hapter31


    LoldandhipanionsweremeetingBelindaforthefirsttime,sotherewasasenseofunfamiliarityinthe<b>air</b>.SensingBelinda’s unease,theydidn’tlinger<b>and</b>leftthespaceforLilyandBelindatotalkprivately.


    OnceLoidandtheothershadleft,BelindareachedoutandtookLily’shand,herfacefilledwithaffection.“Howhaveyoubeendoingthere?Haveyougottenusedtoit?”


    “I’mfine,”Lilyreplied<b>,</b>casuallypickingupanappleandpeelingitslowly.


    However,hereyesremaineddowncast,andherexpressionwasdevoidofanyemotion.


    Belinda pattedherhandandsighedsoftly: “Iknowyoudon’tlikeyourmother,andIdon’teither.Butshe’sstillyourbiologicalmother.TherearesomethingsyoujusthavetoletFOOL”


    Lilyremainedsilent,quietlypeelingtheapple.


    “Haveyoumadearrangementsforschool?Belindaasked,sensingLily’sreluctancetodiscussthetopicfurther.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    “Yes.”Lilynodded.“EmberCreekHigh<b>School</b>.”


    “That’sagoodschoolstudyhardwhenyougetthere.Idon’twanttointerferewithyourlife.Ijustthinkthatgettingahighschooldiplomawillbebetterforyouinthefuture,”Belindapursedherlipsandsaid.


    BelindaknewthatLilyhadbeenintelligentsinceshewasachild.Despitealwaysdoingstrangeandunusualthingsandrarelyspeakinghermind,Lilyhapletedthe12th-gradecurriculumbythetimeshewasinelementaryschool.


    Havingtaughtherselfmedicine,Lilypossessedmedicalskillsthatevensurpassedthoseofhighlyrespecteddoctors.


    Belinda believedLily’sexceptionalintelligencehadrobbedherofthecarefreejoysofchildhood,whichwaswhyshewantedLilytoattendhighschondearn<b>a</b>highschooldiploma.


    Atleastthen,peoplewouldn’tlookdownonherfornothavingaformaleducation.


    LilylookedupatBelindawhileshewasholdingtheapple.Shepursedherredlipsassheasked,“YouoncesaidthatmyfatherdisappearedafteingtoLagersfield<b>?</b><b>”</b>


    AfrowncreasedBelinda’sface.“Whyareyouaskingaboutthis<b>all</b>ofasudden?”


    ?


    “It’snothing,”Lilyrepliednonchntly.“IjustknowheleftbeforeIwasevenborn.IfthnewIwashereinthisworld,wouldhe


    “Hewouldn’t!”BelindaInterruptedhersternly.“Yourfatherhasbeenmissingforsomanyyears.I’vealreadyconsideredtheworst.Lily,don’tmentionyourfatheragain.Justfocusonyourstudiesanddon’tworryaboutanythingelse.”


    LilymetBelinda’sgaze,hereyesdeepandunwavering“Tunderstand,”shesaid.


    BelindawatchedLily’sexpression,hesitanttotellherwhatshehadlongknown.SheknewthatLilywassecretlysearchingforherfather.Lilymightnothavesaidanything,butthismatterwas<b>a</b>constantweightonherheart.


    Shewastoosmarttobelieveherfather’sdisappearancewaswithoutcause,BelindalongedtotellLilythetruth,buttheweightofunspokensecretskepthertongue–ried.Aheavysilencedescendedupontheward


    Aftermunchingonanapple,drowsinesswashedoverBelinda,andshedriftedofftosleep.


    Lilysetdowntheknifeandwalkedovertothewindow.Tuckingherhandsintoherpocketsforwarmth,shegazrd outatthemurkysky,hercleareyeswincingslightlyagainstthe


    <b>cold</b>


    HeragreementtoapanySusantoLagersfieldwasn’tsolelydrivenbyherdesiretoinvestigateJason’sdeathorfulfillhergrandmother’swishtoattendschool.Herprimarymotivationwastouncoverthetruthbehindherfather’smysteriousdisappearanceallthoseyearsago.


    Lilyhad retrievedthepolicestation’sdispatchrecords.Acarefulsearchrevealednoreportsofkidnappingsoridentaldeathsduringthattimeperiod.


    Thepoliceclosedthecaseafterameretwodaysofinvestigation.Theyofferednoexnation,simplystatinginthefilethatherfatherhadtraveledaloLagersfieldbeforehisdisappentance.


    However,herowninvestigationrevealedthatherfatherwasn’talonebutwasapaniedbyothers.


    Despiterepeatedattemptstoquestionhergrandmother,herlipsremainedsealed.