The Phantom's Daughter (Book 2)

Terrible Truths

Elise was feeling things that she had never felt before, and she didn't know how to react.
She had never seen love between a man and a woman, in a good way.
Her father had always had an unhealthy obsession with Christine. And Raoul treated Christine as if she were his property.
Meg had slept with dozens of influential men, in order to benefit Phantasma.
And Elise's mother had been a prostitute.
So she had never had much experience with love, but from what she had seen, she knew that love never lasted.
She had certainly never had someone confess their love for her before, and Jeff's revelation scared her.

Despite his confession, Elise didn't believe that anyone could actually love her.
She was used to being second best in every situation, and had never had anyone put her first.
Elise did not believe that she was worthy of love, and she couldn't understand why someone would love her.
She was not as pretty or talented as Meg or Christine, and she didn't believe that she had anything else to offer.
The other problem was that Elise had already decided to leave Phantasma, and she didn't need another person to say goodbye to, especially not one who claimed to love her.

Once back in the safety of her room, Elise managed to control her breathing and calm herself down.
Despite wanting nothing more than to experience love, when the chance had arrived, Elise had crushed it, allowing her fears to overwhelm her.
Realising that she had ruined any chance of having a relationship with Jeff, Elise decided to move on and put it behind her.
She turned to the racks of costumes that had been left for her, and began to look through them, searching for the one that she wanted to wear that evening.

Elise had just picked out her favourite, when she heard a knock on her door.
Assuming that it was Meg, Elise opened it without thinking, and was shocked when she found Jeff standing on the other side.
Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him, and she wasn't sure why.
"Jeff, how did you know this was my room?" Questioned Elise.
Her and her father's quarters were separate from the rest of the staff, and only certain people were allowed access to their rooms.
"Meg brought me here and told me which room was yours" answered Jeff.
"I'll kill her" mumbled Elise.

"Look, I know you're scared, I am too. But we shouldn't let our fears get the better of us" insisted Jeff.
Elise started to close the door, "I've got nothing else to say".
"Please, hear me out" begged Jeff.
Elise sighed, "5 minutes".
"Thank you".
Elise stepped to the side and allowed Jeff inside her room, shutting the door behind him.
"I didn't think you'd talk to me again after I told you not to" admitted Elise.
"Clearly you don't know love very well. Because when you have strong feelings for someone, it doesn't matter what they do or say, you will always care about them" replied Jeff.
"You don't love me Jeff, because you don't even know me"
"I've been working here for a year now, and I've liked you ever since I first saw you. We've spoken nearly every day since then, so we're not exactly strangers".

"No, we are not strangers, but as I said earlier, you don't know the real me" announced Elise.
"Then let me. I want to know everything about you. I promise that nothing you say will scare me away" reassured Jeff.
"It's not as simple as that... What if told you things that are against the law? What would you do then?" Questioned Elise.
Jeff frowned and stepped closer to Elise, lowering his voice.
"What have you done?" He asked.
"Well for starters I ran away from my life in Paris, I didn't just leave. And Madame Giry faked mine and my father's deaths. Everyone back home thinks that we're dead" revealed Elise.

"Why did you have to run away?" Quizzed Jeff.
"I've already said too much. Please don't ask me any more questions" begged Elise.
Jeff placed his hands onto Elise's shoulders, "You can trust me Elise, I swear. I will not hand you over to the authorities".
"Look, Jeff, before coming to America, my father did some bad things, and I was complicit in his plans. I even helped him escape, when the police came for him" admitted Elise.
"But you were a child back then Elise, and he was your only family member. So it makes sense that you would help him, even if the things he did were bad"
"I was 13, and I should've known better. But you're right, he was the only family I had, and I didn't want to lose him".

"I understand. But Elise, you have to tell me what he did, so that I can help you" insisted Jeff.
"I can't" whispered Elise.
"Yes you can. You've already told me most of the story. And if you don't finish it, I'll only be left thinking the worst" admitted Jeff.
"O.K. He- He... He killed someone... Well, actually, he killed several people"
"Who?"
"Does it matter?"
"I guess not. But why did he kill them?"
"It's a long story"
"Please tell me"
"Fine. But what you have to understand is that my father didn't have a happy life, and that there's a reason he wears a mask over his face"
"He's scarred?".

Elise nodded her head, "He was born disfigured, and people have harassed him for it since. As a child he was kept in a cage, and tortured for other people's entertainment. One day he killed one of his captors and escaped".
"That sounds like he was acting in self defense almost" replied Jeff.
"He was... He killed again about a year before we left Paris. There was a stage hand who worked at the theatre we were employed at, who always tried to touch the girls. When he got too close to me one day, my father killed him"
"Then your father was acting in your best interests, he was trying to protect you"
"Yes. But his next 2 murders cannot be excused. He killed a coachman and an actor, so he could take their places, to get close to the girl he was obsessed with and stalking at the time"
"Ah".

"It was the last murder that forced us to live on the streets, until Madame Giry found us and smuggled us to America... Now you know the truth, feel free to turn and walk away" Elise said quietly, as she stepped away from Jeff and sat down on the sofa.
"I'm not going to walk away. But I still don't see what your father's crimes have to do with you. You didn't help him kill those people, did you?" Asked Jeff.
"No. But I knew he was a murderer, and if I had handed him over to the authorities, maybe his last two victims would still be alive" admitted Elise.
"You were acting in your own best interests. If you had told the police the truth, what would have happened to you?"
"I don't know"
"Exactly. You were trying to keep yourself safe, and there is nothing wrong with that".

"I don't think the rest of the world will see it that way, which is why you can't tell anyone about any of this" said Elise, as she jumped to her feet, closing the gap between them.
"Don't worry, your secrets are safe with me, just like I promised" reassured Jeff.
"Thank you... You know, it is nice to talk to someone about this, after all these years"
"I'm glad I could be of assistance then. And now you can't say that I don't know anything about you"
"No, I guess I can't"
"Does that mean you'll consider going out with me?"
"Jeff, I'm still leaving at the end of the week"
"But why? You've told me your story, but I still can't understand why you have to leave"
"There's a part of the story that I have not told you, because it is not my story to tell. My father has even more secrets than me, and I will not be sharing them".

"Will you at least go on one date with me, before you leave" begged Jeff.
"You really don't know when to quit, do you" sighed Elise.
"Nope" grinned Jeff.
Elise smiled, "If I say yes, will you leave me alone so that I can get ready for the show".
"O.K, shall I call for you tomorrow morning then?"
"Make it lunch time, since I will be up late tonight"
"Alright then. Can I see you after the show, to congratulate you?"
"I'm afraid tonight will be a family affair. But feel free to watch the show"
"I will... Good luck tonight, I know you will be amazing"
"Thank you".