Chapter 90: Found

\[Author's POV\]

Anna waited in the pent house, looking at the silk curtains, imported marble flooring and the tapestries on the walls that cost a fortune. The air exuberance was that of wealth but she knew how it was gotten. Staring momentarily at her wrist watch, she grew restless. He was behind time. She stood up from the couch, pacing the plush confines of the room. The door clicked open and she looked up. He was here.

'You took your damn time.' She hissed, settling back into the couch.

'That's not something you say to your father, Anna. Be respectful.' Ahmed took a srat opposite hers.

A young lady in her mid-30's walked in with an ice bucket holding a wine bottle and two wine glasses.

'Anything else, sir?' She inquired from Ahmed as she kept the ice bucket and glasses on the mahogany table separating the old man and his daughter.

'No. Thank you.' Ahmed replied, not taking his eyes off Anna.

When the lady left, Anna scoffed. 'She hesitated to leave. Don't tell me she'll be my future mommy.'

Ahmed laughed, his shoulders shook and the end of his eyes were glistened with tears. He wiped at it with a kerchief. 'Comedy gold.'

'Well, no one but you laughed so I don't see the appeal.' Anna retorts.

Ahmed leans forward to pour the wine into the glasses. He leans back with one in his hand. 'Might I know why I'm here?'

Anna holds a cold glare. 'I want you to leave Scottie alone. He doesn't want any part of Hide and Seek. He's weak.'

Ahmed who was about to take a sip, almost choked on it. 'Excuse me?'

Anna cleared her throat loudly. 'I am to moderate the last Hide and Seek for this semester while Charlotte is to host it. It was supposed to be Scottie's but I chose it in his stead. Don't hurt him like you hurt Bessie.'

'That is a serious accusation. How could I have hurt my own daughter? Your own twin sister. That's absurd.' Ahmed finished the last of the wine and settled the glass on the table.

Anna gripped the hem of her dress and gritted her teeth. 'You let her die. You let Dominic and Gemini and the others hurt her! You're the school director for God's fucking sake!'

It was Ahmed's turn to yell. 'That I am but also remember that I am your father. Do you think I don't regret losing my kid? Did you think it was ever my choice to let Bessie die?!'

Anna gasped. 'What do you mean?'

Ahmed chuckled and poured himself another wine. 'You can't handle the truth. Rest.'

'Try me.' Anna set her lips. Determined. To hell with everything. Her sanity, her conscience, her life. She was ready to brace the truth and it's wounds.

Ahmed whispered. In an instant, Anna alight from her chair, grabbed the wine glass and shoved it on her father's face.

'Screw you!' She turned on her heels.

'Walk out that door and you'll no longer get protection from me!' Ahmed rose to his feet, stemming with same anger as hers.

Anna looked at him with tears in her eyes. 'I was never under your protection!'

She slammed the door on her way out.

'My lady, are you okay?' Hamish trailed behind Anna as she walled out of the room.

Anna wiped her face with the heels of her hands. 'Hamish!'

'Yes?' Hamish stopped in his tracks the moment she did.

Anna spoke without looking at him. 'Take me to Uncle Baur. Now.'

\[Charlotte's POV\]

We were losing daylight by the minute. The party was yet to begin. I felt uncomfortable being in such a loud environment. Levi noticed and took my hands. We went upstairs to the balcony. Thankfully, it was just us and no one else.

'You okay?' He asked.

'I am now. Thanks.' I smiled at him.

He looked down at my left hand. I knew instantly that he was staring at my watch. If I place my hand over it, it'll create more suspicion so I pat my right hand over his.

My phone rings and I try to ignore it.

'You gonna get that?' Levi told me.

'It's probably not important.' I shake my head.

'Charlotte, take it.' Levi said with the softest tone I've ever heard in my life and I felt compelled to take the call.

I turn away and walk a few distance from where he stood. 'Charlotte Melbourne.'

'Yes. Charlotte. I've been dying to call you. Where are you?' It's Nurse Amie's voice.

'I'm out.' I say and turn to smile at Levi, reassuring him that I was okay.

I return to the call. 'Is there something else I should be worried about?'

Ever since our last conversation about Levi, I've had a hard time sleeping or eating. It gnawed at my mind. My soul even. I couldn't possibly sell Levi off to the police while he's innocent or at least I think he is. I don't know what I'm doing.

Amie whispered. 'Listen, my brother has a lead. You're not gonna like it.'

I swallow my saliva. Uh-oh. What now?

She went on. 'He's going to arrest Jacob Wright. That way he can hassle him for information regarding the Hide and Seek that killed that kid.'

'That's better.' Wait. Did I hear right? Why on earth would Jacob get arrested. As far as good people go, Jacob is a Samaritan. A good Samaritan.

'Wait. Why? Why would he get arrested?' I begin to whisper.

'Babe, you okay?' I hear Levi ask.

'A-okay.' I give a thumbs-up and a smile and return to the call.

'Was that Levi?' Aime asked.

'Please, answer my question.' I grew irritable.

'Jacob called the cops on his brother on the 24th of June by 5 : 25pm.' Aime whispered.

'Wait. 24th..' I palmed my forehead. 'Wait. That date sounds familiar.'

