<b>Chapter </b><b>126 </b>
Lydia
“Is <b>this </b>the ce?” I asked Mia, we are standing in front of a two–storey building painted in
dull yellow
Mia looked at the iPad, probably a picture on it and back at the building, “Yes, this is the ce.” She assured me. I inhaled sharply, not ready to step inside. This ce held answers to all the questions I had.
Two days ago, Mason said some words that were hard to believe. First, there was evidence pointing to him as the mastermind behind the fire incident at
the prison.
Not even once did I think it would be Victoria. At first, I brushed his ims aside as an unproven fact, but after my discussion with Mom yesterday, I decided it may not be a bad idea to find out the truth myself, and that was what Mia and I were doing right now.
Seeking out Mary had not been as easy as I thought. It was one of the reasons I didn’t want to walk down this path of finding the truth. Nothing changes
if it was Mason or his Mother who caused it.
Nothing will ever change the fact that the fire almost took my life. “It doesn’t change, but at least you will know who hates you that much and be able to protect your twins when the timees.” Mom had said, and as we walked into the building, I couldn’t help but try to convince myself that she was
right.
“Wee,” ady said with a wide smile stered on her face. She stood behind a table, twoptops open in front of her. “How can I help you?” She asked, darting her eyes from Mia to me, then to Mia again.
Mia moved forward, holding the iPad towards thedy. “We are here for her. She walked into this office, right?” Mia asked.
My eyes travelled around the space we were in; the walls were painted white, and a ceiling fan hung on the ceiling, movingzily in circr motion. There was a long hallway in front of me. I tried to count the doors on both sides but lost count at the fifth door.
“She used to work here, but she quit three days ago.” Thedy replied, her reply caught my attention, and I moved forward, disappointed at the information. But I can’t leave without getting more information.
“Why did she quit, do you know where she is now?” I asked.
Thedy returned the iPad to Mia, but this time, she looked up cautiously at both of us, “May I ask why you are here for her?” She lifted a brow.
“It’s something personal,” I said, stopping myself from snapping at her; it wouldn’t help in this situation. But if she knew Mary, like really knows her, then she should also know she is a hardened criminal. Shouldn’t she be used to peopleing over to look for her?
That woman had put me through hell in prison. That was one reason I couldn’t forget about her.
Thedy didn’t look convinced, sensing my agitation, Mia went ahead to exin, “We have some things we want to ask her. We are not here to harm her, just to ask questions.”
The woman rxed a bit, her eye fixed on a smiling Mia. “Shs doesn’t work here anymore, but I can tell you where she now works,” she offered.
“That would be nice.”
That was how we ended up in two other ces, still, I couldn’t meet her. She was always on the move as though she knew someone was on her tail. At thest ce we went to, her most recent workce, we were also informed that someone hade in search of her earlier.
“I don’t think I want to continue,” I said, leaning on the car with a cup of iced coffee in my hand. “This is so exhausting.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to meet her? You haven’t forgotten about the questions you’d ask once you get to meet her, have you?” Mia asked.
I inhaled sharply, taking a slow sip from my cup, “I do want to ask her. You know how important this is.”
<b>Chapter </b>126
<b>armen </b><b>let’s </b><b>get </b><b>her</b><b>. </b><b>I </b><b>have </b>a <b>good </b><b>feeling </b>that she will <b>be </b>here<b>.</b>” sald.
Mia was right<b>, </b><b>Mary </b><b>was </b>at the next destination we were given. She worked as a hairstylist. Just how many jobs does she have<b>? </b>
<b>From </b>where we were seated of the reception, I could make out her figure clearly through the open door.
A <bdy</b><b>, </b>dressed in the same uniform as her, leaned towards her and whispered in her ear. I could see the look of surprise sh through those eyes <b>before </b>she left, leaving the hair she was styling to thedy.
I straightened as I watched her walk out, memories of the things she made me go through ripe
in my
mind.
When she finally stepped out, her eyesnded on Mia first before moving to me. The smile on her cheeks fell. Is that a look of disappointment I see<i>? </i>She quickly turned and used one hand to cover her face.
<b>“</b>Not who you were expecting, huh?” I asked, lifting a brow. Thedy
ld her an
old-
-time friend was here for her, which was why she looked all excited.
She was about to walk away, but I stopped her, “Mary.” I called out, and she paused without turning. Her shoulders were slumped. “<i>You </i>don’t consider <b>me </b>an old friend?” I asked, rising to my feet, and I walked in front of her.
She looked terrified, nothing like she used to look. I crossed one hand over the other in front of her, “We need to talk.”
“I don’t know you. I think you are mistaken.” She turned to face me, trying to keep a bold font, but her eyes gave her away, “I am not Mary, I’m L, and I don’t know you.” Her eyes moved around its socket<b>, </b>scanning the ce to see if anyone was looking at us.
She looked ufortable. It took me a while to guess that she may have changed her name. I walked closer to her and ced my hand on her shoulders, “If you don’t follow me out, I may have to cause a scene.” That seemed to do the trick.
She agreed to speak at a cafe close to her workce. A cup of coffee was ced in front of her. “Do you like your coffee?” I asked, hoping she’d rx before I started the questioning.
She fiddled with her fingers, “What did you want to talk about? You didn’te all the way here to watch me drink coffee, did you now?”
I smirked. I liked the way she caught on quickly. “I have some questions for you, and I want you to answer them honestly.”
She nodded, but before I could speak, she said, “You changed.” Her voice was low, then she added, “I can’t believe you are truly alive. If I didn’t know before you came in, I’d have said you are a ghost, dressed in expensive clothes.”
“How did you know I was alive?” I asked, curious.
“I won’t reveal that for now. What do you want to know?<i>” </i>She asked, the Mary I knew slowly sipping back in.
“Who sent you to set the prison aze and try to kill me?” There was no use bearing around the bush. “I want the truth<b>,</b>” I stated, trying all I could to be calm as I stared at the woman who made my life hell at one point.
She tensed and wrapped her hand cup, “I know it was you who set the prison aze, but I also want to believe it wasn’t because you hated me.” It was true she hated me, but it wasn’t enough to kill me. She wouldn’t risk getting a longer sentence by attempting murder in prison. Someone sent her and
that is what I came to find out.
Who, why, and what was she given in return for my life?
She finally lifted her gaze, “What do I get if I tell you?” She asked. Greedy never fully goes, no matter how a person may try to pretend to love an honest life, it always ends up catching up with them.
“A free conscience,” I said simply.
“And if I don’t?” she asked smugly.
A frown settled on my face, “I’ll make sure you spend your life in prison, living the same hell you made me go through<b>, </b>no,” I paused and continued, holding her gaze so she understands how serious I am, “I’ll make sure your life is worse. And I can do that without lifting a finger<b>, </b>so, if you have any sense
left <b>in </b><b>that </b><b>aring </b><b>brain </b>of yours, <b>you’d </b>better start talking<b>,</b>”
Imeant every word. <b>She </b>bit her lower lip<b>, </b>silent for a while. “Fine.” She began. “It was a woman, I don’t know her name.”
You <b>expect </b>me to believe that?” I asked, arching a brow. Did she think I was a fool or something?
<b>3/3 </b>
AD
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