Page 81 of Wanted

“And you still have her here? She’s a criminal, call the police and have her taken away immediately.”

“Enough, Mom, enough.” Lionel’s tone is harsh and angry, though he’s holding himself back from screaming and making an even bigger fuss.

“Think about it, Lionel, you are on borrowed time. That woman wants to kill you and keep your money.”

“You better go,” he says softly. I can almost see him, his hands clenched on either side of his body, speaking to her with his jaw so clenched that I’m surprised it doesn’t crack his teeth.

“We’ll talk in a few days,” she finishes before leaving the office and closing the door behind her.

I haven’t been able to move from the place where I am. I’m still paralyzed by the information I just learned, although thick tears are streaming down my cheeks.

I can’t stay here. I have to go, I’ve got to get out of here right now.

“I know you’re here,” she says in the dark. “I can help you leave if you want to.”

It seems that she’s read my mind and offers me a way out. I don’t care about the consequences. I’ll deal with them later.

Chapter Twenty-Five

“I need to change my clothing.” Of course, the first thing that comes out of my mouth is something dumb. The dress, the heels, and all of this doesn’t matter right now.

“I know my son,” snaps Mrs. Kral with her signature arrogant tone of voice. “We don’t have time for that, he’s going to pull himself together in five minutes and then he’s going to go looking for you.”

I let out a heavy sigh, dammit, she’s right.

“The house entrance is guarded. How can I leave without anyone noticing?”

At least I say something more intelligent this time. I still can’t fully process what I’ve learned in the last fifteen minutes, but it doesn’t matter, I’ll have time when I’m at home—in real life—and alone.

“My car is parked next to the garage, if you go out the kitchen door and from there to the mud room, you will find a small door that leads to the side garden. I’m sure the alarm isn’t activated, nobody ever remembers that door.” It seems she had it all planned out, knowing more about this house than me, and I’ve been living here for the last few weeks. “You will have to bend down and walk carefully, the door where I parked is only a few yards and it isn’t well lit.”

This sounds like a solid plan. I have to walk quickly and quietly, so I take off my shoes. I really want to leave them here, but they’re all I’ve got right now and there is no way they will let me enter the airport barefoot.

There are things that I can’t take with me, so I take the cell phone that Lionel bought for me and leave it on the kitchen counter, in a place where he won’t miss it, he will no doubt see it as soon as he enters. I give one last look at the space with nostalgia, remembering the many times that we cooked together, or just sat in front of the bar talking about everything and nothing.

I told him about my dreams, about my past. About my life.

In return, I only received lies.

Following the instructions, I find myself crouched to the side of the luxurious car, while she talks to someone at the entrance. Surely distracting one of the security guards. Suddenly the car alarm beeps, letting me know the alarm is off, which allows me to open the back door.

I get in very carefully. The interior smells of new and freshly polished leather. Also, everything is spotless, like the vehicle just left the lot.

A couple of minutes later, Mrs. Kral gets into the car and starts the engine by pressing a button. “Stay there crouched until we get out of the driveway, cameras have been installed around the perimeter.” She speaks carefully and almost without moving her mouth, surely not to raise suspicions.

My heart is pounding in my chest and the turns we take are making me nauseous. By the time Mrs. Kral tells me to get up, I thank the heavens, because I’m ready to stick my head out the window and vomit.

I settle into the seat, my hands are on my stomach like that would help calm it down. In silence and in the dark, I let the feelings that press against my chest come out, I’m angry, so much so that I could hit someone. It would be a first.

How could I be so stupid?

How did I not notice that there were too many changes?

They look the same, but they are totally different people. Now I understand Lionel’s reaction when he saw me in the hospital, next to his bed when he woke up.

The questions for which I never found an answer. His silence…

And I was so stupid to let myself get entangled in that web of lies, to fall again for a man I never knew.

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