LIES WE LOVED

LIES WE LOVED 10 - 13

CHAPTER 10 — THE SILENCE

Mia tried to ask her father about it. She called him that evening, her hands shaking as she held the phone to her ear. He answered on the third ring, his voice crisp and business-like as always.

“Mia. I heard you’re back in town. Everything going well with the filming?”

“Dad,” she said, skipping the pleasantries. “I need to ask you about the accident. Twelve years ago. There are things I don’t know — things you didn’t tell me.”

There was a long pause on the other end. “What are you talking about? That was a terrible tragedy. We’ve discussed this. You were driving, you lost control. It was an accident.”

“It wasn’t that simple,” Mia said, her voice growing stronger. “Carlo was there. And someone else — someone who stayed with Adrian. And you paid people, Dad. You paid Carlo to keep quiet. Why would you do that if I was really responsible?”

Her father’s voice hardened. “Where is this coming from? Who’s filling your head with these lies? That actor you’re working with? He has his own agenda, Mia. Don’t let him manipulate you.”

“I’m not being manipulated. I’m asking for the truth.”

“The truth is you made a mistake, and I protected you from the consequences. That’s what a father does. Don’t go digging into the past — you won’t like what you find. Some things are better left buried.”

“Buried like the evidence?” Mia shot back. “Buried like the truth?”

“I’ve said all I’m going to say on this,” he said coldly. “Stop this investigation. Now. Or you’ll regret it.”

The line went dead.

Mia set the phone down, her heart racing. He hadn’t denied it. Not really. He’d threatened her. Which meant — she was getting close. Too close. And if her own father was threatening her… the danger was far more real than she’d ever imagined.

She looked up as Lucas walked into the room. He took one look at her face and crossed the room in three long strides. “What happened?”

“He knows,” she said, her voice trembling. “He knows we’re looking. And he’s warning me to stop.”

Lucas’s jaw set. “Then we don’t stop. Not now. Not ever.”

CHAPTER 11 — LATE NIGHT

The threat hung in the air between them, heavy and sharp. But Lucas didn’t flinch. He sat beside her, close enough that their shoulders touched — a quiet, steady presence.

“We keep going,” he said softly. “But we do it smart. Careful. No one else knows what we’re looking for — not the crew, not your friends, not anyone.”

Mia nodded, her hands still trembling. “He’s my father, Lucas. He’s supposed to protect me. But all he’s ever protected is himself.”

“People aren’t perfect, Mia. Even the ones we love. Sometimes they’re the ones who hurt us most.” His voice grew quiet, distant. “I know that better than anyone.”

They stayed there for hours, talking — not just about the accident, but about everything. Mia told him about growing up in a house full of silence and secrets, about always feeling like she had to be perfect to be loved. Lucas told her about his own childhood — a mother who was never quite happy, a father who was always working, a brother he’d loved but never truly known.

“We were both running from something,” Lucas said, his gaze softening as he looked at her. “You from the past. Me from the truth.”

“And now?” Mia whispered, caught in the gravity of his eyes.

“Now we run toward it. Together.”

For a moment, the air shifted. The room felt smaller, warmer. But before anything could be said, a sharp knock rapped against the door. Mia jumped back, heart pounding. Lucas moved to the door, peering through the peephole — but the hallway was empty. On the floor, sitting alone, was a single white rose. With a note scrawled in black ink: Stop digging. Or next time, it won’t be just a rose.

CHAPTER 12 — THE WITNESS

First thing the next morning, they drove to the city — to find the witness Elena had mentioned: the nurse who’d been at the scene that night. Her name was Maria Cruz, and she’d retired three years ago. Elena tracked her down to a small home in the suburbs.

When they arrived, Maria was watering plants in her garden. She looked up as they approached, her eyes narrowing with recognition. “I know you,” she said to Mia. “You were the girl in the crash. The one they said was driving.”

“I need to know what really happened,” Mia said gently. “Please. What did you see?”

Maria hesitated, glancing toward the house as if afraid someone might hear. “I shouldn’t tell you this. They told me to keep quiet. Said it was better for everyone.”

“Who told you?” Lucas asked.

“Your father,” she said to Mia. “He came to the hospital that night. Paid me well. Said if I ever spoke about the man who was there… I’d regret it.”

“But you saw him,” Lucas pressed. “The man who stayed with Adrian.”

Maria took a deep breath, her hands trembling. “He was well-dressed. Expensive watch. Dark hair. And he didn’t just stay — he spoke to the boy. Right before he… passed. He leaned in and said something. Adrian nodded, and then… he was gone.”

“What did he say?” Mia asked, her voice barely audible.

Maria looked at them, tears in her eyes. “He said: ‘Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything. No one will ever know.’”

CHAPTER 13 — SHADOWS

They left Maria’s house in silence, the words echoing in their minds. No one will ever know.

“Your father paid her,” Lucas said as they drove. “But that man — the one who spoke to Adrian — that wasn’t him. Maria described him differently. Taller. Thinner. Older.”

“Then who was it?” Mia whispered.

Before Lucas could answer, a black SUV sped up behind them, closing in fast. Lucas gripped the steering wheel, his jaw tight. “Hold on.”

The SUV swerved, trying to cut them off. Lucas slammed on the brakes, veering onto a side street. The car followed — relentless.

“Call Elena,” Lucas said. “Tell her what’s happening.”

Mia fumbled for her phone, but the signal was gone. The road ahead was empty — no houses, no people, nowhere to run. The SUV accelerated, ramming their back bumper. The car jolted forward.

“Lucas —!”

“Brace yourself!”

He spun the wheel, turning sharply down a narrow alleyway. The SUV was too big to follow. For a moment, silence. Then — the sound of sirens in the distance. The black car peeled away, gone as quickly as it had appeared.

They sat in the car, breathless. Someone was watching them. Someone was ready to hurt them to keep this secret buried.

---to be continue---