Chapter 11: City of Secrets
Clara's POV
Olivia entered the restaurant with the dark-haired "Lily" staring at me. Tension crackled in the dense, heavy air.
Olivia murmured, "Clara," in a low, menacing voice. "Why are you in this place?"
Sarah's voice was harsh as she said, "Talking to my sister." "Giving her the facts."
Olivia squinted her eyes. "The truth?" he said again in a sarcastic tone. "You believe you are aware of the truth?"
Sarah's eyes flashed as she responded, "I know enough." "I am aware that you have been deceiving her. To all of you.
The dark-haired "Lily" remarked in a seductive voice, "That's not true." "All we're trying to do is keep her safe."
"Keep her safe?" My voice trembled as I repeated. "By deceiving me? By means of me?
Olivia remarked in a quiet voice, "We didn't mean to hurt you, Clara." "However, we had to."
"Had to what?" I raised my voice and asked. Did you have to take my life? My dearest buddy had to be betrayed?
"It is difficult," the dark-haired "Lily," she remarked in a quiet voice. "You wouldn't comprehend."
"Try me," I urged in a firm voice. "Tell me everything."
They looked at one other, a quiet interaction that chilled my blood. They had something to conceal.
Something significant.
Olivia remarked, "It's a long story," in a hushed voice. "We also don't have time."
Sarah remarked, staring at them, "We have all night." "Speak up."
Their cheeks were strained and pallid as they paused. They were aware of their corner.
"All right," replied the dark-haired "Lily," in a firm voice. "But what you hear won't be to your liking."
She started to narrate the narrative, a perverse tale of lies and secrets, of identities stolen and promises betrayed.
Everything I believed to be true about them was completely destroyed by this narrative.
"Olivia and I were in love years ago," she murmured softly. Really, really, really. However, our love was prohibited.
When Lily—the actual Lily—found out, she became enraged. She threatened to ruin our lives by telling everyone.
"You killed her?" My voice trembled as I asked.
She flashed her eyes and whispered, "No." "We didn't murder her. We came to an agreement. She would go, vanish, and we would replace her. We changed our names to Lily and Olivia Carter.
With my voice cracking, I said, "And you used me." "You grew closer to Olivia by taking advantage of my friendship with Lily."
Her voice was low as she replied, "We needed you." "We needed someone to trust us and believe in us." You were flawless.
"Perfect?" I repeated in a disbelieving tone. "In your sick game, I was a pawn."
Olivia remarked in a firm voice, "It wasn't a game." Clara, you were adored by us. We continue to do so.
"Love?" My voice was nasty as I mocked. "You have no idea what love is."
"We do," he answered, staring into my eyes. "And we would like you to participate."
"A component of what?" My voice trembled as I asked. "Your twisted dream?"
"Our life," he said softly. "The life we were destined to lead."
He extended his hand in a gesture. "Come with us, Clara," he pleaded in a beseeching tone. "We can function as a family."
My heart was in a million pieces when I looked at him. He was crazy. Both of them were.
"No," I answered firmly. "I won't accompany you anywhere."
The dark-haired "Lily" said in a firm voice, "You have no choice." "You are now ours."
Her eyes gleamed with a wicked, twisted satisfaction as she took a step closer.
"You see," she murmured softly, "Clara." "We have been observing you. For a very long time.
"Observing me?" With a shaky voice, I whispered. "What do you mean?"
Her grin widened as she continued, "We know everything." "Every kiss, every word, every touch."
I was hit by a rush of nausea. They had been violating our privacy by eavesdropping on us. They were well aware.
"Why?" My voice trembled as I asked. "What are you doing?"
Her voice was harsh as she replied, "Because you stole what was ours." "Olivia was stolen by you."
I raised my voice and shouted, "He wasn't yours." "I was his choice."
She trembled as she replied, "He was mine first." "He had always been mine."
"He's not yours," Sarah said icily. "He is independent."
"I own him," the dark-haired "Lily," she said again, her voice shaking. "And you'll be held accountable for removing him from me."
He moved nearer, his eyes blazing with a sinister, twisted joy as she nodded to Olivia. "Clara, it's time to stop this," he remarked quietly.
He extracted a little, silver flash disk from his pocket. His eyes gleamed in the bright light as he held it up.
His voice was soft as he replied, "You know what this is." "The film. The person who will ruin your life.
I broke my voice and shook my head. "You wouldn't," I said in a whisper.
His grin grew as he replied, "Try me."
With the flash drive in his extended palm, he took a step closer. I paused, glancing back and forth between him and Sarah.
Sarah responded in a firm voice, "Give it to me, Clara." "Now it's mine."
My fingers were shaking as I reached out. However, a gunshot rang out through the restaurant before I could reach for the flash drive.
The flash drive broke and fell in fragments on the ground. The dark-haired "Lily" and Olivia both turned, their eyes wide with surprise.
A gun-wielding person emerged from the shadows. Jackson was the one.
"Jackson?" With a shaky voice, I whispered. "Why are you in this place?"
"I'm saving you, Clara," he stated sternly. "They intended to cause you harm."
"They wouldn't." I started, but was interrupted by his stare.
"They would," he murmured softly. "They are not who you believe them to be."
His eyes blazed with a savage rage as he turned to face Olivia and the dark-haired "Lily." His voice was harsh as he said, "You're both sick." "Give her space."
The dark-haired "Lily" made a harsh, icy chuckle. With a scornful tone, she said, "You think you can stop us?" "You believe that you can save her?"
He stared at me and replied, "I already did." "She's accompanying me."
He extended his arm and took hold of my arm, his hold painfully firm. His voice was harsh as he continued, "Let's go, Clara."
I paused, glancing back and forth between Olivia and him. I was unsure of whom to believe.
Olivia whispered, "Don't go with him," in a quiet voice. "He's telling lies."
With beseeching eyes, Jackson murmured, "He's telling the truth." "They want to take advantage of you."
The restaurant boomed with another gunshot.
It was Olivia this time. He had reached inside his jacket and taken out a revolver. Jackson lost his hold on my arm and staggered.
"Clara, run!" Jackson shouted in a strained tone.
I didn't think twice. My footsteps reverberated through the deserted restaurant as I turned and bolted. I knew I had to go, but I had no idea where I was heading.
Through my tears, I blurred the city lights as I fled into the night. My legs hurt and my lungs burned as I ran till I arrived at my flat.
I locked the door behind me and banged it tight. With my thoughts spinning and my body shaking, I slid down the door.
Everything was different. Both my closest friend and the guy I loved were dishonest. Both of them were hazardous.
I was by myself. I was also unsure of whom to believe.
A text message from an unidentified number rang on my phone.
Come see me. Tomorrow. noon. The riverside ancient park. By themselves. I can describe anything.
My chest was thumping with my heart. Who was this? And why were they interested in meeting me?
With shaky fingers, I glanced at the number. I had been dispatched to the restaurant and the theater by the same number.
I have to be aware. The truth has to be known to me.
I answered. All right. I'll be present.
I put my phone down as fatigue weighed heavily on my body. With a dark, horrible terror in my heart and a rushing mind, I got into bed.
I would find out the truth tomorrow. And I sensed that it would make a huge difference.