LOVE BEHIND THE LIES

Chapter Two

The hospital smelled like antiseptic and fear. Doctors ran. Machines beeped. Nurses shouted instructions. Emergency lights flashed overhead. Hours passed. Alice arrived first. Then Kenneth's parents. They panicked and prayed while waiting. The worst part. Waiting. Elena survived. She Injuries and was Unconscious But alive. Kenneth wasn't as fortunate. The accident had destroyed too much. Doctors tried everything. Nothing worked. As night arrived, hope began disappearing. Inside Room 317, Kenneth lay surrounded by machines. Breathing became difficult. Pain became constant. Yet somehow he remained conscious. Waiting For something Or someone. Then the door opened. Martin Lockward entered. Behind him stood a girl dressed entirely in black. Kenneth's eyes widened. Not in shock. Recognition and Relief. Finally, Selene. For the first time. His daughter. The daughter he had lost nineteen years ago. Martin smiled. The smile of a man who enjoyed winning. "Look at you." Kenneth's expression darkened "Martin." Martin approached slowly. "You always did look terrible in hospitals." Kenneth ignored the insult. His eyes remained on Selene. She stood silently, Watching and Studying Emotionlessly. Exactly how Martin raised her. Martin noticed. "Go wait outside." Selene obeyed. The door closed behind her.Then Martin laughed softly. "Well?" Kenneth glared."What do you want?" Martin leaned closer."Exactly what I have always wanted, To see you lose." Kenneth laughed weakly. "You lost long ago." The smile vanished from Martin's face. "You still think you're better than me." "No." Kenneth's breathing became difficult. "I know I am." Martin's jaw tightened. For a moment neither spoke. Then Kenneth whispered: "You've been lying all these years." Martin remained silent. "You know I know." Still silence. Kenneth smiled weakly. "That's why you're here."Martin's eyes darkened. "You should save your strength." Kenneth ignored him. "Alice never loved you." Martin looked away. "Selene isn't yours. You stole her." Martin finally smiled again Cold and Dangerous one "Yet she's still mine." Kenneth knew then. There was nothing left to save. Except one thing. Selene. Martin opened the door. "Bring her in. Moments later Selene entered again. Martin placed a hand on her shoulder. "Look." He sounded proud. "Proud of my daughter?" Selene remained expressionless. "Nineteen years old." Martin smiled."Beautiful." Kenneth looked at her. Not as a weapon. Not as an asset. As a daughter. And for the first time in her life- Someone looked at Selene with love. Martin noticed And hated it. "Watch carefully," he told her. "Kenneth is the reason you never had your mother." Selene remained silent. "He's the reason you never had a family." " but I had you" Selene said coldy with a smile not leaving an eye on Kenneth "Watch him die. Martin said touching her shoulders. Kenneth's eyes never left hers. Martin finally stepped back. Satisfied. Then left. The door closed. Silence returned. Selene stood there, Unsure of what to do For the first time in years. Kenneth slowly reached toward her. His hand trembled. After a hesitation- She took it. His grip tightened weakly."Selene..." Her name sounded strange from him, Different and Gentle. Not like Martin. Not like anyone. "Why?" she asked quietly. Kenneth smiled. Because that question meant she was listening. "You look alot Like your sister." Selene froze. No one had ever spoken about her sister that way. The words sounded impossible. Kenneth squeezed her hand. "Always." Selene looked away. Martin spent nineteen years teaching her otherwise. Kenneth struggled for breath. His heartbeat slowed. Machines beeped faster "Listen..." Selene looked back. "Never trust Martin." The words came out broken. Painful. But determined. "Never..." His voice weakened. "He lies." Selene stared as Confusion grew in her, never trust the only one person that she has always had from birth... "He stole..." Kenneth coughed. Blood appeared. Machines began reacting. "Your mother..." Another breath. "Your mother loves you." His eyes started closing. "No matter what he says..." Selene's fingers tightened around his hand. Something unfamiliar twisted painfully inside her chest. Fear. Loss. Grief. Kenneth smiled one final time. Then whispered: "My daughter..." The monitor flattened. The room became silent. Kenneth was gone. Selene didn't move. For several seconds she simply stared. Then a tear slid down her face. The first tear in years. Maybe the first real one ever. She quickly wiped it away But another followed, Then another. Outside the room, Martin waited. The door opened. Selene emerged. Martin studied her face. Then smiled. "So." His voice was satisfied. "He's dead." Selene looked at him. Empty and Confused. Broken in a way she didn't understand. "He's dead." Martin nodded Victoriously, He turned and walked away. Never realizing something important had happened. For nineteen years, Martin had owned Selene's loyalty.Tonight- Kenneth planted doubt And doubt was far more dangerous than rebellion. Morning arrived. Elena opened her eyes slowly. Pain greeted