One and a half years ago; Trenton, New Jersey- Raven:
It had been six months since Raven returned to Trenton, leaving her chance of getting out behind her. She would do anything for Liam, even pretend to simply be his friend. She had been pleasantly surprised when a not so drunken confession of feelings was not only well received but answered with a kiss. Raven would be over the moon with happiness that she had a chance with her closest friend that she had fallen in love with if it weren’t for one person standing in their way, Madeline.
Madeline, the woman who refused to let go and insisted on making Raven’s life a living nightmare. She could still remember Madeline’s face when Liam told her that he would not be marrying her.
Madeline’s face twisted with displeasure. “You have got to be kidding me Liam! We belong together! You’ll see. She will ruin you, destroy you.” She screamed, her face turning as red tomato. “Why can’t you just follow the plan? Why can’t you just do what you are supposed to do?” Her hands curled into tightly clenched fists by her sides. “You will live to regret getting in bed with that family Liam!” She stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
Raven’s stomach twisted in knots every time Madeline’s words repeated in her head. She will destroy you. You will live to regret getting in bed with that family Liam! What was wrong with her family? What made Madeline’s any better than her own? Surely Madeline couldn’t think that since her aunt married Constantine that it ensured she’d be with Liam. Why can’t you just follow the plan? What plan? The engagement that Liam had been pressured into or something else?
Raven detested Madeline and the way she still walked around like she had won. Why can’t she just admit defeat and move the hell on?! Her dirty looks and little digs were starting to get on Raven’s last nerve. She wasn’t one for violence, but if Madeline didn’t back the fuck off she would gladly make an exception.
Raven tried to take her own thoughts under advisement and move on. Every time she thought she had put it behind her she would get a nagging feeling that Madeline’s words would come back to haunt them. She only hoped that Madeline was wrong and that she didn’t mark Liam’s undoing.
Present day; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:
For the first time in she wasn’t sure how many years Liza felt lighter, freer. While she was still struggling to piece herself back together she no longer carried the secret that slowly destroyed her from the inside out. She never realized how much hiding the truth from Bastien truly affected her until she relinquished the burden that she alone carried. She had always kept the number of losses from him to protect him from the pain he had felt with the first one but she didn’t realize how hard on her it was to carry that pain on her own. It was a pain she knew she would always carry with her, but knowing that he wanted her even if having a child together was completely off of the table she suddenly felt less afraid of what the future held for them.
Even with the weight off her shoulders Liza was exhausted, ready to drop. Hours spent talking and crying with Bastien holding her and reassuring her had left her feeling completely drained. The flight across the country only added to the physical and mental exhaustion she felt. All she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep.
Liza had to bite back a sigh when Olivia ran up to greet her. She loved Liv dearly but she was too drained to do anything other than sleep.
“Thank god you’re back.” Olivia said pulling Liza into a tight embrace. She broke the hug smoothing down her dress.
Liza had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. Liv always did have trouble with displays of affection.
“You ever run off like that again and I will hunt you down myself and bring you back in pieces.”
Liza bit back a chuckle. “I’m not going anywhere again I promise.”
“Good.” Olivia replied, hands on her hips, one perfectly sculpted eyebrow arched. “Now care to explain exactly why you went running off and to Percy of all people?”
Liza’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “You knew?”
“Of course I knew! You only trusted one other person enough, it was easy to figure out. Now spill.”
“Later Liv, all I want to do now is sleep for a week.”
“Fine. I’m glad you’re back.”
“I missed you too Liv.” Liza replied a soft smile on her lips.
Liza walked the rest of the way to their shared room. She quickly changed and climbed under the covers. She knew she would be required to explain to Liv, and she would, she was done carrying the burden on her own. Maybe if she allowed those she loved to help her she could finally truly heal.
Eight and a half years ago; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania- Liza:
Liza was slowly pulling herself back together, she was starting to feel more like who she had been before she lost their child. She still had her moments when she felt the dull ache and thought about what she should be doing to get ready for the life that she would never meet. Her beautiful angel, gone before they even had a chance to live.
