Plain Sight

chapter fifty

Juliette

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Writing the letter for Tom, took a lot. I just didn't know how else to leave in a way that wouldn't hurt the both of us.

I told him my plans, but I already knew he was going to try to find me. And I know that sooner or later, he will find me, and when he does, I never want to let him go again.

I've already felt what it was like to live without him, and I don't want to ever feel like that again.

So hopefully, the next time I see him, our past—which is my greedy father— will be put behind us. We can start over.

My father is hiding out at a safe house. It's the one that I found the blueprints of, where I thought he was keeping Tom when he was missing.

Honestly, my dad is an idiot for choosing that of all places to hide out.

But before I go there, which is two hours away, I wanted to see the remains of my house. The house where I was forced to grow up when I was only a child.

Honestly, it felt quite liberating to see it burnt to the ground.

Standing here, staring at the ashes of this house, and what's left of it, in the cold air felt like I was in a movie or something.

It's quite strange that just standing here, I can still feel all of the terrible things that happened here lingering around in the air.

It made me feel like I was suffocating with the memories I wish could just be erased. I would pay absolutely anything to just have my memory of this house and what was once inside of it, erased.

But this house deserved to be burnt to the ground, with Lucian inside.

I stand with my hands in my pockets, and the hood of of my jacket over my head, but it's still fucking freezing out here.

I haven't told anyone besides Zario and Mia my plan.

This morning when I woke up, after I had written the letter and placed it where I was sleeping on the couch, I woke up Mia and told her that we needed to go.

She didn't question why, she understood right away. I dropped her off at Milo's apartment earlier this morning.

The gun that I'd be using to kill Lucian was in my car right now, and it didn't sit right with me.

I know Lucian is trying to be quiet about where he's hiding out, so he probably only has a few guards outside. But I'm not even sure Lucian will talk to me after what happened the last time I tried to do that. Well, pretended to do.

I'm his daughter though, so I hope he will fall for another one of my tricks like the fucking idiot that he is.

After this, it will all finally be over. These last few months have been nothing but a living hell all because of my father. It will be over.

I suck in a huge amount of the bitter cold air before getting inside of my car, ready to start the two-hour drive ahead of me.

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I've already gotten dozens of messages and missed calls from Tom. I even got a few from Bill.

It's so tempting to just call Tom back, but not yet. I will, just not yet. I want to hear his voice.

The next time I see him, everything will finally be over. All of that suffering, all those lies, and all of that pain will be gone.

I don't know how I will even convince my dad to let me inside of that house, but I know I'll manage. Somehow.