Chapter 6

Carla~

"You sneaky little wench!" My father hissed.

"You're no daughter of mine. Just a lying, pathetic murderer!"

"Micheal?!" My mother's shriek bounced off the walls as she abruptly stood up to caution him.

But my father was no easy man.

"Sit your ass down, woman!" He spat, eyes blazing with fury as they dared her to defy.

My gaze lingered on my mother a second longer than it should have.

For a brief, foolish moment, our eyes met and something fragile stirred in my chest.

Hope.

Maybe this time… maybe she would finally stand up for me. Maybe she would tell him to stop or at least tell him he was wrong.

But hope was a luxury I couldn't afford.

An apologetic look slowly crossed her face and that was already enough of a sign for me. Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but then she looked away, shoulders slumping as she sank back into her seat.

I didn't let myself feel disappointed.

What had I honestly expected?

My eyes drifted across the long dining table to my elder brother, Larry. He sat stiffly in his chair, jaw clenched, staring down at his plate like it held all the answers. He didn't look at me, not even once.

Then my little sister.

Her eyes were wide and frightened, silently watching everything like it was a nightmare she hoped to wake up from.

None of them had stopped him when he married me off to Xavier for the "good of the family name". None of them had defended me then.

So why would they start now?

"Can't you see what she's trying to do?" My father continued, his voice cutting through the room.

I flinched as his finger jabbed in my direction.

"She's got blood on her hands now," he snarled, "and she's trying to drag us all down with her."

"I didn't kill him, Father. I..." My voice trembled as I tried to force the words out.

But I never got the chance.

His palm slammed against the polished mahogany table, the sound exploding through the room and eliciting a small gasp from my sister.

"Then you shouldn't have run."

The words hit harder than a blow.

They echoed in my head, over and over, even as silence fell around us.

"Xavier is combing the entire city as we speak." My father continued, his voice dropping to a darker tone.

"And sooner or later, he's going to find you."

"But it won't be here."

My heart sank.

The room seemed to tilt as my knees finally gave way beneath me, hitting the floor hard as the weight of his words crushed what little strength I had left.

I thought I could find help here. I thought I could find protection at the very least.

But it seemed I had come to the wrong place.

"Leave while you still can. While I'm still lenient enough to let you walk away." My father sneered in disdain.

"Our family will not risk an altercation with the Lockwoods because of you."

I almost laughed at his words.

Almost.

The sound never made it past my throat, but the bitterness settled heavy on my tongue. Of course I should have known better. This was the only thing my father had ever truly cared about; the family name. The reputation he guarded more fiercely than his own children.

And right now, I was a stain on it.

So I had to go.

I waited for it then; the sharp, stabbing pain in my chest. The tears. The kind of heartbreak people talked about when they spoke of being disowned, cast aside, erased.

But nothing came.

No pain. No tears.

Just… numbness.

I looked at them one last time. My father, standing tall in his cruelty. My mother, shrinking into herself. My brother, silent and complicit. My sister, frightened but unmoving.

I had stopped expecting anything good from them a long time ago.

And somewhere along the way, without even realizing it, they had stopped being my family.

I rose slowly, ignoring the ache in my knees, ignoring the heaviness in my body that came with carrying a life inside me. No one stopped me. No one spoke.

I turned and walked away.

Barefoot.

The rain welcomed me the moment I stepped outside, cold and relentless, soaking through my thin clothes within seconds. It plastered my hair to my face, slid down my skin like icy fingers, but I didn’t stop walking.

Cold, pregnant and all alone.

That was my reality now.

The tears finally came then, hot and uncontrollable as my hand instinctively went to my stomach. To the tiny life growing inside me.

Innocent and unaware, already unwanted by the world it hadn't even entered yet.

I thought of the future waiting for my child. The whispers, the hatred and false accusations. The betrayal that seemed to follow me around like a curse.

Cars sped past me, their headlights blinding, tires slicing through puddles and splashing dirty water onto my legs. I didn't flinch. I barely noticed. Time blurred as I walked on, my mind numb, my body moving on instinct alone.

The hotel came into view at last, its lights glowing faintly through the curtain of rain.

Relief stirred weakly in my chest.

Soon, I would be in my room, wrapped in a warm blanket. Safe for the night, at least. That thought alone was enough to keep me moving.

Marie would be there. She was probably pacing, worried sick because I hadn't told her I was going anywhere. I hadn't even planned to.

The thought made me quicken my steps.

I was only a few feet away when I stopped dead in my tracks.

The scene in front of the hotel unfolded before my eyes, unmistakable even through the rain.

...and my blood ran cold.

I stayed far enough away, half-hidden behind a concrete pillar across the street, my brows furrowing as I took in the scene before me.

The entire hotel was in chaos.

People were gathered outside in clusters, voices overlapping, confusion buzzing in the damp night air. My heart began to pound when I noticed the uniformed men scattered among them.

Police officers. A number of them.

I swallowed hard as I watched two officers stop passersby, holding up a picture.

A picture that appeared to be my own.

My heart jumped violently in my chest as the realization slammed into me.

They were already here for me.

How? How did they even know I was staying here?

My fingers curled into the fabric of my dress as my eyes continued to scan the crowd, fear prickling beneath my skin. I shrank further into the shadows, barely daring to breathe.

And then I saw her.

Marie.

My heart lifted instinctively at the sight of her familiar face, relief blooming before I could stop it. I almost stepped forward, almost called out to her...

But then a police officer approached her.

And someone else stepped into view.

Estelle.

My blood instantly ran cold.

I watched, frozen, as Estelle leaned in close to Marie, her hand resting familiarly on her arm. They were smiling and talking.

Too comfortable. Too friendly.

Something ugly twisted in my chest.

My breathing grew heavier as the truth began to settle, piece by piece, crushing in its clarity.

How could I have been so blind?

First, I was accused for a murder I didn't commit. Then Marie appeared; kind, concerned, offering help when I had no one else.

I saw her as a savior when in reality, she was not.

All this time… she had been working for Estelle.

The familiar sting of betrayal burned behind my eyes as I watched them exchange knowing glances while speaking to the officer. My hands trembled at my sides.

I had been framed.

And now I was hunted.

Turned into a fugitive while the real enemies stood right there, wearing friendly faces.

For a split second, rage surged through me. I imagined stepping out of my hiding place, charging toward them, screaming the truth at the top of my lungs.

But reality quickly crushed the thought.

That would only seal my fate.

Xavier, a voice whispered in my head. Go to Xavier. Explain everything.

The thought barely lasted a second before I dismissed it with a bitter scoff.

Who was I kidding?

He would never listen.

My heart thudding painfully, I decided to retreat before anyone noticed me. Slowly, carefully, I backed away, keeping my head down as I slipped through the edge of the crowd.

I was almost free...

When someone suddenly slammed into me.

I lost my footing instantly, the slick pavement betraying me as I fell hard onto the wet ground.

"Watch where you're going!" a familiar voice growled above me.

My heart stopped.

I lifted my gaze slowly, dread crawling up my spine.

And our eyes met.

It was none other than Xavier.