As the days turned to weeks, and the weeks to months since their devastating loss she found herself slowly returning to normal. She spent less time wondering who their child would resemble, less time counting the days until when they should have been arriving. She felt less jealous pangs when she saw a pregnant woman or new mother. Yet fate was cruel, a week before she should have been welcoming their child into the world she found herself staring once again at two dark lines. Her heart clenched in her chest, she couldn’t allow herself to hope, not when they should have been free of this pain that she knew would never truly go away. She wanted to tell Bastien, she wanted to believe that this one would be different, but she couldn’t allow herself to dream. I was twelve weeks, they were supposed to be safe. I should wait, be perfectly sure.
Liza was plagued with guilt as she went to the doctors by herself. She knew Bastien would be overjoyed with the news, but she couldn’t dare to hope, to dream. She needed to be sure, know this one would be safe before she told him. She refused to drag him through the pain again if he could be spared.
Two weeks later Liza knew she had been right in her decision to keep Bastien in the dark. The pain hit her with the force of a Mack truck, her only saving grace that kept Bastien from wondering why her tears were suddenly falling harder once again was all due to timing. Had it not be right around when their angel should have been born she knew he would have questions as to why her pain seemed to grow once more.
Liza found herself lying awake at night wondering if she would ever move past this fear that had since taken hold of her. She wanted to believe that she would one day be blessed with a child, yet she couldn’t allow herself to hope only to be knocked back to the ground once more. She needed to be strong, tough, like she always had been, the way she needed to be to keep from destroying him.
That was Liza’s only saving grace, knowing that she had managed to spare him the same pain all over again. She wanted to yell and scream and curse the universe, but she knew she needed to bury it deep inside. She could carry this pain alone, she could remain strong so she didn’t have to watch his hopes be dashed once more. As much as she was hurting, seeing the devastation on his face had been a million times worse. No she could keep this pain and bury it deep within. She alone would carry this burden, anything to spare him.
Present day; Trenton, New Jersey:
Raven was unsure how to broach the subject with Liam without upsetting him. She knew how he felt about Bastien, his feelings only becoming worse with the addition of Hope. She could only imagine how he might feel about her speaking to Hope without him. She had yet to uncover much, no solid proof, but maybe it would be enough to make him dig for the truth himself.
The fact that Emmaline wasn’t wearing her wedding band when found at the hospital was an unsettling discovery. It was as if someone was trying to erase all traces of Constantine from her. The fact that Constantine knew where she was and paid for her care but went on to remarry made Raven start to question how much of what they had been told growing up was true. She knew Liam wouldn’t want to hear any of it, he would instantly become defensive as soon as she suggested that his father might have been involved.
Raven needed to follow her gut and bring what small facts she did uncover to Liam, hopefully they would be enough to convince him to do some digging of his own. She needed to find some proof and quickly incase he still refused to believe any other option. She couldn’t allow him to do something drastic that he may later regret.
Raven walked into Liam’s open office, closing the door behind her. Liam looked up from his desk, smiling when he saw her. “What did I do to deserve the pleasure of your presence?”
Raven smiled tentatively, knowing his entire mood was about to take a drastic shift. “Hey Li, I wanted to talk to you about Bastien. I was talking to Hope and I really don’t think he had anything to do with what happened to your mom.” She stated softly, her voice wavering slightly as worry settled in her stomach.
Liam drew his lips into a thin line, all happiness at her presence disappearing with her words. “You spoke to Hope?”
“Yes, she said that your mother wasn’t wearing her rings when she was found. Bastien would have no reason to remove them, your father however—”
“Enough!” Liam exclaimed cutting her off.
Tap tap tap
“Come in!” Liam called. “All conversation about my father’s involvement in my mother’s attempted murder are tabled.”
“But Liam—”
Mara stepped into the room, her face paling. Attempted murder? No— that’s not possible, she was dead… Constantine said…
“No, you want to know why he hid her? He hid her because of Hope, nothing else.”
