A Trap Of Hope

Liora’s POV

By the time night fell, I still had nowhere to go.

I thought of calling Sebastian, wail and apologize and beg for his help. But something in me had already snapped the moment I left his house. Now that my father had died and alongside the charges the divorce was based on, Sebastian would now have full reins of the company.

But I had already made up my mind; I wasn’t going back. So where would I go?

Feeling tired, I sat on the bare ground by gate, raising my knees up to rest my head.

Cars passed, people passed, but none of them paused to spare me a glance. It was almost as if I was invisible. And I liked it that way; the plethora of attention I had gotten these past days have been tiring for me.

But I knew I couldn’t stay any longer here anymore. It would risk another embarrassing scenario from Helena. So I struggled to my feet and began walking. I didn’t have a destination yet, but I began heading to a diner that was not far from the house. Dad always took me and Camille there when he was still alive and well.

At some point my phone buzzed and I flicked while hurriedly bringing it out of my pocket. My hopes rose, thinking it might be Sebastian- foolishly- but it was just a notification from a news app:

SEBASTIAN CARVERS ABOUT TO FINALIZE ACQUISITION OF BENNETT HOLDINGS.

What sounded like a half sob, half laugh left me, but there was no denying how much seeing that news hurt me. If Helena or Camille was here, they’d remind me how terribly my father must be rolling in his grave over what I had lost.

I wandered until my legs ached, and the suitcases felt heavier, still no idea where I was headed to.

I must have looked as broken as I felt, because a car slowed down beside me and the windows rolled down.

‘You okay?’ The man in the car asked me.

He looked rough, and his voice sounded a bit tipsy.

I shook my head once and continued walking. But he still drove beside me, matching my pace. I could feel his eyes dragging all over me that made my skin crawled.

‘You sure?’ He asked again. ‘I’ve got a place just in case you wanna crash.’

Fear snapped in me. ‘I’m fine. Thank you.’

I hurried on, not daring to look back until I was sure he wasn’t following me. But I didn’t stop, because I could hear footsteps behind me: someone else was following me.

‘Liora!’ The person called out my name in a sharp tone.

Fear didn’t allow me to stop, regardless of the fact that the person knew my name.

‘Liora!’ The person called out again. I could tell it was a female this time; a very familiar one.

Luckily thr diner finally came into view, and I didn’t stop until I got to the well lighted area.

‘Giselle?’ I turned to face the person.

She came in full view, her eyes seemed tired but alert.

The rage I felt within me when I saw her, it was a violent one.

‘I know you’re angry,’ she raised her hands in the form of a surrender, ‘but please hear me out.’

I didn’t feel like hearing her explanations. ‘You lied against me! You’re one of the reasons im termed a potential murderer.’

‘Yes but-‘

‘Why were you following me? To finish what you started?’

‘No, never-‘

‘Then go!’

‘I just want to apologize, please. Say I’m sorry for-‘

‘I don’t need your apology-‘

‘She offered me something!’ Giselle broke down completely. ‘My son…everything I did was for my son.’

I paused. ‘Who?’

‘My son is a special child. I couldn’t afford enough to get my son into the school that’s right for him,’ she sobbed. ‘He was always bullied by his school mates. So when I told her about this, she made a deal that she would give me all the money I needed if I just did as she wanted.’

For sometime I couldn’t speak, lots of questions going through my mind.

‘Who are you talking about?’ I had to control my breathing to ask.

She shook her head. ‘No names. I didn’t come to tell you names. Just to clear myself, and tell you that I did what I had to do for someone I loved dearly. You have a father, so I heard. You understand.’

‘He’s dead!’ I replied in a cold tone.

‘Oh,’ she paused, looking everywhere else but at me. ‘I’m sorry.’

A car zoomed towards us at that moment, and the driver stopped the car right in front of us.

It wa Camille.

‘Liora!’ She ran up to me and pulled me in a bear hug.

Giselle gave Camille a long look before leaving.

I was stunned. Camille was hugging me, and…was she crying?

‘I’m so sorry about what mom did,’ she pulled away to wipe her tears. ‘I came back and she told me. I was just infuriated…’

‘How did you find me?’ My voice was barely audible.

‘I remembered this diner where dad always took us to for lunch when we were younger, so I figured I’d check here first.’

I didn’t know how to respond so I just kept silent.

‘Let me help you Liora,’ she held my hands. ‘Please. I know you don’t have anywhere to go. I have somewhere you can stay in for the meantime until we sort other things out.’

An alarm began blaring in my head. I understood we had had a heartfelt conversation at the hospital today, but her willingness to help me sounded odd for some reasons I couldn’t explain.

‘I know you don’t trust me,’ she glanced at the floor before looking back at me. ‘Hell, I wouldn’t trust me if I was you. But please let me start amending my ways and help you. I really need a sister with me. With dad gone and mother acting up, it’s-it’s not nice out there alone.’

Her eyes held a genuine plea, and seeing her made me decide to let my guard down and trust her just this once.

I also needed a sister with me; I had no other person to turn to.

She smiled when she noticed my resolve was calm, and I followed her to the car. We drove in silence, and although I still felt uneasy, I pushed that thought aside.

‘Sometimes,’ she said to me out of the blue, ‘I envy you.’

I glanced at her, but I couldn’t see her expression in the poor light.

‘How so?’ I hugged a laugh.

‘You had everything, but you didn’t even know. Our father’s love, a large share of his company; hell, at some point you even got Sebastian to fall in love with you.’

My head turned to her, knowing fully well I had never discussed Sebastian with her. ‘Sebastian didn’t love me. And even if he did, how did you know?’

‘Lucky guess, I suppose, she shrugged, before stopping the car. ‘Anyways, we’re here.’

I looked out the window to see a small house with no sign of electricity.

‘Come on,’ she urged me as she got out.

I followed her, with a heavy feeling of reluctance.

‘Why is it so dark?’ I asked her once we got to the porch. ‘And where is this place?’

‘Oh Liora, you were always the inquisitive one,’ she chuckled and opened the door. ‘This is my getaway, and I haven’t had time to pay the light bills because it’s been a while since I’ve been here. But don’t worry. We’ll get that sorted out by tomorrow.’

I followed her inside, my eyes trying to adjust to the darkness.

‘There are some candles on the table though,’ she said, paused a bit before speaking. ‘I’m sorry, Liora.’

‘No, it’s okay; this should be enough for now. I’m sure we’ll figure out something by tomorrow and-‘

‘Oh! I’m not apologizing about the house,’ she chuckled again.

I turned to see her standing by the door.

‘Then, what are you apologizing about?’

Camille didn’t reply at once, but she stepped back instead, one foot already out of the door. I moved closer, and for the first time that night, I could see her eyes looked…empty.

‘For making you believe I came here to help you,’ she said quietly.

Before I could reach the door, she slammed it shut.

‘Camille!’ I grabbed the door handle and turned but it wouldn’t budge. The lock clicked on the other side.

My chest tightened. ‘Camille open the door. This isn’t funny!’

I pressed my forehead against the door as the truth settled heavily in my chest.

I had trusted her, and she had betrayed me. Again.