Chapter 4
Tessa's POV
On my third day back at school, I encountered Amanda and her followers in the hallway. They approached me like sharks smelling blood, familiar sneers on their faces.
"Look who's back," Amanda crossed her arms, blocking my path. "Williams' little bitch. Heard you disappeared for two weeks. Which dumpster were you hiding in?"
The old me would have ducked my head and hurried away, or curled up waiting for the humiliation to end. But not this time.
I looked straight into her eyes, shoulders back. "Move, Amanda."
Surprise flashed across her face before her sneer returned. "Well, look at that. The gang princess finally grew a backbone. Who taught you that, your killer daddy?"
"No," I replied calmly. "Someone who taught me what real strength is. Bullying the weak isn't strength—it's just another form of weakness."
Her smile froze, then she shoved me hard, but I was ready—sidestepping and lowering my center of gravity, just as Michael had taught me. Her hand met empty air, making her stumble.
"You little bitch!" she snarled, lunging at me with her hand raised to slap me.
I instinctively caught her wrist and redirected her momentum. She lurched forward as I stuck out my foot to trip her. Amanda crashed to the floor with a yelp. Students in the hallway turned, shocked by the scene.
"Don't EVER mess with me again," I leaned down and said. "Next time, I'll embarrass you in front of the whole school."
Then I walked away.
In the middle of the night, soft footsteps woke me. I got up and went to the window, watching Michael's motorcycle disappear around the corner. The clock showed 1:23 AM. Again.
Over the past few days, his late-night departures had become more frequent. Once when he returned, I noticed a fresh scrape on his arm, but he brushed it off, saying he got it while fixing a bike.
Liar. I knew that kind of mark too well—like something sharp had grazed him, definitely not from routine motorcycle repairs.
Curiosity drove me to tiptoe out of my room. Passing Lisa's door, I heard strange sounds—she was talking softly, as if conversing with someone. But I was certain she was alone.
Weird. I continued toward Michael's room.
His door was slightly ajar. I knew I shouldn't enter, but the impulse was irresistible. Just one look, I told myself. Just want to know who he really is.
Pushing the door open, I quickly scanned the room. Everything was too neat, almost unlived-in. Bed perfectly made, mechanical magazines stacked neatly on the desk. Several motorcycle photos hung on the wall alongside one picture of him with Lisa. Nothing suspicious.
Just as I was about to leave, I noticed an almost invisible seam beneath the nightstand. Crouching to examine it, I discovered a hidden drawer! Should I open it? My heart pounded. If caught, the consequences would be unthinkable. But if he was hiding something...
I bit my lip and gently pulled the drawer open. Inside was a gun, a small recording device, and several photos of my father—not ordinary photos, but surveillance shots! One showed my dad talking with strangers in some warehouse.
What the hell? Michael's watching my dad?
My hands started shaking, cold fear crawling up my spine. All the pieces suddenly connected: the late-night outings, mysterious injuries, his reaction to my father's name, and his willingness to take me in.
Who IS he? Did he save me only because I'm Terence Williams' daughter?
Suddenly, I heard the front door opening downstairs. I quickly returned everything and slipped back to my room, my heart nearly bursting from my chest.
Moments later, I heard Lisa's door open. Through the crack in my door, I watched her head downstairs. Instinctively, I followed silently, stopping at the staircase corner.
"How did it go?" Lisa asked.
"Not good." Michael sounded exhausted. "They moved up the deal. It's happening next week."
"Did you tell Hampton?"
"Just met with him. He said he'll get people in place, but..." His voice dropped too low for me to hear.
Hampton? Deal? What the HELL is this about?
"Lisa, are you okay?" Michael suddenly asked with concern. "You look exhausted."
"I'm fine, just... you know, the day is coming."
"Jack's anniversary." Michael said heavily. "I know it's tough, but you need to stay strong, Lisa. For me, for yourself, and for Tessa."
Jack? Who's that? Just as I leaned closer to listen, a wave of dizziness hit me. My foot slipped, and I bumped into the wall, making a slight noise.
The conversation below stopped instantly. "Who's there?" Michael asked alertly.
I raced back to my room, dove under the covers, and pretended to be asleep. Seconds later, I heard Michael gently push my door open, stand for a moment, then quietly close it.
I stared at the dark ceiling, my heartbeat still racing. What is Michael hiding? Why is he watching my dad? Is he really just a mechanic?
Over the next few days, I pretended everything was normal while secretly observing Michael's every move. I also noticed Lisa becoming increasingly strange. She would suddenly stop what she was doing and stare into space; sometimes at night, I could hear her sobbing quietly in her room.
One day, I noticed a calendar in her room with a date circled in red. There was no text inside the circle, just that glaring red mark.
"What's going on with Lisa lately?" I casually asked Michael as he worked on blueprints in his shop.
He looked up, his expression complex. "She's... going through some difficult days."
"Because of Jack?" I asked directly, watching for his reaction.
His pencil stopped immediately, sharp eyes drilling into me. "How do you know about Jack?"
I shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Heard you mention him. Who was he?"
Michael was silent for a moment, as if considering how much to tell me. "Lisa's fiancé. Died in an accident last year."
"I'm sorry," I said sincerely.
"Next week is his anniversary," he continued. "It's a hard day for Lisa."
That explained the circled date and Lisa's unusual behavior. But I still had too many questions.
The next day, a tall Black man came to visit. Lisa had already retired to her room, and Michael took him into the study. Pretending to get water from the kitchen, I tried to eavesdrop.
"Intelligence suggests Terence has a new shipment coming next week," the stranger's voice carried. "This might be our best chance..."
My dad? I held my breath, moving closer.
"How's the plan progressing, Devin?" Michael asked.
"Everything's set, just waiting for your signal." Devin replied, then hesitated, "The girl... does she know who you are?"
"No, I haven't told her yet." Michael's voice grew heavy. "It's not the right time."
My heart hammered. Tell me WHAT? Who is he!
Amid my swirling questions, the red-circled day finally arrived. Lisa's condition was terrible; she kept herself locked in her room all day.
While preparing lunch in the kitchen, I heard the doorbell. Through the window, I saw Devin Hampton standing at the door.
Michael appeared behind me almost instantly, startling me. "Tessa, can you keep an eye on Lisa? We need to go out for a while."
After they left, I quietly checked on Lisa. She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, eyes red and swollen. Several pill bottles sat on her nightstand.
"Do you need anything, Lisa?" I asked softly.
She turned to me slowly, her gaze unfocused. "Jack always said my smile could light up a room," she murmured. "But he's gone, and he took all the light with him."
"Lisa..." I didn't know what to say, just held her hand.
"You know, Tessa," she continued, her voice distant, "sometimes the pain is too heavy to carry. You think you can make it through, but each day is like crawling through a desert with no end."
Her words tightened something in my chest. I glanced at those pill bottles and suddenly realized what might be happening. "Lisa, how many pills did you take?"
She didn't answer, just closed her eyes. "I'm tired, Tessa. So, so tired."
Fear gripped my heart. I picked up one bottle and found it nearly empty.
"Lisa!" I shook her shoulders, but she only moaned weakly. "Lisa, wake up!"
I grabbed the phone and dialed Michael's number, my fingers trembling with panic. "Michael!" I shouted as soon as he answered. "Come back now! Lisa took pills! A lot of pills!"
