Page 80 of Forbidden Deception

Hold on as you have been doing for the past ten years.

–R

I fold the letter and slip it back into the envelope.

“We both are assuming it’s your brother, right?” Medora asks.

Someone pounds on our door, and our heads jerk up. One of the guards who usually stands outside my room walks in and places another envelope on my bed, then wordlessly walks back out.

I open that one, too.

In two days. 2 o’clock.

The guard letters are always specific but with few words than the reception ones are. I deduced from the wording of the letters that I have an older brother who has been trying to rescue me for years. I got so excited and began to dream of a life away from this place. Only for every single dream to get shattered by a call from my father.

He admitted that they have been using me to control my brother, and now that he’s found me, he will come to collect me and eliminate me, so they can’t use me as leverage any longer.

I didn’t know who to believe at first. But my brother’s letters were full of his longing for me. The love pouring from every word, every sentence, made me realise he was waiting for me, and every time I received a new letter, it was full of hope.

“You’re leaving, Venezia. You’re finally leaving,” Medora whispers, an ocean of tears in her once-cold eyes.

I stiffly nod, but I am unable to respond, emotion taking hold of me.

“I’ll be…I’m leaving? I can’t believe it. I didn’t think I would ever leave this place. No one does, ever, and now…” I trail off, unable to grasp the situation that is quickly turning from dreams to reality.

“You’re going, and I promise, I will meet you out there one day,” she promises, and that has my own tears flowing.

“See the ocean for me, will you?” She pats my hand that holds my letter and gets up, walking to her own room and leaving me in silence.

She doesn’t hug me. Doesn’t smile. Nor does she touch me like normal friends do, but Medora is her own unique person. That’s exactly why I will miss her.

There is nothing to carry with me today. My last day. And walking past Medora’s room for the final time feels surreal.

I need so many answers, to ask so many questions and while that curiosity got lost in the way, Medora has been the one to spark that question in my life once more.

In some way, she saved me from rotting and destroying my life.

Medora became my anchor in this place, and for the past year, she has also been my one and only friend. We share a horrific, disgusting past that has pulled us together in an unbreakable way.

“Move it, little girl.”

I discreetly glare at the bulky guard walking me through the tunnels to reach the front entrance that only selected staff can access.

It’s dark and dimly lit. I can barely see where I am going.

I’m leaving.

I’m finally going to be leaving this place.

As soon as the door in front of me opens with a click. Light blinds me for a moment, and I blink to clear my vision. A man stands there, waiting for me.

I blink again, trying to adjust to the bright light, and the slam of the door behind me makes me jump in place.

The man has dark olive skin tone, pitch-black hair, and sharp features. He looks like the male version of me. Tall and broad and wearing a clean, pressed suit, my brother stands in front of me, and I can’t seem to grasp reality.

I walk towards him, carrying my small duffle bag filled with his letters, sunflower seeds, an ocean book, and a bracelet from Medora.

“Venezia,” he whispers, his inky black eyes carefully watching my every move. He lifts his hand, and my heart skips a beat.

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