TIFFIN 2

57

Hey everyone 💗💗 hoping you enjoy this chapter ✨
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I didn't know what possessed me in the next few days, but I'd found myself creating another lie.

It had felt satisfying putting Elouise and Charlie in jail, but it didn't feel like it was enough. 

Hero did have a point, though I didn't agree with the death penalty.

I needed closure. I needed to know why I was so important out of all the children in the world.  

Did they really think they could raise me without getting caught? 

I soon found myself outside the penitentiary.  I stared at the wrought iron gates protecting the tall concrete castle. I knew for a fact if it weren't for all the security, it wouldn't be as safe. 

Hero had no idea I was here and I already knew I wouldn't hear the end of it.

During the week, he and I had paid the insurance and purchased the license plates. So I was free to drive on my own whenever I wanted. 

On my way up the stone steps, I thought about who I wanted to speak with. I could choose Elouise, but chances were that Charlie hated me the most. 

He was more prone to reveal more. 

The guards were abrasive as they led me through a long hall of iron doors. I heard the defeaning clang as it followed my footsteps. I had no idea how one could survive a place like this. 

It made me clutch my hands over my chest. It was freezing. 

When I was finally led to the double sided glass, the guard snapped at me. 

"You get half an hour! Make it quick!" 

As soon as I stepped behind the booth, I saw Charlie's face reflected in it. We mirrored each others movements before sitting. 

Looking like a predator while doing so, Charlie was the first to grab the phone on the wall. I followed his lead, swallowing as I waited for him to speak.

"What the hell are you doing here, you miserable wench?" He demanded, sounding more cold than ever.

I held my head up high, not letting his tone get to me. 

"I can see you are upset. I've come for a resolution." 

"Isn't putting us behind the slammer enough?" He growled. "You've costed us everything! After all I've done for you!"

"After all you've done for me?" I scoffed. "You stole me away from the only family I had and made my life a living hell! You tried hurting me just the other night at dinner! Do you realize how much pain you've put my mother in? And yes, I mean my actual mother." 

Charlie lurched for the glass, like he were about to break through, but he held back, his hand rebounding. 

"There were so many ways you could have suffered!" He screamed.

I shook my head.

"See? There you go again. I can't believe I never saw this coming. I mean, I always had a feeling deep inside that something wasn't right. I never quite... fit in with your standards." 

Charlie chuckled.

"You're absolutely right. There was no way we could have molded you into the daughter we wanted. You were always one step ahead of us, being rebellious and all." 

I glanced at the smirk on his face, examining it. 

"Why did you do it?" I blurted without thinking. "Out of all the children in the world why was I so special?" 

Charlie intertwined his hands, taking a deep breath. 

"You weren't special. It was the simple fact that you were in the wrong place at the wrong time." 

I curled my lips into a sneer. 

"I don't believe that. Growing with you in the same house, makes you learn a thing or two. You're very meticulous. You have a reasoning for everything." 

After a long moment of silence, Charlie seemed to come to terms with the fact that I wouldn't give up. 

"You were always stubborn." He stated. "I'm already behind bars so I don't care either way about whether the truth marks me. Elouise and I were like Bonnie and Clyde; scheming to make a quick buck and always on the run. That was how I paved my way for my business. When we noticed that stealing and robbing wasn't helping, we used other tactics." 

"What tactics?" I whispered not sure I wanted to hear what he had to say. 

Charlie cleared his throat, running a hand though his greasy hair. 

"Ransoms." 

I gasped, shocked at the lengths they were willing to go. 

"That's barbaric!" I exclaimed. "How did you not get caught?" 

He licked his lips. 

"To this day, I'm not quite sure. Back in the day, I suppose it was easier to scare the parents. If I told them I had a large man scoping their house, they handed over a couple grand faster than you can imagine." 

I furrowed my brows. 

"That's not the story Emma told me." 

Charlie laughed. 

"That's not how it happened with you. It was different. We spent time scoping out several hospitals across the state. We saw an advantage. Many of these families didn't know much people but did well for themselves." 

I remembered how Emma had looked the first time I saw her at the ball. She didn't seem very well off at all. Then again, she'd been put through so much.
 
"My mother was homeless when I met her." I replied. 

Charlie huffed. 

"We figured that too late. It turned out your parents didn't have much money at all, but by the time our heist had been successful and babies had been switched, Elouise became infatuated with you. I was honestly surprised the documents had passed off as the real deal."

Tears gathered in my eyes. 

"My mother spent so long feeling like she was crazy. No one believed her. She was forced into a psychiatric hospital and had been given restraining orders. How could you let her go over the edge like that?" 

Charlie shrugged. 

"She was simply a barricade in our way of something that benefited us." 

I stood up, pressing my nose against the glass in fury. 

"You both are despicable human beings! You know that? The world doesn't revolve around you! We all have lives to live!" 

Before Charlie could respond, the guard reappeared at my side. 

"I'm sorry miss. I'm going to have to ask you to leave." 

I swiveled around, still heated from my anger. I took a moment to compose myself. 

"Alright, alright. Can I just have a minute to say goodbye?" 

As soon as the guard backed against a wall, Charlie spoke again.  

"You must realize how good you had it wanting to bid me farewell and all." 

I giggled. 

"Hardly." 

I instantly brandished my phone I'd been hiding under my jacket. 

"You see this?" I whispered. "I was recording. Good luck in court." 

I felt victorious as I made my way down the hall once more and heard Charlie's screams and threats that I was going to pay. 

For once I really did feel in control.

Please let me know how this chapter was ❤❤

I feel like it sucked.

Lol

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