Chapter 5: The Friend Behind The Smile
2192 Words
TAlina stared at the photograph in her hand.
Her fingers refused to move.
The woman beside her was smiling.
Alina was smiling too.
Not the careful smile she gave strangers.
Not the fake expression she wore after waking up and discovering the world had buried her.
This was different.
This was the smile of someone who was happy.
Someone who felt safe.
And that terrified her.
Because she did not remember.
Not the place.
Not the woman.
Not the moment.
Nothing.
She looked at Lucien.
His face was pale.
For the first time since she had known him, he looked like he was afraid.
Not for her.
Of the past.
“Who is she?”
Lucien did not answer immediately.
That silence was enough to hurt her.
“You know her.”
His eyes moved to hers.
“Yes.”
The word was quiet.
Too quiet.
Alina felt something break inside her.
Another secret.
Another piece of her life that everyone else knew except her.
“Tell me.”
Lucien looked at the photograph.
“Her name is Seraphine Hale.”
She laughed softly.
But there was no humor in it.
“Of course.”
Lucien frowned.
“What?”
“Another person from your past.”
“That is not what this is.”
“Isn’t it?”
She held the picture up.
“You know her. You know why I was with her. You know why I do not remember.”
Her voice became sharper.
“How much of my life did you know about?”
Lucien took a step closer.
“Alina.”
“No.”
She stepped away.
“You keep asking me to trust you, but every time I do, I discover another lie.”
His expression tightened.
“I never lied about loving you.”
The words stopped her.
Only for a second.
Then she looked away.
“That does not answer my question.”
“No.”
He admitted.
“It does not.”
The honesty hurt.
Because Lucien never pretended anymore.
Not now.
Not when everything was falling apart.
He was finally telling the truth.
Just too late.
Alina placed the photograph on the table.
“I need to find Elara.”
Lucien immediately looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because she knew me before this happened.”
A pause.
“And unlike you, she might actually tell me the truth.”
Something flashed in Lucien’s eyes.
Pain.
But he hid it quickly.
“Be careful.”
She looked at him.
“You always say that.”
“Because you never listen.”
“Maybe because I am tired of people deciding what is best for me.”
The words hit him.
She saw it.
She saw the way he accepted them.
Because he knew she was right.
“I deserve that.”
She stared at him.
“You do.”
Then she walked away.
And Lucien let her.
That was the strangest part.
The old Lucien would have stopped her.
The old Lucien would have controlled the situation.
But this Lucien only watched her leave.
Like he knew he had already taken enough from her.
Alina found Elara the next day.
She did not call.
She did not warn her.
She simply appeared.
Elara was sitting in a small cafe outside the city when she saw her.
The cup in her hand fell.
It shattered on the floor.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Elara’s eyes filled with tears.
“Alina?”
The sound of her name from her friend’s mouth almost destroyed her.
Because it sounded real.
Like she was genuinely seeing a ghost.
Alina stood there.
Watching.
Waiting.
“Are you going to tell me you missed me?”
Elara’s lips parted.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“I thought you were dead.”
The words were painful.
Because they were exactly what Alina had heard from everyone.
She looked at Elara.
“You were my best friend.”
“I know.”
“You knew my secrets.”
“Yes.”
“You knew my life.”
“Yes.”
Alina’s voice dropped.
“So tell me why I found a picture of myself with Seraphine Hale.”
Elara froze.
That reaction was small.
But Alina saw it.
Her heart sank.
“You know her too.”
Elara looked away.
“No.”
The answer came too quickly.
A lie.
Alina felt it.
“You are lying.”
“I am not.”
“You are.”
Elara wiped her tears.
“You do not understand.”
“Then explain.”
Elara looked at her.
For a moment, she seemed like she wanted to say something.
Something important.
But fear stopped her.
“Alina, you need to leave.”
The words shocked her.
“What?”
“Leave this city.”
“Why?”
“Because you are not supposed to be alive.”
The sentence made the world go silent.
Alina stared at her.
“What did you say?”
Elara looked horrified.
“I did not mean it like that.”
“You did.”
“No.”
She reached for her hand.
Alina stepped back.
“Do not touch me.”
The pain on Elara’s face was obvious.
But Alina was tired.
Everyone had a reason.
Everyone had an explanation.
Everyone wanted forgiveness.
But nobody had protected her when she needed it.
“You knew.”
Elara shook her head.
“I knew something was wrong.”
“What?”
“Before the accident.”
Alina’s breathing changed.
“Tell me.”
Elara looked around.
Like someone might be listening.
“Not here.”
“Where then?”
Elara hesitated.
Then she whispered,
“My house.”
The moment they arrived, Alina knew something was wrong.
Elara’s home was neat.
Too neat.
Like someone had recently searched it.
Alina noticed immediately.
“You were not alone.”
Elara looked confused.
“What?”
“Someone has been here.”
She walked further inside.
The drawers were slightly open.
A picture frame was broken.
Someone had searched the place.
Elara covered her mouth.
“No.”
Alina looked at her.
“What?”
“I kept something here.”
“What?”
Elara walked quickly to her room.
She opened a hidden compartment behind a shelf.
Empty.
Her face changed.
“It is gone.”
Alina watched her.
“What was it?”
Elara looked at her.
“Evidence.”
“Evidence of what?”
Elara did not answer.
And that was enough.
Alina’s anger returned.
“You called me your friend.”
