Love and Lies | EDITING

CHAPTER - 19

THE REAL KATHERINE 

mature scenes, violence.

The phone had been ringing for a while now, but nobody has bothered to pick it. I dial the same number again, hoping they'll pick up this time.

"Hello," The usual metal voice cracks.

"They had no clue," I smirk, being proud of myself. Even though I'm not okay with this, I feel okay at least.

"Good job Natasha," The normal voice returns. They use metal voices to check the caller, it is a usual routine.

"Where's the real girl?" I ask them, out of curiosity. I can't end up dead if she pops out of nowhere, I hope they were keeping her away.

"She's safe," He replies, sending chills into my body.

"Kill her please, I really don't want to end up dead if she escapes," I realise how cruel I sound, it's not me, I don't know what's happening to me.

"Relax, we still need her, "He replies. He is my foster father, who forced me to be his daughter, do his dirty job.

"My mom? how's she?" I ask him. The only fault I've ever done is to be born with brilliance and knowledge which is used now for keeping the prosthetic on my face intact.

"She's great, and let's hope that she'll be great too," I can almost see him smirk on the other end. I rub my temples and sigh in disgust. What have I signed up for?

"It's very itchy, I can't wear lenses and prosthetics all the time!" I try to make it sound reasonable.

"You deserve it, Natasha, you failed the last time," He tells me, I hear the ice chunking on the glass, he is pouring a drink for himself.

"I swear, I witnessed Susan die, and they call her Lucy, but she looks exactly like Susan," I scratch my head, trying to connect the dots I've missed. I still remember the night my father discovered Lucy's existence.

 The slap on my face thundered across the room, my mom tried to save me, but she was taken away. Everyone was looking at us.

"You failed Natasha," He fumed. He wiped something from my lips and revealed it to me, it was my blood.

"I'm..sorry father...I really am, "My lips quivered.

"You're a woman who does not know how to seduce a man or kill someone. What are you worth for?"He asked me, making me face him.

"I swear, I saw Susan die, father, it cannot be Susan," I wined, failing to compose myself.

"Then what the hell is this?"He snapped, exhibiting a picture of Susan in a white dress. I was so shocked to even respond.

"Please father, give me another chance, I beg you, "I stammered.

"Well Nat, I think it's time I remove another finger of your mother's hand," He told me and left the room, leaving me stranded in the hall. I punched my fist to the floor, my mind was flooded with agony.

I heard my mom scream in the other room, and I can't do anything about it. He had already removed my mother's little finger when I tried to escape, and now he's going to take another one.

He had blood in his hands when he reemerged, I couldn't control the fume boiling inside of me.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY MOTHER!"I screamed.

"Calm down sweetheart, we just discovered a way you'll be going inside Viper's mansion," He told me, but I wasn't listening to him.

"I'll kill myself, I swear upon my mother," I told him.

"Listen you little scum, you either work for me, or we enslave your mother to an eternity of torture. Sounds good?"He asked me, making me imagine the horrible things that could happen to my mom.

"Please, "I begged.

"Just do what I say, "He told me, pulling a picture from his pocket.

"Yes father," I told him.

"She's Aiden's sister, but they don't know that themselves, "He smirked and narrated to me the rest of the story.

"Will I get killed if they find out, "I asked him.

"Yes," He replied.

"Now don't get caught, "He replies on the phone and the line went dead.

I hear a knock on the door. I hide my phone quickly under a prosthetic in my thighs and check the makeup on my face. It is perfect.

I open the door and saw Aiden standing at the doorway, smiling broadly. I didn't want to betray their trust, work for my foster father, act like someone I'm not. But this is my life, from the day I graduated with colourful scores in my university.

"Hey, I brought you something," He enters the room and pulls out a small box from his pocket. I gesture confusion, carefully not to damage my prosthetic.

"I thought I could nickname you Kat, calling you Kath-er-innee is so long," He laughs and I join him by smiling. I nod and tell him that's okay.

He opens the box and hands it to me, it is a silver chain with a little red heart as a pendant. The red heart is outlined by small white diamonds. I wanted to tell him that I am out of words, but I can't speak. No one has ever gifted me until now. Even though it isn't technically mine, I still feel happy.

"You like it?"He asks me, raising both his eyebrows in excitement.

I nod at him, he notices the tears in my eyes and smiles. He removes the hair from my neck and slides the chill necklace on my skin and locks it tight. 

"It was our mother's Kat, you look so much like her, "He tells me, as he admires my face. I get conscious and try to hide my face, worrying that he'll notice the makeup and prosthetics.

"I've got some work to do, and don't forget to eat kay? you look like a stick," He laughs and leaves the room, leaving me in utter confusion.

I've never been cared for like this, and I haven't seen my mother in years since my father has been hiding her from me. I sit in the bed and lock the room, I rip all the prosthetics and makeup and pull out a dress from the stock Lucy had provided me earlier.

It's gonna be okay, I'll survive

I tell myself, but I couldn't tear apart the constant fear of getting caught. Death is better.