Chapter 5

The next day

When I wake up, a delicious smell comes to my nostrils.

I really had the slab since I couldn't eat last night so I get up quickly and run to the kitchen where my grandmother was preparing breakfast.

"Hello Grandma.

-Hello Darling. I made your breakfast.

-Thank you grandma, you are a sweetheart!"

I give him a kiss on the cheek before sitting down to eat. I eat the pancakes she made for me when she sat down across from me.

"Do you have something to do today?" She asked me

"No why ?

-I wanted you to go shopping, finally, if you agree.

"Okay, I'll go shopping after breakfast."

***

While I was quietly doing my shopping, I see a face that is familiar to me.

It was the handsome kid I met at the snack bar! Andrew Nelson.

"Andre!" I called her

He turns around, frowning but immediately smiles when he sees me. He recognized me!

"Oh hi! Emily right?"

He remembered my first name! I'm so happy but I don't let it show even if inside me it's the dance of joy.

"Yes that's it.

"What are you doing here?" he asked me.

No kidding ! I came to cut my nails!

"Uh... Logically, I'm doing my shopping."

He laughed lightly as he nervously scratched the back of his head.

"Uh...Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?" He asked me, embarrassed

Tell me I'm dreaming! He just invited me to dinner?! A handsome kid just invited me! Oh my god I think I'm going to pass out.

"So ?"

I jump when I hear his hoarse voice.

"Uh...huh? What?"

He laughs lightly and I had to control myself to avoid jumping on him, he's so sexy.

"So? Do you accept?

-YES ! YES ! I ACCEPT!" I yelled.

I shouted so loud that some people turned towards us. André laughs as my cheeks turn red.

But what took me to scream like crazy?!

Suddenly, a little girl approaches us, a smile plastered on her lips. She is so cute !

"Mom! Look, the gentleman proposed to her." She said pointing at me

WHAT ?!

"No, no. It's a misunderstanding. He only asked me to have dinner with him."

The people around us congratulate us and while I try to contradict them, André takes me by the waist and places his lips on mine.

But what's wrong with him?!

I try to push him away but his lips were so soft that I didn't have the strength to stop the kiss.

He then pulls his lips away from mine and smiles at me.

"You are a good kisser." He said to me, giving me a wink.

Even if he's very sexy, I'm still wary because I don't really know him. I don't want to relive what I went through with Leo.

***

I walk to my car thinking back to the kiss scene I had with Andre. He is a really good kisser! I touch my lips and smile like an idiot when someone bumps into me dropping all my purchases.

But it's not true !

"BUT FUCKING SHIT!! WATCH WHERE YOU PUT YOUR DIRTY PAWS NEXT TIME!" I yelled picking up my purchases

"Maybe it's you who should stop dreaming in the middle of the parking lot."

I freeze when I hear that voice.

Is it really...

I look up to be sure and feel tears welling up in my eyes.

No ! I must be dreaming! Or maybe I went crazy after Andre's kiss? Yes it's possible ! I lost my mind !

"How are you Emily, after spending five years of your life in jail?"

*?Elisa Scott?*

I haven't seen him for five years. Five years since I heard his voice. Five years that I could not take her in my arms. Five years I haven't been able to laugh with her. I missed her so much!

I know she's going to be angry with me for not having visited her once in prison, I'm so angry with myself, but it's for her that I did it, it's to prove her innocence that I left.

She needed help and support that I couldn't give her and I'm so sorry for having left her, for having abandoned Emily, my little sister.

I feel my heart tighten seeing his eyes filled with both anger and sadness while before his eyes reflected only love, joy and happiness.

She has changed so much, not only physically but also mentally. She is even more beautiful than before, more sure of herself, more mature and above all more aggressive, which made me smile slightly.

"Emily, are you going to stare at me longer or are you going to answer my question?" I asked

"Do you want me to answer you? Well here, I'll tell you. I cried like a baby in prison and you know why? Because apart from Grandma, no one came to see me when I I needed you, you! But none of you came to hear from me! None! I needed your help, but you didn't even come! You preferred to walk away like a coward when you promised me that you were never going to abandon me! I hate you!

- I'm really sorry, but...

- BUT WHAT?!" She yelled. "HUH?! WHY DIDN'T YOU COME?!"

A few people around us stop and look at us.

Those fools thought we were a movie or what?! They couldn't make their way?!

"Stop screaming damn it! Everyone is watching us!

- WHAT FUCK ME?! I SCREAM IF I WANT!

