As my senses returned, I realized I'm all tied up on the couch. My hands were tied behind my back and my feet were tied to the couch's legs. Seeing no one around, I tried sitting straighter and struggled to loosen the rope's grip around my wrist.
"That won't work."
Ave said as she walked towards me, cleaning a carving knife as she approached. My eyes flickered between her face and hands. Seeing my reaction, she let out a hollow laugh and said,
"Don't worry, this isn't for you. That is."
She pointed towards a door, through which, Noah walked out, with a gun in his hands.
My eyebrows knit together as more and more confusing thoughts clouded my brain.
"But.. I-I don't understand... I thought we were-"
"Yeah yeah.... you thought we were friends, you trusted us, you'll never forgive us, and all other sentimental blah blah blahs.."
Noah said in a very uninterested tone.
Then we heard sirens approaching in a distance. Noah immediately jumped into action and fished out duct tape from a nearby backpack. He sealed my mouth with the tape and ordered Ave to leave.
"Babe, you have to leave now. Drive away and pretend that you have no idea about what's going on here, alright?"
"But-"
"No time to discuss! Go!!"
Ave listened to him and left. He locked the door from inside after she was gone. Between all the secret plotting against me, at least their love wasn't fake.
Noah untied my feet and dragged me to the balcony. We were on the second floor of Ava's apartment and could see all the entrances blocked by the cops. Ethan stood there with numerous police cops, looking up at us. Noah drew out his gun and placed it on my temples. He was about to shout something, but Ethan beat him to that.
"Lay one scratch on her and I'll make sure that you and your friend pay for it till your last breaths!!"
I can't believe Ethan said that in front of the police.
Noah however didn't take it seriously and gave a menacing laugh. He wispered to me,
"Your man down there is getting all worked up..."
He laughed a little more and then shouted back at Ethan.
"You can't buy everything Ethan! Get her father here in five minutes, or she's as good as dead!!"
As Noah's words ended we heard a girl's scream outside the house's door. Ava's scream, to be more specific. It was followed by Reyansh's voice.
"I hope you remember her voice?"
Noah's grip tightened on my wrist as he tensed. He shouted back at Reyansh.
"Let her go!"
"Or what?! You'll shoot Grace? The moment I sense something wrong, your girlfriend out here will die. I'll be quick. I can promise you that."
"... what do you want?"
"First, unload your gun and throw the bullets out of the balcony."
Noah's jaw clenched but he listened to Reyansh.
"Done..."
"Grace, has he done everything right?"
Noah removed the tape from my mouth and I answered Reyansh.
"Yes. He has throw the bullets."
"Good. Now throw the gun as well. Then open the door, keep your hands above your head and come outside. Remember, one wrong move and I won't hesitate killing the girl out here. Grace; inform me about his every step."
Defeat washed over Noah's face. He followed every step in the same order as Reyansh told him.
Love can actually make a person do things he would have never done otherwise. For Ave, it was betraying me. For Noah, it was letting go of everything to save Ava, when he was so close to achieving it. They love each other unconditionally. There's no doubt in that. But if you ask me, I'd say; A happy ending can never be build over the broke bliss of others. If everyone isn't happy, it isn't the end.
Noah walked out of the door first, and was welcomed by cops who immediately handcuffed him. After that, Ave was handcuffed as well, and both of them were carried downstairs.
I was shaking because of my previous encounters. As a cop came forward to give me support, Reyansh brushed him off. Hugging me around my shoulders, Reyansh patiently rubbed my arm, till I was stable enough to walk again.
When we were out of the building, Ethan came running towards us. Reyansh let go of me only after Ethan was close enough to catch me if I fall. They were treating me as if I was fragile, and I didn't like it. Though, I agree that I actually might have fallen, if they weren't supporting me. Noah may have drugged me with something, as my head felt hazy.
Ethan didn't let me out of his sight for a single minute. Not even during the enquiry. He didn't let the cops ask many questions either, and took me home to rest. Him feeling restless is understandable, and also adorable to some extent.
