LOVE BEHIND THE LIES

Chapter five

Alice's hands were trembling, Not slightly instead Violently. Her phone nearly slipped from her fingers as she stared at Martin standing comfortably inside Kenneth's house, wearing that same calm expression he always wore whenever he was about to destroy someone's life. Martin smiled slowly. "Now," he said, sinking deeper into Kenneth's favorite chair, "where were we?" Alice's chest rose and fell heavily."You've always been a monster." Martin chuckled. "There it is." "Stop pretending!" Alice snapped.

Since Kenneth's death, genuine rage exploded from her "Stop acting like you're the victim." Martin's smile faded. The room became colder. Alice didn't care anymore. "You ruined everything."Martin folded his arms. "I ruined everything?" "Yes." His eyes narrowed. Alice pointed directly at him. "You disappeared for four years." Alice continued ranting "You left." Martin's jaw tightened. "You abandoned me, You abandoned us. And then you came back with Meredith." Martin's expression hardened. Alice continued anyway. "You returned holding a baby,, You returned carrying Daniel in your arms while acting as if nothing happened." The memory still hurt. Even after all these years, She remembered waiting. Remembered writing letters. Remembered wondering whether he was dead. Only for him to return with another woman and a son. "you remembered every detail like you never wanted that space to be with Kenneth"Martin said "the worst thing I hated was having you in as my former boyfriend because kenneth is better of to you in all way".Martin stood slowly "Careful.""No."Alice shook her head."No more being careful." Martin stared. Alice laughed bitterly. "You know what the funny part is?" "What?" "For twenty-three years nobody knew where Meredith was." Martin remained silent watching her talk. Alice stepped closer. "Nobody. Not even Daniel." That finally caused a reaction. A tiny one. But she saw it. For a brief second Martin's eyes darkened. "Daniel only got three years with his mother." Alice continued. "Three years." "The rest of his life?" "You kept Meredith hidden." Martin's smile returned.

A dangerous smile "Aren't we discussing you?" Alice ignored him "You manipulate everyone. You manipulated me. You manipulated Kenneth. You manipulated Selene." Martin laughed. Actually laughed.The sound made Alice sick. "Manipulated?" He shook his head. "You always preferred dramatic words." "You stole my child!" The room fell silent. Martin's smile vanished completely. For several seconds neither spoke. Then Alice continued. Her voice softer now. More painful. "You made me believe those babies were yours." Martin watched her."You remember that night." Alice hated remembering But she did, Every detail. The celebration. The drinks. The confusion.

The regret afterward. "You convinced me we slept together." Martin said nothing because he always enjoy moment like this "You convinced me that the twins were yours." Still silence. Tears formed in Alice's eyes. "When they were born..." Her voice cracked. "You came before Kenneth could." Martin remained motionless. "You brought fake DNA results.You said Selene belonged to you. You threatened me.You threatened Kenneth.You threatened everyone." Martin looked amused again. Alice wanted to slap him. "I begged you."Her tears finally fell."I begged you to let me keep my daughter.I begged."The memory hurt even now. Martin said quietly, "And I allowed you to keep one." Alice closed her eyes. The words sounded even worse now. Allowed. As if Selene had been property. As if a mother needed permission to love her own child. "You took her." Martin didn't deny it. "You took my baby." His face remained unreadable. Alice wiped her tears. "After a year..." She laughed weakly. "After one year of watching Elena grow.... I couldn't stop thinking about Selene." Martin looked away. "Every birthday.Every Christmas. Every school event, i kept wondering where she was." Alice's voice shook. "So Kenneth and I did another DNA test."Martin became still. "We tested both Elena and Keneth, and that was when we discovered the truth." Martin looked irritated. A small victory Alice held onto it. "The twins were Kenneth's daughters." Martin's eyes narrowed. "Not yours. Never yours." Martin laughed again But this time it sounded forced. "Yet Selene still calls me Dad."Alice's heart broke Because that part was true. Martin walked toward the door.Conversation over. As always, Halfway there, he stopped. "The panel." Alice watchMartin smiled."I checked the logs this morning." Her heart skipped. "It originally required three fingerprints now it requires six." Alice's face went pale and Martin noticed, he enjoyed it. "So tell me." He turned fully toward her. "Who helped you activate it?" Alice said nothing. "Who?" Still silence. Martin nodded slowly. "As expected." Then he reached for the doorknob. "And one more thing." Alice looked up. Martin's eyes darkened. "You should upgrade your security." "What?"His smile returned. "Because next time..." He opened the door. "...it won't be your daughter disappearing."

