Chapter 63 We're meant to protect each other.

Chapter 63 I know everything.
Ariel

I was shocked to say the least when I found the tunnel Chloe had mentioned earlier in our conversation. Dark, long and creepy, it looked exactly like the kind of place where a kid or even an adult might get snatched or walk into and never return.

"Fuck," I muttered as I stalled right outside its entrance. This was the place for sure, right? 

I mean, that's what Chloe's location was saying but how come she hadn't been more freaked out about it when she mentioned it earlier on the call?

I sucked in a breath and mustered up the last of my courage to drive in — I mean, after the night I've had, it made sense to be pretty drained, right?

I shone my headlights into the dark space as I drove and kept glancing around frantically until I saw her car parked by the side of the long, winding road. 

“Chloe?” I called out even before I came out of the car. The figure I'd guessed was hers looked up from the side of the car where she'd been leaning against.

I ran to her to check up on her. “How are you? Are you okay?”

She nodded, her eyes searching mine. “We have to drive to the hospital now. It was burnt down. It was burnt down… and mom…”

I moved my head in a slight nod. “I know. I know.”

“You know?”

“Y-yes.” Okay, now was the moment. “It was a fire. It spread before anyone could stop it but Mom got out, thankfully.”

“A fire?”

“Yes.”

“And nothing was on the news?”

“Well… it was a private hospital, so maybe they… shut it down… to avoid attention and… unnecessary rumours." I looked away for a moment, my stupid self unable to hold her gaze for long.

She stepped away from me and folded her arms. “Where is Mom then?” 

“A-at a new place. They’re helping her settle down."

“Where?”

"I-I can't tell you yet. The shock and trauma from the incident caused a bit of withdrawal so she's not allowed to see any visitors at the moment but I assure you, she's fine and we'll be able to see her very soon.”

“Really?”

I held her gaze firmly this time around and nodded. Hopefully, I was right and we’ll be able to actually see her very soon.

I pointed to her car after a moment of silence. “Is it okay? Can you drive? We really need to head back now if we want to make it to the city before sunrise?”

“So you're going to keep lying to me?” I whipped my head around to face her.

“H-huh?”

“I know everything. About St Valerio. The guy from that night. The reason you transferred Mom to that place. The fact that they’re blackmailing you.”

I felt my stomach drop instantly. “B-blackmailing me? What are you talking about?” She shot me a glare.

“Don’t you even dare lie to me right now.”

“I—” There was no point in dragging this out anymore. She definitely knew something. A lot, actually, but what exactly does she know?

I folded my arms and prepared myself for the questions and interrogation I knew was coming. “W–what do you know?”



Okay, I'd guessed wrong. She didn’t know a lot. In fact, she barely knew anything, just that the hospital was sketchy and had no listing online—coupled with the fact that there had been a fire and there was no coverage in the media about it—and that during one of her visits to see Mom a few days ago, she’d heard Kael talking to the doctor about me and Mom.

Hence, she drew the conclusion that I was being blackmailed. I mean, I felt a bit of relief to know that that was all she knew. “Does it have something to do with the robbery you said happened at Richard's place?”

“Oh my God… does he have something to do with Richard’s death?”

My heart rate spiked. “I–I don’t know. I just… I just did what he wanted so we can all be safe.” I wasn't sure if it made sense to go with this.

“All be safe? Mom is missing right now!”

“She’s not…she’s not missing. I already told you, she’s safe and getting settled. We’ll be able to see her soon.”

“And where exactly is this place where we’ll be seeing her very soon?! Another sketchy, creepy hospital in the middle of nowhere?!”

I took a deep breath as she ran her fingers through her hair. I had absolutely no idea what to say to that.

“Okay, that’s it. I’m calling the police.” My eyes widened and my heart dropped. 

“Chloe…”

“After everything, i thought now you’ll at least confide in me, let me in so we can share the burden, but no. You always act like you have to do everything yourself. Like you have to save everyone else and put yourself in danger. Don’t you see how much it has affected you?”

I reached for her hand as she started to dial the number. “Chloe…” 

"No," she yanked her hand away. “I’m going to do something about this now. I don't care if he's a criminal, a gangster, or even a serial killer. I'm going to protect you because that's what I promised myself. What I promised Dad. I won't let something happen to you or Mom."

I snatched the phone from her hand before she could place it against her ear. “Will you just listen to me?!” 

She tried to snatch it back almost immediately. "Give me back the phone.”

“Chloe… please! Listen. This is way more complicated than you think.”

“How? How am I meant to know it's complicated if you won't talk to me?! I'm your sister for crying out loud. Who else do you think you can confide in if not me?!”

“You’re always pushing me away, telling me nothing is up and that I shouldn't worry about anything, when it's clear that something is obviously wrong with you. I don't want anything to happen to you just as much as I know you don't want anything to happen to me or Mom."

I stepped back slightly and blinked back the tears that threatened to fill my eyes. “I… There's nothing we can do about this.”

“There’s always something.”

“Definitely not the police. They have people there.”

“They?” 

“T-the guy and his people.”

“Then… we work out something. There has to be something we can do.”

“Well…” I ran a hand through my hair to calm myself down. “We could start with heading back to town. We wouldn't be able to do anything if something grabbed us in this creepy dark tunnel with no one to search for us.”

“Right.” We both glanced around the tunnel. “We should go.”

And as we both got in our car to head back to town, I couldn't help but wonder what I was going to do once we got back. I mean, I couldn't keep lying to her—she obviously knew there was more to the story—but would she be able to look at me the same way when she finds out what I've been doing for the past seven years of my life?