Mom and dad were impatiently waiting for me at home. We all settled in our living area. Ethan sat beside me, still not letting go of my hand. Reyansh and Ethan, both were throwing death glares towards Dad, who, for some reason, seemed very ashamed. Mom just sat beside dad, concerned about my condition.
"What's the matter?"
I asked, no one in particular.
"Harold Adams... Does the name sound familiar, Steve? Or will you still say you've told everything?"
Reyansh asked with a low growl.
Everyone in the room was looking at Dad, waiting for him to answer. But Dad didn't say anything.
"Dad? Who's Harold Adams?"
I asked him.
"Harold... He was a friend of mine. He was Noah's father."
There was a very long silence. No one spoke. Then dad continued, and said something which I never would have guessed was true.
"I killed Harold..."
And just like that, I couldn't feel anything.
Why would dad kill someone? He's a lawyer. Not just any lawyer, he's Steve Holland! He's The Steve Holland!! My entire life, I thought dad wins because he fights for what's right. Is this how he has been winning? By killing everyone who comes in his way?
Not wishing to face anyone, or listen to anything, I got up and stormed towards my room. No one stopped me, they understood that I needed some time and space right now.
I spent about an hour in my room. Crying for the death of a man I didn't know. Who was killed by my father, for god knows what reason.
"May I come in?"
Ethan asked me after knocking softly on my door.
I nodded my head, giving him the permission to enter.
I was sitting at the center of my bed, all crumbled up, hugging my knees. Ethan sat beside me, just looking at me with loving expression.
I looked at Ethan through teary eyes and asked,
"Will you hate me now? Will everything change?"
Without a word, he made me rest my head on his shoulder.
"Nothing can ever make me hate you."
Ethan tried really hard to make me believe that everything's going to be alright. That this won't change anything. But I knew he's wrong. After all, I won't be the same after listening this. My dad used to be the most ideal person in my eyes. I wished everyone was like him. Now I realize, I've been wishing for the wrong thing all along.
Once I was able to breathe normally again, I went outside with Ethan. All I wanted right now was the entire truth. The actual one, this time.
We settled back in our seats, and I straight forward demanded for the story. Dad started from the beginning, just like I demand.
"Daxon Carter, the Irish mobster, he is Noah's uncle. When Noah's mother and Harold got married, Daxon didn't like it. He feared that the property his father left for him and his sister, will now have more shareholders."
"How much of property are we talking about here?"
Reyansh interrupted dad.
"First, I thought it was around a hundred thousand, but I was wrong entirely. It's around ten million."
Dad took a pause and a dramatic silence settled. He then continued.
"Daxon tried to kill Harold multiple times, but Harold managed to escape. Finally, Harold took a step and contacted me. My job was to collect proofs of the attempted murder and creat documents against Daxon. I was halfway done with my job within few days, so I called Harold over to discuss the plan further. But Daxon had some other plans. Harold was captured on his way to our house. The same happened to me and your mom. We were taken to some anonymous place, Which surely was out of the states, as I remember the sensation of taking off and landing, and the long gap between them. Hours later, they finally removed the masks from our faces. We were in some dark room. I was facing your mom and Harold, who were still bound. I was given a choice, more like an order. Either I shoot one of them, or they'll shoot both of them."
"So you sacrificed someone else's family for your own?"
I asked abruptly.
"No, Grace. I sacrificed one life to save two. Your mother was carrying you at that time. No matter how biased I sound, at that moment, I did what felt right to me."
"What happened next? To Noah and his mother?"
Ethan asked, stopping me from questioning dad further.
"As the news reached her, she went off the records. Impossible to trace. With time, Daxon gave up on finding her-"
"Wrong. Daxon didn't give up..."
Reyansh cut dad off and went on.
"Five years after Harold's death, Daxon killed Noah's mother as well. He killed his own sister and made it look like an accident. He could have done the same to Noah, but some unknown source leaked a whole lot of dirt on Daxon's business, and he was arrested."