Alice's heartbeat stopped. Martin looked directly into her eyes. "It'll be you." Then he stepped outside, before closing the door, he added one final sentence."Oh, and Alice." She couldn't move. "Your daughter is outside." Alice frowned. "What?" Martin chuckled. "Not Selene." His smile widened. "Elena." He leaned slightly closer."With my son." Alice's face drained of color. "Daniel, maybe she found him attractive the same way you found me" he added with laughter. The door closed and opened again "for Meredith case of disappearing, Selene did the assignment" he concluded and closed the door.

The moment Martin leaves, Alice freezes, Then the current reality hits. Daniel Lockwood. Martin's son. Elena is outside with him. Alice rushes out of the house barefoot, panic driving every step. She finds Elena near the gate laughing lightly with a tall young man whose back is turned. Daniel. Alice's heart almost stops Before she reaches them, Daniel leaves. "Elena!" she calls sharply. Elena turns in surprise."What?" "Who were you talking to?" "My friend." "What friend?" "Daniel Lockwood." The color drains from Alice's face. "Stay away from him." Elena frowns. "What?" "Stay away from him, Elena."

Genuine fear appears in Alice's eyes. Elena walked suprisely and angrily passed her mom into the compound Back at the Lockwood mansion, Jewel storms into Selene's room without knocking as ever. Selene doesn't even look up. "You still haven't learned how to knock." Jewel folds her arms. "I'm not here for lessons." "Then leave. But I still don't understand what made you come back into this mess" Jewel glares."What is so special about you?" Selene finally raises her eyes. "What?" "What makes Father love you more than me?" Then Selene laughs softly because that has always been their game. A cold laugh. "You think this is a competition?" Jewel clenches her fists.

Selene stands moving straight to the door. "You grew up with freedom." "What?" "You had school. Friends. Your mother." Her voice hardens. "What did I have?" Jewel falls silent. Selene opens the door. "I'm tired. Jewel please leave" "I hate you." Selene nods. "I hate you more." The door slams shut and Selene sank behind the door, slumming to the floor confused of her life. Elena came down to the sitting room where her mom seated confusely. She passed her and headed for the door. Alice tries speaking to Elena. "Can we talk?" Elena sighs. "If this is about Daniel-" "It's not."

Alice reached out to her "It's about what we discussed yesterday about your father left behind." Elena frowns. "What?" "The panel." "Which panel, mom" Alice nods stare at her confusedly, oh no She taught Elena laughs. "Oh I remembered you and Dad always acted mysterious about it. And the lease I know it was long ago" Before she can continue-Knock.Knock. Mira called out. Elena moves toward the door immediately" "yes and we activated it yesterday" "you and who" Elena asked looking more confused "me and you, when.... " Saved by the bell." "Elena-" But she's already gone. Leaving Alice alone with growing fear of who came in last night . At the prep center, Elena and Mira spend their time fixing themselves into the queue. For a while, everything feels normal. Suddenly Elena stops. "My ID card." Mira blinks. "Oh no Lena?" "I left it at home." "You serious?" Elena groans. "Wait for me. I'll be back in ten minutes." Without waiting for an answer,

The house feels wrong the moment Elena arrives. Too quiet and empty. The front door is slightly open. Her heart skips. "Mom?" No answer. She enters slowly. The living room is has no trace of her mom same as the kitchen, Every room feels cold. As if someone has removed all warmth from the house. "Mom?" Still nothing. Then she notices it. A scarf. Alice's scarf. Lying on the floor. Elena bends slowly and picks it up. It is still warm. Fear crawls into her chest. Outside, a car engine starts. She rushes toward the window. A black vehicle is parked across the street. Motionless. Watching. Then- A voice. A familiar female voice. Cut off halfway. Elena freezes. The scarf slips from her fingers. "Mom?" No answer. Only silence And for the second time in two weeks- Someone she loved has disappeared.