The enemy
1059 Words
Chapter 5: The Enemy
Lushan couldn't breathe.
Her father was standing outside.
For the first time since she had been kidn*pped, she felt relieved to see him.
“Dad…”
She moved toward the door.
Raphael immediately blocked her path.
“Don't.”
“That's my father.”
“I know.”
“He came for me.”
Raphael's eyes remained fixed on the window.
“No.”
Lushan frowned.
“What do you mean, no?”
“He didn't come for you.”
“How can you say that?”
“Because if he came to take his daughter home, he wouldn't have brought armed men.”
Lushan looked outside again.
There were at least six men standing around the car.
All of them were watching the house.
Her father's face was cold.
He wasn't shouting her name.
He wasn't asking where she was.
He simply stood there.
Waiting.
Lushan's stomach tightened.
“Maybe he's angry.”
Raphael looked at her.
“Your father isn't angry.”
“Then what is he?”
“Afraid.”
Lushan stared at him.
“Afraid of what?”
“Me.”
Before she could respond, a loud knock shook the front door.
Lushan jumped.
A man's voice came from outside.
“Raphael!”
Raphael didn't answer.
“Come out!”
Another knock.
“We know she's inside.”
Lushan's heart raced.
Raphael grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the window.
“What are you doing?”
“Keeping you alive.”
“Alive?”
She stared at him.
“What exactly does my father want?”
Raphael looked at her for a long moment.
“The document.”
“What document?”
“The one your father stole.”
Lushan shook her head.
“I don't have any document.”
“I know.”
“Then why would he come here?”
Raphael's expression darkened.
“Because he thinks you know where it is.”
Lushan went silent.
She suddenly remembered all the strange rules her father had given her.
The restrictions.
The guards.
The constant warnings about people she had never met.
She had always thought he was simply overprotective.
But what if it wasn't about protecting her?
What if he had been protecting himself?
Another loud bang came from outside.
The front door shook.
Lushan grabbed Raphael's arm.
“What are we going to do?”
Raphael looked toward the back of the house.
“There is another way out.”
“You mean we're running?”
“Yes.”
“But where?”
“Anywhere they can't find us.”
Lushan hesitated.
Then she heard her father's voice.
“Lushan!”
Her entire body froze.
“Lushan, if you can hear me, come outside.”
His voice sounded calm.
Too calm.
“I'm here,” she whispered.
Raphael shook his head.
Her father continued.
“Don't trust the man you're with.”
Lushan looked at Raphael.
“He's lying to you.”
Raphael's jaw tightened.
“Your father is very good at that.”
Lushan felt tears burning her eyes.
“Dad!”
She stepped toward the door.
Raphael caught her wrist.
“Don't.”
“What if you're the one lying?”
He released her immediately.
The question hurt him.
Lushan saw it.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Raphael said quietly,
“You have every right to doubt me.”
He stepped away.
“But if you walk out that door, I can't protect you.”
Lushan stared at him.
“Why do you care?”
Raphael didn't answer.
“Why?” she asked again.
His eyes met hers.
“Because you're not your father.”
Something inside Lushan broke.
She looked toward the door.
Then back at Raphael.
And finally, she made her decision.
“Let's go.”
Raphael nodded.
They hurried through the back of the house.
Lushan's heart pounded as they ran through the narrow path behind the building.
She kept looking over her shoulder.
No one had followed them.
Yet.
They reached a small wooden gate.
Raphael pushed it open.
“Keep moving.”
They ran into the darkness.
Neither of them noticed the man standing near the trees.
Watching.
Holding a phone.
He raised it to his ear.
“They've left.”
A pause.
“Yes.”
He looked in the direction Raphael and Lushan had disappeared.
“Raphael took the girl.”
Another pause.
Then the man smiled.
“Good.”
He ended the call.
---
Several minutes later, Lushan and Raphael stopped near an abandoned building.
Lushan was breathing heavily.
She leaned against the wall.
“I can't do this anymore.”
Raphael looked at her.
“What?”
“I want answers.”
“You'll get them.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“I want all of them.”
Raphael remained silent.
“Who was your father?”
“What did my father steal?”
“Why did he tell me you were dead?”
“And why did you kidnap me?”
Raphael looked away.
Lushan stepped closer.
“You can't keep saying you'll tell me later.”
He sighed.
“You're right.”
He reached into his jacket and pulled out an old envelope.
Lushan stared at it.
“What is that?”
“Something my father left behind.”
He handed it to her.
Her hands trembled as she opened it.
Inside was a single piece of paper.
She read the first line.
Then her face went pale.
It was a letter.
And it was addressed to her.
Dear Lushan,
Her heart stopped.
She looked at Raphael.
“This is from your father?”
He nodded.
“But he died years ago.”
“I know.”
She looked back at the letter.
There were only a few words on the page.
But they were enough to change everything.
If you're reading this, your father has already lied to you about who I am.
Lushan's hands began to shake.
She continued reading.
And if Raphael has brought you here, it means he finally knows the truth.
She looked up.
“Raphael…”
He said nothing.
Lushan lowered her eyes to the final line.
Do not trust your father.
Her heart sank.
Because for the first time in her life—
she didn't know who the real enemy was.
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