“I am your friend.”
“Friends do not hide things.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“Everyone says that.”
The words came out bitter.
Elara looked hurt.
“Lucien said the same thing?”
Alina froze.
“How do you know?”
Elara said nothing.
A dangerous silence formed between them.
Alina stepped closer.
“How do you know what Lucien said?”
Elara looked away.
“Because I have been watching.”
“Watching what?”
“You.”
A chill went through Alina.
“Why?”
Elara’s eyes filled with tears again.
“Because someone told me you would come back.”
“Who?”
Elara did not answer.
Alina grabbed the table.
“Who?”
Elara whispered,
“Seraphine.”
The name changed everything.
Alina stepped back.
“Why would Seraphine contact you?”
Elara looked at her.
“That is the part I cannot explain.”
“What do you mean?”
“I never met her.”
Alina frowned.
“But you know her.”
“No.”
Elara shook her head.
“I knew someone was using her name.”
The confusion grew.
“Then why are you scared?”
Elara looked at her.
“Because before your accident, someone was sending me messages.”
Alina felt cold.
“What kind of messages?”
Elara walked to another drawer.
She pulled out an old phone.
“I saved them.”
She turned it on.
There were several messages.
All from an unknown number.
Alina read the first one.
Watch her.
The second.
Keep her close.
The third.
She cannot remember.
Her heart stopped.
The fourth.
When the time comes, make sure she trusts the right person.
Alina stared.
“This was before the accident?”
Elara nodded.
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Elara’s eyes filled.
“Because I thought it was a threat.”
“It was.”
“Yes.”
“Then why?”
“Because the next message scared me.”
Alina looked at her.
“What did it say?”
Elara swallowed.
“It said…”
She hesitated.
“Tell Alina that Lucien Voss is the only person who can save her.”
Alina froze.
The room felt smaller.
Because that did not make sense.
If someone wanted Lucien destroyed, why make him the hero?
Unless...
Unless Lucien had been telling the truth.
She hated that thought.
She hated how many pieces were connecting.
A sound interrupted them.
Both women turned.
Someone was outside.
Elara’s face changed.
“You need to leave.”
Alina shook her head.
“No.”
“Alina.”
“I am tired of running.”
She moved toward the door.
Slowly.
She opened it.
Nobody was there.
Only a small envelope on the floor.
Her name was written on it.
She picked it up.
Elara looked terrified.
“Do not open that.”
But Alina already had.
Inside was a document.
A bank record.
A communication log.
And one name.
Elara.
Her eyes moved over the details.
The dates.
The payments.
The messages.
Her heart sank.
Because it showed Elara had been communicating with someone before the accident.
Someone connected to Seraphine Hale.
She looked up.
“Elara.”
Her friend’s face went pale.
“Alina, listen to me.”
“How long?”
“It is not what you think.”
“How long were you talking to her?”
“I was not talking to her.”
“The evidence says otherwise.”
Elara stepped closer.
“I swear I did not know what she was planning.”
Alina looked at her.
“Then what did you know?”
Elara had no answer.
And that silence destroyed something between them.
The trust.
The friendship.
Everything.
“I trusted you.”
The words came quietly.
Elara started crying.
“I know.”
“No.”
Alina shook her head.
“You do not.”
She turned away.
Because she could handle betrayal.
She could handle enemies.
But not from the person she thought would stand beside her.
Outside, Lucien sat in his car watching Elara’s house.
He had followed Alina.
Not because he wanted to control her.
Because he knew danger was close.
Adrian sat beside him.
“You were right.”
Lucien looked at him.
“About what?”
“Viktor.”
Lucien’s eyes narrowed.
“What about him?”
“He has been hiding information.”
Lucien went still.
“How much?”
Adrian handed him a file.
“We found connections between Viktor and Seraphine.”
For the first time in a long time, Lucien looked surprised.
“That is impossible.”
“Is it?”
Lucien looked at the documents.
His jaw tightened.
Because if Viktor was connected to Seraphine, then everything changed.
He thought Viktor saved Alina.
He thought Viktor was protecting her.
But what if there was another reason?
“What does he want?”
Adrian looked at him.
“We do not know.”
Lucien stared at Elara’s house.
Then at the file.
Everyone around Alina had secrets.
Everyone.
Even the people trying to save her.
A few minutes later, Alina walked out.
Lucien immediately opened the door.
She saw him.
And stopped.
For a second, neither spoke.
Then she held up the document.
“Did you know?”
Lucien looked at the paper.
Then at her.
“No.”
She studied his face.
Trying to decide if she believed him.
“I found out something.”
“What?”
She looked at the photograph again.
The one from before.
The one she could not remember.
“Seraphine and I knew each other.”
Lucien became still.
“No.”
“Yes.”
She stepped closer.
“And I do not remember.”
Something changed in his expression.
Fear.
Real fear.
Because there was one thing worse than Seraphine returning.
Alina remembering.
“What did you find?”
Alina looked at the photograph.
“I found out I was not a stranger to her.”
She turned it over.
There was writing on the back.
A sentence.
Her fingers shook as she read it.
You forgot who you were before Lucien found you.
She looked at Lucien.
And for the first time, she wondered if the biggest mystery was not why someone tried to kill her.
But who she was before she died.ype your text or you can copy the content of the file which suffixed. ’doc’ or ’.txt’ to here. The content must be 200 words at least
- Writer