- No, shut up! Damn Emily! At least let me explain myself! How do you expect me to talk if you can't stop screaming like crazy!" I said to her.

"So go ahead, I'm listening! I'll give you ten seconds!" She tell me

"Are you kidding me?! Ten seconds?! You thought I could explain everything in just ten seconds?! Are you serious?!

-Oh yeah !

-Corn...

-Nineteen...

- Emily! Stop it immediately!

-Eight, seven...

- Emily! Shit, stop being childish! You are going to drive me crazy !

-Six, five, four, three...

"I KNOW YOU DIDN'T KILL PAULINA!"

I shouted

She immediately stops counting, looking at me oddly.

"What...

- Yes Emily. I know you didn't kill Paulina.

-Why ? Everyone thinks I killed him and why don't you?

-Because I know you. You would never do such a thing. You considered her a sister, so why would you kill her?"

She starts to cry and I immediately take her in my arms to calm her down. My tears are not long in flowing on my cheeks. I missed her so much!

"I missed you Amy." I confessed

"You too, silly." she told me laughing

I let out a small laugh.

"I'm so sorry to be gone. I abandoned you and I understand why you're angry with me. But know that when I found out that you were going to spend five years in prison, I was devastated. I I was mad at everyone and especially at mom and dad. I will never forgive them for accusing you like that."

I take her face and wipe away her tears.

"Do you want to come with me ?" she asked me. "Grandma really wants to see you you know. She was sad when she heard you left.

-Agreed. I missed that old lady too."

She starts to laugh and I don't take long to follow her in her delirium. My God ! I missed his laugh so much!

I then help him pick up the bags and we go to his car.

***

When we arrive in front of the villa, I run into the house without ringing and see Grandma in the living room, watching television.

"Granny!"

She jumps slightly, which made me laugh.

"Emily! How many..." she said turning around, hand on her chest, frowning.

When she sees me, she stays frozen like a statue. Tears are quick to flow down her cheeks.

I run towards her to take her in my arms but she slaps me.

What's wrong with him?!

"But Grandma...

-That was for shouting and that, she said slapping me again, is for leaving me without giving any news.

She looks at me sternly for a few seconds before bursting out laughing. I raise an eyebrow at his weird behavior.

Is she bipolar or what?!

"I'm sorry for the slaps but you deserve it. Come and hug me sweetie." she told me

I take her in my arms and hug her with all my strength. I missed her so much!

"Elisa! You're suffocating me!"

I let go of her quickly, giving her a sorry smile.

"Sorry."

Emily comes over and glares at me.

But what else have I done?

"What ?" I asked

"Are you serious?! You didn't even help me carry the plastics!

-Wait, don't tell me you're making that face just for bags! You're really stupid sometimes."

She clenches her jaw and throws a plastic ball at me.

The bitch!

"Emily!" yelled grandma. "You'll calm down right away! You already messed up my kitchen last night and I forbid you to do the same thing in my living room!"

Yesterday evening ?!

"What happened last night?" I asked

My grandmother tells me what Emily did to my parents and I burst out laughing. This girl is really crazy!

"Fuck Emily, you really are crazy!" I say laughing

"It wasn't my fault!" She defended herself by crossing her arms over her chest.

How cute!

"I love you so much my sister.

-So Elisa, tell me what you did during these five years." Grandmother said suddenly.

"I did a lot of things and found out a lot...but you sure won't like it.".

?Emily?

"You probably won't like it"

This phrase is circling in my head. Whore ! Yet another bad news?!

"What are we not going to like?"

I asked my sister

"Sit down." She tells us, looking serious

I sit on the sofa with Grandma while Elisa sits across from us.

"I would like you to listen to me until the end without cutting me off, okay?"

We nod our heads.

"Paulina was already in danger before you got married Emily. A few days before she died, she told me that people were out to harm her and they were following her everywhere she went.

"Do you know who these people are?" I asked.

"Didn't you understand what I said earlier? I said not to cut myself!"

she growled

"Oh! It's okay, no need to get upset." I say raising my hands

"Keep going Elisa and you meanwhile Emily shut up." said grandma

"What?! But...

"Shut up!" My grandmother cut me off.

"When I asked her who was hurting her, she said she didn't know, but she was sure she was in danger. She told me she had a bad feeling and I think she knew she was going to die."

My sister blows before resuming.

"A few days before she died, she told me that if anything ever happened to her, I had to go see a certain Mike Stevens in New York and that's what I did. When I saw Paulina's lifeless body in your room on your wedding day, I went straight to New York to visit this Mike. I wanted to know why she told me to go see him."

