Deception ↠ H.S

Part 1

A/N: I rewrote this story! If you're an old reader, I changed the POV and edited some things out and some new things in. Please recomment and revote the chapters! To new readers, thank you for reading!

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March 28th, 2016
8:09am

According to sources close to the singer, Styles hasn't been heard from in over ten days. If you have any information on where he may be, I'd recommend calling the phone number on the screen as soon as possible. The reward has now been raised to $20,000.

Anna snatched the remote from Liam's fingertips, changing the channel on the television as she shoveled another bite of Panera salad into her mouth.

"It's funny, isn't it?" Liam laughed, "he's probably on a coke bender overdosed somewhere in the hills. Do you think they'd give us the twenty-grand if I called and gave them that tip?

Anna snorted, fumbling with her phone as she continued to balance her salad bowl on her knees. "The money isn't worth it to you. Don't act so humble, Liam."

"Smart. That's why you're my favorite assistant."

"Only. Only assistant."

2 YEARS LATER
July 23rd, 2018
6:52pm

Anna stepped out of her car, plastic bags strung on her thin arms as she used the rubber heel of her shoe to kick the door closed. She stomped up the steps to the front door of the house, tipping her head back. "It's just me!"

The door swung open with no transition, Zayn turning a shade of red as he grabbed for some of the bags. "Fuck, I'm sorry! I would've came out to the car and helped you sooner but nobody told me you were coming."

"Liam mentioned that you guys are out of cigarettes and milk. I got some snacks and stuff too."

Zayn's eyes glowed at that, setting the bags and bits on the counter as he dug into the bag containing a box of cigarettes. "You're a fucking lifesaver, Anna."

Anna smiled at the irony of that. If anyone was being a lifesaver, it was Liam Payne. Taking over his deceased father's farm in the middle of Michigan for the sake of helping people that never did anything to deserve it. Suicide is a bit old fashioned compared to faking your own death, she supposed. Zayn decided he was done with his life in August of 2015. Developed a gambling addiction and stole money from everyone he was close with; ended up cheating on his girlfriend while intoxicated in July of that same year. He had nobody left until Liam's dad took him in and let him stay at the farm under a few conditions; fake your death, help around the farm, and keep your mouth shut.

One man faking his death turned into 10 men and then after Liam's father passed away in the winter of 2016, Liam had no choice but to take over the farm and all his father's money; it's what his father wanted after all.

"Is Liam here?" Anna stood back, watching as Zayn brought a lighter up to the cigarette dangling between his lips. "I've been trying to call him and he has no signal so I assumed he's here."

"Yeah he's somewhere around here." Zayn leaned against the counter, smoke pouring out of his lips. "He's in a weird ass mood."

"Oh yeah?" Anna tilted her head, hand clutching her phone — knowing she should've just left it in the car because it has no use here.

"Anna!" Niall appeared like a ghost in thin air, trotting down the steps. "Liam mentioned earlier he was trying to reach you. I'd go up to his office."

"Ah, alright." Anna pushed off the wall that she was leaning on and walked towards the steps that Niall was coming down from. "Got you snacks, they're in the kitchen."

"Awesome! Thank you so much." Niall expressed gratefully, passing Anna as he strode towards Zayn.

Anna walked up the steps and straight to Liam's office; finding him typing like an animal on his laptop.

"Anna." Liam breathed out, glancing up at her with heavy bags under his eyes. "Thank god you showed up! I've been here since yesterday morning. I can't get ahold of you. I tried to send you an email using my phone's hotspot but god forbid you ever check that."

"Hey, be grateful I even check it the twice a week that I do." Anna crossed her arms defensively. "Wait, what the hell. Have you slept yet?" Silence. Anna furrowed her eyebrows before turning and pushing the heavy door closed, twisting the lock. "Tell me what's going on."

"I tried to sleep this morning on the couch, I couldn't. I've been doing something else."

"Like what, Liam?" Anna sat in the chair across from him, leaning forward. "I'm your assistant for a reason. Whatever it was, I could've helped you out."

Liam stayed quiet, lips pressed together as he looked up from his bright white laptop screen.

There was another moment of silence before Anna huffed out the breathe she was holding, rolling her eyes. "Liam, what the hell did you do?"

"You're going to have to come see for yourself." Liam stood up from his chair, running a hand through his grease slicked hair as he stepped towards the door.

+

Once they made it outside of the farmhouse doors, Liam climbed into the passenger seat of Anna's car. "Where are we going, you freak?" Anna groaned, getting into the driver seat as she put the key into the ignition.

"It's a good five minute walking distance. I hurt too bad to walk it again. The shed."

"The shed that's across the field? Liam did you murder someone?" Anna began to drive through the grass as she swerved around a bush.

"God, no! Anna shut up. I can't say it. You have to see it for yourself." Liam aimed the air conditioning vent at his face as he took a deep breathe. Anna continued to drive.

"Okay, okay. Park here. We can walk through these trees."

Anna parked the car, tossing her keys into her bag swung around her shoulder. She followed Liam through the maze of trees, feeling the nerves hit her stomach when the shed came into view. She stopped dead in her tracks. "Liam, what the fuck did you do? You know how I get when I'm nervous. I'm going to barf any second."

"Come here, please. Just trust me." He grabbed her hand, tugging her along the gravel path.

Every step closed made Anna's heart pound even harder and eventually they were standing face to face with the door. Liam swallowed hard before slamming his fist against the door with rhythm, stepping back as if to wait for someone to answer the door.

Anna's eyes widened, glaring Liam up and down. "Who is in there, Liam? What the hell."

Liam didn't respond as he began biting down on his thumbnail.

The door slowly opened. Silence.

"You must be Anna?"