The evening air is still, the room filled with the quiet hum of anticipation. Lucas stands before Sophia, his eyes searching hers for the truth that has eluded him.
"Sophia," Lucas demands, his voice echoing with a sense of urgency, "what just happened? Why did she take Emma?"
Sophia's gaze is unwavering, her decision made. "I'm going to tell you everything, Lucas. But first, you need to know—I'm not American. I'm South American."
Lucas's mind reels. "South American?" he repeats, the pieces of the puzzle refusing to fit. "And the woman... the one who took Emma with such violence, who is she?"
"She's my elder sister," Sophia confesses, the weight of her secrets visibly lifting as she speaks.
Lucas staggers back, disbelief etched across his features. "Your sister? But you told me she died giving birth to Emma."
Sophia nods, her expression somber. "I know what I said, Lucas. But it was a lie. A lie to protect Emma... to protect all of us."
Lucas runs a hand through his hair, frustration and betrayal warring within him. "Why? Why would she take her own daughter at gunpoint?"
"It's a long story," Sophia says, her voice laced with a thousand unspoken words. "A story of family, of danger, and of a legacy that has ensnared us all. But I promise, I'll hold nothing back. You deserve to know the truth."
As the gravity of the situation settles in, Lucas turns to Ava, who stands in the doorway, her small frame a stark contrast to the enormity of the revelations unfolding.
"Ava," Lucas says gently, "go to your room and play for a while, okay?"
With a nod, Ava retreats, leaving Lucas and Sophia alone with the ghosts of their past and the uncertainty of their future.
The flashback(in fragments):
The mansion looms large, its grandeur a facade for the secrets it holds. Young Sophia and her elder sister, Luciana, are lost in their own world of make-believe, their laughter echoing through the opulent halls. They dart from room to room, their small feet barely making a sound on the marble floors.
As they play, their innocent game leads them into a room where the air is thick with tension. Men in dark suits stand around a table, their faces stern, their eyes locked on the items before them. The girls, curious and oblivious, pause to look, not understanding the gravity of the scene.
Their father, overseeing the deal, turns sharply at the sound of their entrance. His face, usually composed, is now a mask of fury. "Get out!" he shouts, his voice booming through the mansion. "Maria!" he calls, his anger directed at their mother. "Can't you keep these girls out of trouble? What do I have you for if not to watch them?"
Maria rushes in, her face a mix of fear and apology. She quickly grabs Sophia and Luciana, pulling them away from the room as she begs forgiveness from the men gathered there. Her voice is soft, her words a desperate plea for understanding.
Once they are safely away from prying eyes, Maria scolds the girls, her voice cracking with emotion. "You must never go in there," she admonishes, her eyes brimming with tears.
The girls, still too young to fully grasp the situation, watch as their mother breaks down. Maria's tears are not just for the danger they narrowly escaped but for the life she endures. She weeps for the love she once had, now lost in a marriage marred by disappointment and mistreatment, a marriage strained by her failure to produce a son.
The drug deal concludes, leaving a heavy silence in its wake. The mansion, once filled with the innocent laughter of Sophia and Luciana, now echoes with the harsh tones of their father's anger.
YOU ARE READING
G.H.O.S.T.S
Action"G.H.O.S.T.S" Ryder's exit from the army is a silent retreat from the cacophony of war, a step back from the precipice of a life spent in service. The agency, a beacon in the aftermath of his military career, offers him a chance to redirect his expe...