her immediately. Her head. Her arm. Everything hurt. Machines beeped softly. A hospital room. Confusion flooded her. Then memory returned. The road. The truck. The crash. "Dad?" No answer. Elena sat up. Ignoring the pain. "Dad?" Alice was sitting beside the bed. Crying. Elena frowned. "Mom?"Alice covered her mouth. Tears spilled immediately. Fear exploded inside Elena. "Mom..." Her voice shook. "Where's Dad?" Alice broke completely. And for the first time- Elena understood. Her world would never be the same again Alice's crying never stopped. Elena sat beside her mother's hospital bed for almost an hour, holding her hand, listening to the silence that Kenneth had left behind. Nothing felt real. Every time she closed her eyes, she expected her father to walk through the door carrying one of his terrible jokes. Every time she opened them, reality remained, Gone. Kenneth was gone. Eventually, Alice squeezed her hand gently. "Go outside for a little while," she whispered. Elena immediately shook her head. "No." "You need air." "Mom-" "Please." Alice's voice broke on the last word. Elena couldn't argue anymore. Slowly, she stood and kissed her mother's forehead before leaving the room. The hospital hallway felt colder than before. Too quiet and Too empty. She walked without thinking. Past nurses.Past waiting families. Past people she didn't know. Everything felt distant. Like she was watching someone else's life. Eventually. she pushed open the hospital's side exit and stepped outside. The evening air hit her face. For a moment she simply stood there. Then she noticed two figures standing near the parking lot. One of them looked familiar. Tall. Broad shoulders. Dark clothing. She frowned. Something about him reminded her of someone. The man turned slightly. Before Elena could see his face clearly, he walked away toward a black vehicle waiting nearby. Only his back remained visible. The second figure stayed where he was. Elena froze. Daniel. Her seatmate. Daniel Lockward. She blinked. "What is he doing here?"Daniel hadn't noticed her yet, His eyes remained fixed on the departing vehicle. His expression looked darker than she had ever seen before. A few moments earlier- "Why did you have to kill him?" Daniel's voice had been low but sharp. Martin stopped walking. Slowly, he turned. His expression remained unreadable. "What did you say?" Daniel clenched his fists. "You heard me." The air between them felt dangerous. Finally Martin stepped closer. "Be careful." Daniel didn't look away. Martin's eyes narrowed. "I did what was necessary." Daniel's jaw tightened. "Necessary?" "Don't question me." The words came out cold and Final. The kind that ended conversations Not started them. Martin adjusted his suit jacket. Then turned toward his waiting vehicle where Selene already seated. "Oh, and Daniel." Daniel remained silent. "Be home before noon tomorrow." Without another word Martin entered the vehicle. Seconds later it disappeared down the road. Daniel stared after it. Anger burned inside him. Then- "Daniel?" His head turned immediately. Elena stood several feet away. For the first time since arriving at the hospital, Daniel looked surprised "Elena." She walked closer. Her eyes were red. Her face pale. "What are you doing here?" Daniel hesitated. Then answered honestly "I heard about the accident." Elena looked down. "I came to check on you." The words were awkward coming from him. Daniel wasn't good with people, Especially not emotional people. He cleared his throat. "And..."Elena looked up. "The entrance examination was postponed until next week." For a second neither spoke. Then Elena laughed. A small broken laugh, The kind that comes before crying. "Of course it was." Daniel frowned. "Elena-" "My dad is dead." The words escaped before she could stop them as Her lips trembled. "I didn't even get to say goodbye." Daniel's expression softened. "He drove me there this morning." Tears began falling. "He was fine." More tears. "He was talking." Her voice cracked completely. "He was laughing." Daniel didn't know what to say So he said nothing And somehow that made it worse. Elena broke. All the strength she had been holding together shattered. The grief, fear, shock. Everything. She stepped forward without thinking And buried her face against his chest. Daniel froze Completely. For several seconds he forgot how to breathe as Elena cried like a child. Like someone whose world had just been torn apart. Daniel slowly looked down at her. Awkwardly but Carefully. Then he placed one arm around her shoulders Not because he knew how to comfort people But because nobody should cry alone. They remained like that for a long time. Until Elena's sobs became quieter. Until the sun began disappearing. Until the hospital lights turned on. Finally Daniel spoke. "We should go inside." Elena nodded weakly. Without letting her fall, Daniel guided her back toward the hospital entrance. Neither noticed the black vehicle parked farther away.

Martin watched Elena and Daniel disappear into the hospital. A small smile touched his lips. Everything was going exactly as he had planned.