Reyansh said the last line looking at Dad. Dad nodded, and Reyansh continued.
"Daxon is still in prison, and will remain there for a very long time. Thanks to Steve. But that wasn't enough for Noah. It's a mystery, how he discovered about his father's murder, but he was determined for his revenge. Steve took his loved once from him, he decided he'll take Steve's."
Dad took over the narration again.
"I didn't know where Noah and his mother were, or else I would have tried to help them. But as I said, it was nearly impossible to trace them down. Long ago, after sending Daxon to prison, I made some papers, which would make Noah the rightful owner of the entire property. I know this isn't enough, but believe me when I say this, Grace, if I had any other option, I would have taken it."
I've been forgiving people all this time for whatever they did. But what dad did, can it be justified?
Though I didn't really meant it, and I didn't wish to say it, I said,
"It's okay Dad... I understand.."
I just hope they didn't notice the disapproval in my voice.
I didn't wish to stay alone in my room. The cops would be interrogating me the next day, and I dreaded a nap, Which I believed that I couldn't get alone in my room today. I asked Ethan to stay over and no one objected.
We lay cuddled up on my bed, under the sheets. Ethan was gently stroking my hairs. My eyelids felt heavy, and I was ready to doze off when Ethan wispered,
"Rest, and remember, no matter what happens, I'm always here."
"That's the problem, Ethan. You shouldn't always be there."
"Why do you say that?"
"Dad always wanted to be there, for me and Mom. Look what made it made him do. Promise me... you'll leave if something dangerous happens..."
I said the last part with a tiny yawn, and sleep instantly took over me.
I don't know what Ethan said after that. I don't know if he even replied something. But if I'm being honest with myself, I know his answer.
Next morning, we went to the police station. After answering some questions, the cops allowed us to have our own interrogation with Noah. Though, the cops didn't believe it would be any good, as they had no progress in getting answers out of Noah.
Reyansh and dad went inside the room where Noah was kept, tied with a chair. Ethan and I waited outside, witnessing the scene through a one-sided glass window.
Noah had a menacing smile when he saw dad and Reyansh enter. He started getting furious after some questions, and within minutes, he started shouting on the top of his lungs. But then Reyansh said something and Noah stopped all of a sudden. Knowing Reyansh, I believe he must have used Ave, again.
Ave is in her house, resting. Her parents came back, as soon as they were informed about yesterday. She's guilty, I agree, but I didn't file a case against her. She has promised that this will never happen again if we don't hurt Noah.
When I proposed, that we should let Noah go after interrogating him, no one supported the idea. They feared it may lead to something even more dangerous. We finally ended our negotiation.
We doubted if Noah was aware of the entire story, so dad will tell him what actually happened. We'll give him his inheritance, using the papers dad had made. Lastly, we'll give him a choice. Either he lets everyone live in peace, and comes out to do the same with Ave. Or, dad will file an elaborate case against him, making it impossible for him to ever leave jail.
We are going to believe whatever he decides, and I think that'll be okay. Even though he's a criminal now, I know he'll keep his words.
Few hours later, dad and Reyansh came out, with the news of Noah's approval.
Though I had lots of questions, and I did get a feeling that they were hiding something, I didn't press on it.
After some weeks, Noah and Ave joined school again. I don't know how their personal relationship was, but they didn't meet in public.
They didn't receive a warm welcome from others either. Abby removed Ave from the press, and Noah too was benched in all of the games.
Noah distanced himself from everyone. Not only us, but also every other student. However, Ave tried being friendly, and was accepted back in the group. Hoping everything has changed for better, we went on with the flow.
Maintaining good grades while dating a billionaire isn't easy. Ethan constantly wanted to spend time with me, but I had to cancel most of our dates as my exams were approaching.
Being the perfect man he is, Ethan would come over to have family dinners with us, and that delighted my parents.
Soon enough, my exams were over. I did my best, I don't give a damm to what the results are.
When I thought I could finally relax, a realization drew over me. Prom will be taking place in less than a month and I haven't even started preparing for it!