She pauses before continuing.

"When I arrived in New York, it took me a while to find Mike's address but I found him a few days later. When I found out where he lived, I went to him the same day. However, when I arrived in front of his house, I noticed that something was wrong. The door was ajar, so I entered without knocking. The house was all turned upside down and it was only after that I I saw him lying on the ground bleeding. I immediately called an ambulance, then I sat down next to him and told him that Paulina sent me. I stayed close to him to not that he dies, I did everything to keep him alive, but I couldn't.

A tear rolls down her cheek.

"Elisa, if it's too hard for you, don't force yourself." said grandma

"No granny, I have to say it."

She breathes again before continuing.

"Before he died, Mike told me a name, Joseph Hills. So I did some research and found his address a few months later. When I got to his house, he pointed a gun at me. head. So I told him about Mike and he quickly put his gun down. Joseph was suspicious of me at first, it was only when I told him what happened to Paulina and Mike that he decided to help me and he helped me tremendously before he died.

-Whore ! He got killed too?!" I shouted, startling grandma.

"Yeah." Coldly answered my sister, giving me a black look

And shit! I forgot she said not to cut it.

She glares at me before continuing.

"Joseph told me that someone around us wanted to hurt Paulina because she found out something she should never have found out."

My heart skips a beat but I decide not to cut her off to avoid attracting her wrath.

However, a question came to my mind: Who in our circle wanted to hurt Paulina? And why ?

"Unfortunately, I don't know what Paulina found out, neither did Joseph. He only told me that someone around us killed Pauline, and that this person also wants to kill you." Said my sister pointing at me

What is this madness ?! Someone wants to kill me?! She's probably saying that to scare me.

I start laughing nervously but stop immediately when I see Elisa's serious face.

"You are not serious ?" I asked my sister

"Unfortunately so." She answered me

"Why me? What did I do wrong?

- You did nothing wrong Emily. This person is only jealous of you.

-There is something weird in this story." Grandmother said suddenly.

"What's weird?" I asked

"Well, Paulina died because she found out about something, Mike also died, however, Joseph was not yet dead when Elisa went to his house. He died only afterwards. He may have he also discovered something before he died, didn't he?

- You are absolutely right Grandma." Said my sister. "A few days before his death, Joseph had contacted me saying that he had found something and that I had to go to his house as soon as possible. When I got there, his house was all turned upside down and he was bleeding on the ground, like Mike. Before he died, he told me the name of a person, he wanted to tell me something else but...he couldn't.

"What did he say?" I asked.

"He said, 'Sophia Collins is...' but he couldn't go on. He died right after."

I see Grandma frowning and scratching her chin thoughtfully.

"I've heard that name before somewhere."

Drop that last one

I raise my eyebrows as I watch Grandma scratching her chin thoughtfully.

"Really? And where?" I asked him

"I do not know anymore." she replied. "But I'm sure I've heard that name before somewhere. I'm sure of it, there's no doubt about it.

"Maybe she's a friend of yours."

Said my sister.

"No." She replied, shaking her head negatively.

"I don't have any friends named Sophia, I would remember if I did, but I'm sure that name means something to me. I need to remember!" She said tapping her forehead lightly

I wonder who this Sophia Collins is. Honestly, that name means absolutely nothing to me, but she might have had something to do with those murders. Maybe she killed them. Maybe she's the killer.

I thought

"Elisa. Did you do any research on this Sophia Collins?" I asked him

"Yeah, but I didn't find anything interesting. I only found his name, date and place of birth, nothing else." She said shrugging her shoulders

It's really weird.

"What does she do for work?

-Hmmm. I believe she is a business woman.

-And how old is she?

"She must be in her forties, I think."

Answered Elisa

Quarantine ?! And I who thought it would be a young girl, well, I'm all wrong!

"Didn't find his address?"

I asked

"No why ?

-For nothing."

I raise my head staring at the wall in front of me. It's really weird! Why is there almost absolutely nothing on her?! There is something wrong!

Elisa speaks after several minutes of silence.

"Uh...To find Paulina's murderer, I'm going to have to go back to mom and dad." She said blowing

"Why at mom and dad? I thought you were cold with them!

-I still am, but I told you earlier! Joseph warned me that the assassin was someone close to us, so I'm going to have to go back to mum and dad so that I can also visit Leo since he often celebrates and invites his friends, those who were present at your wedding. I will easily be able to do my investigation and find the murderer quickly." She said