Once Upon a Lie

Chapter 2: A Ghost from the Past

Lena feeling the surge of electricity, ran her fingers over the door handle. She could not fathom why she consented to this but here she was outside a moderately lit café in New York. The eyes of the city were illuminated this night by neon lights and rain-soaked streets, casting ghostly reflections on the wet pavement, an ominous backdrop for a conversation that has been long overdue for five years now.

She inhaled deeply preparing herself before she entered the place. The first things she smelled were coffee and damp air as she looked around the room. In the corner, Alex was sitting at a small table, his eyes glued to the doorway expecting her. He was thinner than he had been before, and he seemed more tired, his youthful good looks replaced by lines that made him look older. Sadness was painted on his face, hunched over shoulders, signaling the man who bore the wrath of his incompetence.

Lena felt a sensation in her belly; one part of her wanted to punch him right in the face and the other – she did not know. They were no longer the same two people getting married a few months ago; she was no longer the woman who pleaded with him to believe her. Now, she was tough; there was no chance that anyone would penetrate through the defenses she had put up. This wasn’t about rekindling old feelings: This was about justice. Nothing more.

And she went to him, each move resenting the space that had grown between them. He stood up as she came over, his eyes locking with hers. For a moment, it felt like they were back to the moments five years ago when they were happy together. But that second was fleeting.

“Lena,” he said, his voice low and filled with remorse. He pointed at the chair opposite him. “Thanks for coming.”

For a moment she looked like she wished not to sit down but when she did, she crossed her arms defensively. First of all, let it be clear to everyone. I am here only because you came in here telling me that you have new evidence. Don’t mistake this for forgiveness.”

Alex nodded his head with guilt written all over his face. He picks his coffee cup back up and begins to fiddle with it nervously. The ‘air’ between them was suffocating.

The man started to speak in a husky voice “I know I can’t turn the clock back,” “But I need you to know… I was wrong. About everything. I should have listened. I should’ve trusted you.”

Lena’s jaw clenched. She had grown tired of hearing so many sorrys in the past – apologies that never covered for the betrayal. ‘What is it you want, Alex?’ She asked quite icily. “I don’t need your guilt. I need answers.”

He drew in a sharp breath, leaning forwaed across the table, his gaze into her eyes. Since leaving the police force I have been a practicing private investigator. This is something that I saw a few weeks ago – which has connection to Dalton. New evidence. Lena, you were framed.”

Lena scoffed, her lips curling into a bitter smile. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

“Dalton orchestrated everything,” Alex went on, unabashed. “He altered the evidence, created several fake accounts—making sure everything pointed towards you.” And I fell for it. I didn’t see it then, but now I realized what had really happened. I’m certain. He set you up.”

They stared at each other, the weight of his words hung in the air but Lena didn’t react. She had realized from the beginning, that it was Dalton who pulled the strings. What surprised her more was for Alex to come back to haunt her with his disgraceful acts that came as some feeble apology.

“I think you really do not have any idea how far Dalton would go to protect his thousand islands of empire?” She sneered. Trust me, it’s taken me the last five years just to put my life back together. I know exactly who he is. But the question is, why should I trust you now? “The point is that you left me when I needed you the most.”

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut, but Alex didn’t back down.‘I know I did’, he muttered softly. “And I’ve regretted it every day since. I want to help you. That’s why I am here now. I can’t change the past, but I will make sure he serves the appropriate time in prison that he deserves.”

Lena’s eyes narrowed. She had worked so hard over the years building a fence around her heart in order to be protected from the kind of pain that she had been through by Alex. The urge to say something unpleasant to him, to deny his assistance was also overwhelming. But that which had enabled her to regain her strength, that had clawed her way back from ruin, noticed something in his gaze—remorse.

And beyond that, the promise of something she had craved for so long: the chance to clear her name.

She let out a breath and realized her head was spinning with the storm of feelings. ‘If I do this ’, she said softly, but in a tone that conveyed crystal-clear contempt, ‘it’s for me’. Not for you. Do not for one moment believe this means I have forgiven to you.”

Alex nodded solemnly. “I understand. This is about justice. Nothing more.”

The distance between them was palpable, but there was something undeniable in their shared resolve. They both wanted the same thing: to take down Richard Dalton.

“Where do we start?” Lena queried and her business-like intonation was clear to all to hear.