“Emmaline is alive?” Mara gasped, eyes going wide in shock. Her body tensed as if the weight of the world crashed down upon her. “No. It’s not possible!” Her eyes darted around the room like it held the answer within. How much does she remember? What does this mean? Her calm demeanor vanished as fear settled upon her. How much does he know? “I knew he acted too fast!” She muttered in a barely audible whisper.
“Mara, what do you know?” Liam questioned, anger coursing through his veins at the implications of her words. The pieces slowly started to fall together. She knows something.
Mara’s cold brown eyes locked on Liam’s, fear covering her face as she realized her mistake too late. “I knew he should have waited if he wanted her gone. But no! When he saw her bleeding he broke, he couldn’t go through with it, he said it was done, handled.” The words spilled from her mouth as if on their own accord. Her gaze raked over Liam, his jaw and fists clenching and unclenching in anger. She stepped back in fear, her body shaking, she glanced at Raven who stared at her slack jawed unable to move or speak, tears welling in her eyes.
“Who told you it was handled Mara?!” Liam growled. All his life he had been told the one who took his mother from him was Bastien Lykel, had that all been a lie? Had the real culprit been closer than he thought?
“C—Constantine, he ordered the hit to keep her from leaving.” Mara stuttered in fear, she looked to her daughter, mentally praying for her to come to her aid. “He never expected Bastien to refuse, I had her trust, I was the one who even told him of her plans to leave, so he gave it to me instead.” She spilled the truth, hoping to earn their, his forgiveness in return.
Raven turned from her mother, unable to face her. How could she? How could Constantine do that to his own son? As betrayed as she felt she could only imagine how Liam felt learning that his father was behind everything.
“You befriended her, betrayed her, and then tried to kill her? So what if she wanted to leave!”
“She was going to take you! Constantine refused to lose another child, so he ordered her dead before she could leave with you. When he found out about her indiscretion with Bastien he about flipped his lid, but decided to use it to his advantage, get rid of them both. But Bastien refused, your father was furious, and when he left he decided if he pinned it all on him, make him a pariah it would be better than killing him.”
“So what if she wanted to take me, how could you kill her?! She trusted you! I trusted you!” Liam bellowed, advancing towards the woman responsible for him growing up without a mother.
“He threatened Raven! After Bastien refused Constantine threatened Raven, he wouldn’t take anymore chances. I had no choice!” Mara screamed, backing up until her back hit the wall. Her eyes flitted around the room, looking for any way out, anything to defend herself with.
“You had a choice! You made your choice when you told my father her plans. You made it again when you agreed to help him instead of helping her. You could have gone with her, protected Raven and my mom, instead you made the selfish choice and made me grow up without my mother!” Liam shouted, his fist hitting the wall by Mara’s head, saw dust raining on the floor.
Mara squeezed her eyes shut in fear. Liam has every right to be angry with her, she deserved whatever she got. She betrayed his mother, took the selfish choice to destroy his family to protect her own.
“Liam, please!” Raven pleaded, her hand resting on his shoulder. “What she did was horrible, but she’s still my mom.” Tears streamed down her face, she couldn’t even look at the woman that raised her, but she couldn’t allow Liam to act rashly out of anger again and end up regretting his actions. She hated her mother in that moment, knowing she was the reason for all of Liam’s pain, that she was the reason for everything that had happened. She caused so much hurt and pain, but Raven knew she needed Liam to think calmly and rationally or he could end up beating himself up for another two weeks. She was just thankful that in his haste for revenge he hadn’t killed Liza.
“I think you should go.” Liam said through gritted teeth. The only reason he was able to hold back his rage was the woman he loved by his side. The woman he grew up with and fell for when she went away to college. The woman who dropped everything for him because he was in need of a friend. The woman who surprised him by returning his feelings. The woman he was going to spend the rest of his life with. If it weren’t for Raven he wasn’t sure what he would be capable of in that moment.
Mara flinched at Liam’s words. She shot a remorseful and thankful look at her daughter who still refused to meet her gaze. She ducked out of the room, fearful of what was to become her now.
A/N: So who did you think it was? Are you surprised? Next chapter will just be dealing with Liam, Raven and the truth. It will all be in Trenton, no Philadelphia.