'It was Layla's birthday.' Aime replied.

I can hear myself shouting. 'Holy shit!'

'Charlotte, you okay?' Levi runs to my side.

'No no no. It's okay. Just having a girl convo with Sophie. You know how she gets.' I smile nervously and wave him off.

'Okay,' He said, before leaving. 'No goofing around, Soph.'

I whispered. 'No way. Jacob did?'

'Yeah. He said he knows who killed Bessie Merced-Callum, sister of Joanna Merced-Callum.' Amie whispered again.

'Jesus Christ.' I ran my hand through my hair.

'Listen, my brother will storm the party you and your friends are in very soon. Jacob will get arrested to save Levi. Deal?' Amie said.

'Arrested but on what charges?' I couldn't help but wonder.

Well, with what he did he to his won brother, he deserved to be arrested.

'On assaulting a police officer. Don't worry about it. As soon as he arrives, I'll call you to get Levi out of there.' The line went dead before I could say anything else.

'That was one hell of a conversation, Charlotte. I hope Sophie's not bad influence on you.' Levi walks over to wrap his arms around me in a hug.

I hug him back. 'No.'

Swallowing my saliva, I palmed circles on his back. Jacob called the police on Levi because he knows about Levi's hand in Bessie's death. So it's true. Levi did - -

My heart beat accelerated and my chest begins to hurt.

I pull away with a wince.

'You okay?' Levi asked.

I turn away to steady my breathing. 'I'm fine.'

'At least look at me when you're lying.' Levi becomes angry.

I faced him sharply. 'Excuse me?'

'There's something you're not telling me,' Levi holds my arm. He looks down at my wrist watch.

'Charlotte, are you sick?'

I begin to hyperventilate. No, he can't know. Not like this.

'No, I - I'm fine.' Even speaking was terribly difficult as I felt like I was being choked. Like a hand squeezed mercilessly at my heart.

Levi looked frightened. 'Hey breathe with me. Come on. In and out.'

In and out.

In and out.

Tears were filling my eyes and I was blinked them away. Fighting with my strength or whatever was left not to pass out.

There's a knock on the door and I hear Mikey's voice.

'The party's just started.' He said.

I hear Rose chuckled beside him. Maybe she was drunk. 'What are you guys.' There was a hiccup. 'Sorry. T- talking a- about?'

'We'll be right down.' Levi tells them.

Mikey and Rose left us.

I can feel hot tears cascade down my cheeks. What do I say to him? One voice tells me to shove the truth up his ass. That he was hiding secrets too and that now, we were even. Another voice wants me to apologize and take Levi away from here.

In the end, I chose none of them. Instead I preferred crying.

'So you're - - ' Levi pointed at my watch. 'You're - -

'I - I

Before I could sat anything else, Levi pulled me into a hug.

'Don't say another word.' He kissed my hair softly.

I was confused. I thought he'd push me away but he didn't.

'I will always love you, Charlotte. No matter what happens.' He put his arms protectively around me and I sob more into his arms.

Going off to the powder room was the perfect excuse to elude the girl's questions about my face. Apparently, my eyes were rimmed red from crying and my cheeks were flushed. I had to do something to my face but you know me. I'm no make-up gal.

'You can use mine.' Lin walks out a bathroom stall and comes up beside me, sliding a pink pouch.

She washes her hands in the bidet. 'I always use emergency make-up on my face anytime Levi makes me cry.'

I look at her. 'That's not what happened.'

'Don't tell me but I know. He knows you're sick, doesn't he?' She wipes her hand with a a fresh white towel and drops it in the bin.

'What?' I'm confused.

'Don't play dumb, Queen Charlotte. I know.' Lin begins to move towards me.

I take a few steps back till I ran out of room. What was she going to do?

'I want you to cry so damn hard you can't breathe!' Her accent gets thicker this time like she was from Georgia, the country and not Georgia, America.

'Get away from me.' I push her gently away from me and she falls to the floor like I punched her.

As if on queue, Adira walked in. 'What's going on?'

'It's Charlotte. She hit me. I tried to get her makeup but she pushed me away.' Lin begins to cry.

'Charlotte, how could you?' Adira helps Lin to her feet.

I'm dumbfounded by Lin. Her acting was perfect. I'm even stunned she hasn't been given an Oscar for it.

'You think I pushed her?' I looked at Adira. 'Seriously?'

Adira scoffed. 'Well, yeah or do you think Lin is crazy enough to throw herself on this filthy floor? I know you think Lin wants yo get back with Levi but dude, take a fucking chill pill and relax.'

'Adira.' I watch she and Lin leave the room.

Shit. I bend down to pick the make-up pouch when suddenly, I hear clamours coming from outside. The DJ had stopped playing.

'This is a raid. Put your goddamn hands in the air!'

Oh no. Amie must've been calling me. I'm not with my phone. I run to the door and it's locked.

'Hey! Let me out!' I screamed. No. No. Go, please. No.

The door finally swung open and standing before me was a man dressed in black overalls.

'You Melbourne?' He asked.

'Yeah.'

I feel a sting of pain shoot down my right arm. What did he inject into my arm? The world spinned and everything went black.