mia did.

"Oh my God."

"What?"

"He likes you."

Lila laughed.

"Please."

"I'm serious."

"You've known me for what, two days?"

"Long enough."

Lila shook her head.

"You read too much into things."

Maybe Mia was right.

Maybe she wasn't.

Lila didn't know.

What she did know was that when Vincent looked at her, she felt something she couldn't explain.

And she didn't like that.

Later that afternoon, Vincent sat alone in his father's office.

The photograph was on the desk.

His father stood by the window.

"You shouldn't have gone looking for the chapel."

Vincent looked up.

"I didn't."

His father turned.

"Then why did someone see you there?"

Vincent frowned.

"I wasn't there."

His father stared at him.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Vincent asked,

"Who are you afraid of?"

His father didn't answer.

"Is it the person who sent me the photograph?"

Still nothing.

Vincent stood.

"You've been lying to me for years."

His father's face tightened.

"Be careful."

"I'm tired of being careful."

He picked up the photograph.

"Tell me the truth."

His father looked at him.

Then quietly said,

"You were never supposed to meet that girl."

Vincent froze.

"What girl?"

His father didn't respond.

Vincent's eyes narrowed.

"Lila?"

His father's silence was enough.

Vincent stared at him.

"How do you know her?"

His father looked away.

"That's not your concern."

Vincent stepped closer.

"Then why did you say I was never supposed to meet her?"

His father finally looked at him.

And for the first time, Vincent saw something in his father's eyes that he had never seen before.

Fear.

"Because," his father said quietly, "her family is the reason your life was destroyed."

Vincent's face went still.

Before he could ask another question, his father's phone rang.

He answered.

"Hello?"

His expression changed.

He listened.

Then the phone slipped slightly from his hand.

"What do you mean she's gone?"

Vincent's eyes narrowed.

"Who's gone?"

His father looked at him.

He couldn't speak.

Vincent stepped forward.

"Who is gone?"

His father finally whispered the name.

"Lila."