“I’ve been investigating Dalton finances and I’ve got all the details in this.” Alex said displaying a folder he had in his bag. “There’s something off. A pattern that doesn’t make sense. And there’s one name that keeps coming up: John Wilkes.”

Lena’s eyes widened. “Wilkes? The man vanished after the news was spread across the media. She said ‘I have not seen him since’ or words to that effect.”

Alex nodded. “Exactly. But I think he’s still alive. And I think he knows everything.”

Lena tilted her head back and recollect on what she had just been told. Wilkes had been Dalton’s right-hand man—the accountant who knew everything that went on in the agency. And if anyone could prove she has been framed, it had to be him. But looking for him after all these years would not be a piece of cake.

“I have been on his trail for a while now,” Alex went on. “I think I’m close. But we need more leverage.”

Lena’s mind raced. “Sophie,” she said suddenly. “During the investigation she was with me every step of the way. She was the only person in the entire world who believed me at that time. “If anyone knows anything about Dalton, it has to be her,”

Alex glance momentarily went cold— as if a dark cloud had eclipsed the sun. “Lena…, I do not believe you know Sophie as much as you think you do”.

“What are you talking about?” Lena asked sharply, her stomach tightening “I also did some research on her.” Alex said warily. “There are things about Sophie you don’t know. Sophie was more involved, in any monetary operations connected with Dalton’s accounts in the foreign countries, than you could imagine.”

Lena’s heart sank. Sophie had been with her from that period—being the one friend that had not abandoned her when all the others had. That she was implicated in the framing was completely out of the question.

Lena raised her eyebrows and continued with her denials, saying, “No.” I know Sophie wouldn’t do that to me. She was the only one who believed me.

“I’m not saying she is guilty,” Alex said softly. “But we need to be careful. Dalton gets to people in one way or the other. We don’t know what he might have over her.’

Lena’s chest has become constricted with skepticism that began to creep into her thoughts. Perhaps Sophie was playing her all this time? Was the friendship she had relied on nothing more than a lie? She didn’t want to believe it, but after all that had happened to her, how could she trust anyone?

For her, it was very important and Lena could tell this herself, she agreed with a much harder tone, “I need to talk to her.” “I need to hear it from her.”

Alex didn’t protest. “Just be careful. He said: ‘She might not be as innocent as she seems.’

Later that Evening

Nervously walking back and forth in her tiny apartment, Lena tried to call Sophie. The phone buzzed twice before she heard Sophie on the other end of the line.

“Lena? Hey, what’s up?”

‘Sophie we need to talk’ Lena said the usual light and glossy tone she used when speaking to Sophie had changed. She was serious. “Can you meet me at my place?”

There was a brief pause. “Uh, sure. Is everything okay?”

“No,” Lena responded with the kind of stress on her voice that clearly indicated her nervousness. ‘Everything is definitely not okay.’

Sophie came thirty minutes later her face looked worried. She entered the apartment, she placed her belongings down on the countertop of the unit in the kitchen.

“What’s going on, Lena? You sounded upset.”

Lena tried to keep calm while she folded her arms. “I need to ask you something. And I want you to be truthful with me.”

Sophie’s brow furrowed. “Of course. What’s this about?”

“Have you been in touch with Richard Dalton?” Lena asked bluntly.

Shock was clearly written all over Sophie’s face. “Dalton? What—no! Lena, why would I—”

“Don’t lie to me!” Lena spoke sharply: “I know about the financial transactions, Sophie. The offshore accounts. Have you been working with him?”

Sophie’s face went pale, she held up her hands in self defense. Lena, I tell you I have no idea what you are talking about, I haven’t spoken to Dalton since… since everything went down five years ago. You know I had nothing to do with that.”

You know that I never had a hand in that.”

Lena looked at her; this time fear painted all over her face. At the same time, she was completely, desperately certain that she wanted to believe Sophie, that she wanted to trust her. But Alex had already planted the seed of doubt in the mind of the Lena.

“Sophie,” Lena whispered rising from the table, her voice trembling “I have to know the truth.” “If you’re hiding something from me, tell me now.”

Sophie shed tears and she was trembling as she said the words. Lena, I’m not concealing anything. I’ve always had your back. You know that.”

But when Lena met Sophie’s gaze, she didn’t know what anymore; she was not even sure about herself.

When Sophie left Lena’s apartment, Lena had a sinking feeling in her stomach. Could Sophie be telling the truth?