Chapter 14: Chapter 14

Pearl's POV

The next day which was supposed to be my free day according to my boss (eye roll) was really a free day but instead of shopping around with his card, I had a different plan in mind. I got dressed in simple jeans and a sleeveless top, with some sneakers, and did light makeup.

As I stepped down from the staircase leading to the dining area, my family turned to give me a thorough look from their breakfast table.

“What’s going on?” Aurora asked.

“Nothing, I just have a free day and I decided to use it for fun,” I answered while grinning at her. I walked toward the table acting as if I didn’t see my mom glaring at me.

“That’s great. Would you mind if I join you?” I fisted my fingers against the apple.

“Not really, Aurora. Some other time, we’ll work something out,” I promised her even though I don’t know if that time will ever come up.

We barely see each other these days even though we’re living in the same house and are twins. We’ve been inseparable since birth but I feel this unexplainable feeling that something was drifting us apart, ether it was work or it was something else.

“Okay,” She shrugged, disappointment evident on her face. She suddenly turned to my dad and said “I can’t believe dad gave you a free day. How did you bribe him?”

I looked at my twin sister in bewilderment and turned to look at both of my parents who looked away. They didn’t tell her that I wasn’t working for them anymore, rather they kept their own daughter in the dark.

Or was it me who kept my twin in the dark?

“You both can do better, you know,”

“Speak for yourself, Pearl,” My mother spat. She angrily stood up from the table and walked into the kitchen. I also dropped the apple back into the fruit bowl.

“Come home early today so you can get ready for the event you’ll be attending with Sebastian tomorrow,”

I scoffed. “I’ll rather drown myself in a river,”

At that moment my mom walked out of the kitchen, “Make sure it’s one that’s closer. That way we’ll easily find you, my child,”

“MOM!” I yelled.

She shrugged and I angrily left the house. My mom’s sarcasm was always directed to me, just me, and most times, I can’t even tell if she was been sarcastic or serious. She tried to show me she wasn’t bothered about what I do with my life while she could die if sand mistakenly touches Aurora.

I brought out my phone and checked the map as the uber ride I ordered got closer. I was going to one of the best estates in the city, I need to appear decent enough and I hope the ride is as presentable as possible.

I’d called Lyla to request for Lucas’ address and when she asked why I wanted it, I told her I needed to return something to him or else, I wouldn’t have peace of mind. The ride got to the front of the house, it was clean and that was fine. I entered, confirming the destination address again before the ride started.

“Thank you,” I appreciated the driver as the ride ended in front of an apartment building. I entered the building and used the elevator to get to the top floor which was supposed to be a penthouse. As I reached the front door, I hesitated for a while, asking myself if I was making the right decision by bringing the card to his house, can’t I just send it to the office and have it delivered?

That wasn’t an option though, since he made it clear he wouldn’t be in the office today. As I took a deep breath and summoned the courage to ring the bell, the door suddenly opened from the inside, revealing a breathless Charlotte, in a red, body wrap gown that ended on her thighs. She had her silhouette heels in her hand while her lipstick was smudged and her hair was all over the place.

I smirked, biting my inner lips trying to hold my laughter in, and when I saw the horror n her eyes, I couldn’t stop myself, I had to cough repeatedly to cover up the laughter.

“What the hell are you doing here?” she yelled.

“Well, definitely not the walk of shame you’re about to walk, baby,” I assured her.

She groaned loudly, huffing as she glared at me, it was as if a boar was about to attack an innocent human like me.

“What’s going on?” Luke appeared from behind her and I quickly swallowed my smile.

“Good morning, Mr. Anderson,” He set his eyes on me, hissed, and turned back inside.

“Walk the walk, baby,” I advised her with a mischievous smile before I went after the bastard I was here to see. She banged the door loudly on her way out.

Luke was behind the kitchen counter, drinking some green mixture from a bottle. He set it down on the counter and turned to face me.

“I didn’t ask you to come in, Sil,” He mentioned.

I pulled my bottom lip inside my mouth, anxious about what to say.

“I won’t take long, Mr. Anderson. I just want to return the black card because I already have a date to the event you want me to attend with you,”

He smirked.

“Do I look like I care about that?” he asked me. That was the moment I was supposed to give him a good beating but then I clenched my fist around the bag I was holding and smiled

“I can’t be divided into two places. I’m just one person,” I shrugged.

I walked closer to him and removed the card from the bag. Before I could place it on the table as I intended, he grabbed hold of my hand and pulled me closer to his body.

“What the heck?” I shrieked.

“I needed you to be close enough so I can see you properly,” His statement confused me.

“Let me go, Luke” I commanded.

“Feisty this morning, right. Would you like me to call your father and request for you to attend the party with me?”

“Stop messing around with my family, you’ve done enough,” He laughed, I mean, this stupid asshole laughed.

“It seems your nipple was the only thing that got the memo baby,” He winked and in horror and utter embarrassment, I looked down to see my nipple erect through the sheen top I’d worn. I almost cursed myself for not putting on a bra.

He caressed my hair with his palm.

“Come back here early tomorrow, Sil, a dress will be ready for you. For now, I’m too tired to do anything,” His voice was low like it was full of sadness and as he walked away, his shoulder sagged as if he was carrying a burden.

He muttered some words under his breath and the only thing I could hear was ‘those motherfuckers’ and something like a memorial. I watched his behind till he entered a room and closed the door.

As I turned ready to leave, a picture on the counter got my attention and I took a look, okay, I lied I didn’t just take a look, I picked the picture up and it was a beautiful blonde, smiling at the camera with her hands around Luke’s shoulder. I could count about three wounds on her face. Luke wasn’t smiling as she did. I turned the back of the picture and I saw the year written on it.

December 2012. That was a month before Luke disappeared from town.

Who was the girl? Does she have something to do with Luke’s disappearance? Or was she who he went to meet?