Make Believe (Book #2, PRETEND SERIES)

Chapter 20: Present Day

Last chapter guys!!! Only the epilogue after this!!!!!! We're finally saying goodbye to April and Aiden! xxxxx

AIDEN’S POINT OF VIEW

 

I couldn’t believe what Anthony was saying right now. I needed it to be a dream, because for it to be a reality, was not an option.

“Please tell me you’re lying?” I asked Anthony as we jumped into his car.

He shook his head and began driving.

“Are you sure? How the hell do you know?” I asked desperately.

“Just now. I called my mom and she told me to make sure that we weren’t causing any trouble. She said she didn’t want us fighting over the girls. That’s when it hit me, the night that Jake hurt April. When I knocked on the door, his little sister answered. She looks different now. She’s grown up, but it’s definitely her,” he said.

“That’s why she was avoiding you. She knew the rest of us had never actually seen her before, that you were the only one. This whole thing was a setup. Every bit of it,” I breathed in shock. “What the hell has she done to April?”

“Look, I know this is a lot to take in, but I need you to calm down. We will find them, and everything will be fine.”

“I don’t know, Ant. How many chances do you get? We survived it all before with Jake, but what if we’re not that lucky this time?”

“Luck has nothing to do with it. Have faith, we’ll find her.”

I wanted him to be right, but the truth was I did not know anymore. This entire time Leah had been planning this, and none of us saw it coming. Everything up to this point had worked out just the way she wanted. Why would it go wrong, now? Clearly, she wanted revenge because Jake had been locked away. She wanted someone to blame, but April was not that person, and if I got the chance, I needed her to know that.

“We’ll find her, Aiden, I promise. When have I ever let you down?”

“Never,” I whispered, but maybe this would be the first time that he had to. “We don’t even know where she is, Ant.”

“No, and we won’t stop until we find her,” he replied, stomping on the gas pedal.

APRIL’S POINT OF VIEW

 

My mind was racing at double speed. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t realized this before. How could I miss it? How could I not see it? All along she kept saying this wasn’t about Aiden, but I wasn’t listening. This had nothing to do with jealousy or obsession, this was about revenge.

“Crazy, right? You never expected that, did you? It’s like that moment in a movie where the whole audience says ‘ohh’,” she chuckled.

“I didn’t know,” I breathed.

“What?”

“I didn’t know. How could I have known? Nobody told me that he...that he did that to himself.”

“And neither did you care. It’s been more than a year since he died. You’ve had more than enough time to find out.”

“Why now? Why did you wait a year?”

“Because the time was right. I’ve been watching you guys for a long time. Everything had to be right. Anthony, he was the only one who knew what I looked like. When I knew he wouldn’t be around, the timing was perfect, but then he came back. He had to ruin it! You would have had more time, but he screwed everything up. I knew he would figure it out and give away everything. I couldn’t have that. It had to be on my terms. I had to be in control, not him. Not a man. Men won’t ever control me again. The plan was ruined, but it’s OK because I’ve fixed it now. I’ve brought you here, and it was always going to end this way.”