River Rose | ✓

18

"L I E S C A N D E S T R O Y
L I V E S T O O"

Betrayal
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Minutiae (n.) the small, precise details that make one unique.

••••••
River

"We're leaving baby let's go" Noah says as he grabs my hand and pulls me to my feet. I'm still shocked by everything so it takes me a few seconds before I react.

"What? No we need to know the truth" I say eyeing the man in front of us in disbelief and the woman beside him with hatred.

"It might be a trap" Noah whispers in my ear, I know it could be but I need to know if Val is somehow involved.

"You're right about that brother. It only took one small lie to get you to come crawling back to Johanna" Zion says and descends the last stairs with his daughter

"I'm not your brother. I didn't come back for her, I came back to see if what you said was true. Now that I know I didn't father one of Johanna's spawns we're out of here" My boy says and starts walking us towards the door

"Oh but my daughter is so cute! You wish you had one. I guess I have the good Drake genes" Zion says walking too fast for my liking towards us, he hands the child to Johanna who scurries out of the room like the rat she is

"You what?" I snap with my hand on the doorknob. Malia Drake. My best friend. They can't be family can they? Maybe that's why she hasn't bothered to text me even though I disappeared for weeks

Maybe she wasn't even my friend in the first place and she's just one on Valenciano's spies

"I'm Malia's brother, River. Didn't you know?" He says. Fucking hell when will the surprises end?

"No. That's just one more of your lies" Noah says and I have to wiggle my hand under his grip to get him to loosen it, he looks at me apologetically before turning back to Zion

"Stay and I'll explain everything" he says and casually leans against the wall

"I stay, she goes" Noah says and I kick his shin. Hard. He groans and narrows his eyes at me.

"I'm staying" I say and dare him to contradict me with my stare. He doesn't, I know he just wants to protect me but if something happens we've got better odds by staying together.

Plus I want to be here when Zion spills the tea, and kick his ass afterwards for making my Noah suffer all these years.

I still wonder how he managed to fool us all and be at the institution whenever N dropped by.

"I wouldn't have let you leave anyways. Come sit!" Zion says a little too loudly and leads us back to the leaving room. I quickly text dad but he doesn't answer

"Talk" Noah glares. I'm shaking, if Malia is his sister that'd mean she's part of whatever shit Valenciano's been planning. And that she was just my friend because of it

"Malia and I share a dad, I've never been allowed around their home much. As you know they are the picture perfect family and my father didn't want his affair to ruin their reputation" Zion explains