EPISODE25:- THE LIES WE TELL
1462 Words
The day had barely stretched past noon when Leo walked back through the familiar glass doors of Silver Heights Hotel.
The scent of polished wood and freshly brewed coffee greeted him, but something about the place felt… incomplete.
He scanned the lobby — the reception desk, the café corner, the soft hum of guests checking in.
Clara Wells wasn’t there.
Her absence felt louder than the chatter around him.
He approached the reception. “Have you seen Clara today?” he asked one of the staff members.
The young woman frowned, shaking her head. “No, Mr. Leo. She hasn’t resumed since last week.”
Leo’s chest tightened slightly. “Not even a message?”
Before she could answer, Mr. Doyle, the hotel manager, stormed out of his office, frustration heavy on his face.
“Don’t mention that girl’s name to me!” he barked. “Clara just left a note on my desk saying she was taking time off — no explanation, no return date! She’s one of our best staff, and she walks out like that? Unbelievable!”
Leo frowned. A note? That’s not like her.
He excused himself politely and walked out into the quiet evening breeze, his mind clouded. Clara had always been dependable — soft-spoken, sharp, and steady. Something wasn’t right.
That night, after his shift ended, Leo sat by his small desk, his phone screen dimly lighting the room. His roommate, Sebastian Vale, lounged on his bed, watching a movie on his laptop.
Leo hesitated for a moment, then opened a secure encrypted app — one he rarely used.
He scrolled through the private contact list until he found the name: Damien Priest.
He typed quickly:
“Need your assistance. Looking for someone named Clara Wells. Went missing from Silver Heights Hotel over a week ago.”
The response came in less than a minute.
“Understood, Master Leo. Give me six hours. I’ll trace her movement quietly.”
Leo exhaled and leaned back, his mind still restless.
Sebastian noticed his silence and turned down the volume.
“Hey, man, you look like the world’s weighing on your head.”
Leo half-smiled. “Maybe just a little.”
“What happened?”
“Two women,” Leo said simply. “One I might have hurt, another I might have confused. Both gone silent.”
Sebastian gave a low whistle. “That’s heavy. But listen, brother… sometimes it’s not about who you lose — it’s about who you fight to keep. Follow what your heart wants. The rest will follow.”
Leo looked up at him, genuinely considering the words. “Maybe you’re right.”
“Of course I am,” Sebastian grinned. “Now stop brooding before I start charging you for therapy.”
Hours later, as the night deepened and the city lights glimmered like a faraway constellation, Leo’s phone buzzed.
A message appeared — Damien Priest.
“Sir, we’ve located her. One of our field agents spotted Clara Wells at a small supermarket outside the city. She was buying groceries — basic stuff, mostly food. She’s staying at her mother’s place in Pinewood Suburb. We confirmed she’s taking care of her mother, who’s ill.”
Leo closed his eyes in relief, tension draining from his shoulders.
He typed back:
“Good work. Keep an eye on her. Ensure her safety, but don’t approach her. I just needed to know she’s safe.”
“Understood, Master Leo. We’ll maintain silent surveillance.”
The call ended.
Leo placed his phone aside, the faintest hint of a smile on his lips.
For the first time in days, the weight in his chest lifted — replaced by quiet calm.
He lay down on his bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling fan turning lazily above him.
Sebastian had already fallen asleep, headphones still in his ears.
Leo whispered softly into the darkness,
“Stay safe, Clara.”
The fan hummed gently, and for the first time that week, Leo drifted into a peaceful sleep — unaware that the choices he made tonight would soon ripple far beyond what he could control.
The morning sun crept softly through the thin curtains of Leo’s room.
He blinked awake, the night’s exhaustion finally lifted. The air was still, but his heart felt lighter—knowing Clara was safe had given him a kind of peace he hadn’t felt in days.
He stretched, turned his head toward Sebastian’s bed, and froze.
Sebastian was already up, humming to himself, tying his sneakers with unusual excitement.
Leo smirked. “Someone’s in a good mood this morning.”
Sebastian looked over his shoulder, grinning. “Bro, you have no idea.”
Leo sat up. “Okay, spill it.”
“I met someone,” Sebastian said dramatically, brushing imaginary dust off his shirt. “At the cafeteria last night. Her name’s Chloe. She actually said yes to a date.”
Leo laughed quietly. “That’s the reason for all this energy?”
“Hey,” Sebastian replied, raising a finger. “For some of us, that’s headline news. Don’t ruin it.”
Leo shook his head, smiling faintly. “Good for you, man. You deserve some happiness.”
Sebastian winked. “And you deserve to figure out yours. I see how that Layla girl looks at you.”
Leo sighed, half amused. “It’s complicated.”
“It’s always complicated,” Sebastian teased. “But remember—complications make the best stories.”
By the time Leo reached the university gates, the morning buzz had already filled the air. Students chatted and laughed, the sound echoing across the courtyard. He walked calmly through the hallways, his bag slung over his shoulder, until he reached their classroom.
Layla was already there.
She sat by the window, sunlight catching the strands of her golden-brown hair. When she saw him, her expression softened—but only for a second. Then it sharpened with curiosity.
“You’re late,” she said, voice light but probing.
Leo smiled faintly as he sat beside her. “I had a long night.”
“Doing what? Saving another damsel?” she teased, though her tone carried an edge.
He met her gaze calmly. “You needed food. I went to get it.”
“I know,” she said, folding her arms. “That’s what I want to talk about. The food… it wasn’t ordinary, Leo. I know taste. That was The Sovereign Imperial Table quality. Don’t deny it.”
For a heartbeat, Leo froze. Then, smoothly, he leaned back in his chair.
“I helped a guest at the hotel last week,” he said evenly. “She was some famous socialite. Out of gratitude, she gave me a reservation for a table of five. I figured I could use it to pick something up for you.”
Layla’s brows furrowed. “A socialite gave you a reservation?”
Leo nodded, forcing a small smile. “Luck, I guess.”
Her eyes studied him closely—too closely. Something in her expression said she didn’t quite believe him, but she let it go.
For now.
“You’re a terrible liar, you know,” she said quietly, turning to her notebook.
Leo chuckled under his breath, trying to stay composed.
“Then it’s a good thing you’re not my interrogator.”
But Layla didn’t smile this time.
She looked at him with the kind of suspicion that was born not from doubt—but from curiosity. She was starting to see through the cracks.
The classroom door opened suddenly.
All heads turned as Isabella Monroe walked in.
Her heels clicked against the tiled floor, her perfume trailing behind her like old pride. She looked stunning as always—but different. Her beauty now carried bitterness, sharpened by jealousy and regret.
Her eyes didn’t wander—they locked directly on Leo and Layla.
The way they sat close, whispering quietly, sharing the kind of comfort that once belonged to her—it made something twist in her chest.
She walked past them without a word, taking her seat two rows away, but her gaze lingered on the back of Leo’s head.
In her silence, her mind raced.
If their connection grows any stronger, she thought bitterly, he’ll forget me completely.
And if that happens, I’ll become a joke. The girl who lost everything—to a janitor and a transfer student.
Her hand clenched around her pen.
She forced a smile, masking the fire burning behind her perfect face.
No, she thought. I won’t let that happen.
As the lecture began, Isabella stared straight ahead, but her thoughts were already spinning—calculating, weaving, preparing.
A plan was forming.
One that would change everything between Leo and Layla…
and perhaps, destroy both.
- Writer
