novelraw Chapter 141: Lying To Her Face
Chapter 141: Lying To Her Face
Chapter 141: Lying To Her Face
The alleyway was dark and damp, the air thick with the stench of garbage. Lyse huddled against the brick wall, her body trembling with fear but her eyes determined and ready to try her best. The men who had surrounded her were closing in, their faces leering, their intentions clear. She braced herself for the worst, her heart pounding in her chest, a silent scream trapped in her throat.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows, his presence radiating a fierce protectiveness. The man moved with a speed and ferocity that surprised even Lyse. He confronted the men, his voice a low growl, his eyes blazing with anger.
"Get away from her right now," he commanded, his voice laced with a dangerous edge.
The men hesitated, taken aback by Levi’s sudden appearance and his imposing demeanor. They exchanged uneasy glances, their bravado faltering.
"Listen, go and find your own woman. This one’s ours." One of the men called out.
Levi did not give them a chance to react. He moved quickly, his movements precise and efficient. He used his strength and training to subdue the men who came at him, he ended up sending them scattering in different directions, bruised and supporting each other way.
He wanted to follow the men, teach them a lesson for daring to try to hurt Lyse but he could not just leave her alone. He turned to Lyse, his expression softening as he took in her terrified face. "Lyse," he said gently, his voice filled with concern. "Are you alright?"
Lyse stiffened, tears streaming down her face. She could not speak, her voice caught in her throat. She was still shaking from the encounter, the fear still gripping her.
Levi gently reached out for her hand, but she snatched it away and eyed him warily.
He sighed heavily and looked at her with sadness in his eyes. "You might not remember but I am a friend." He said, "I won’t hurt you."
Lyse stared at him for a long second and saw something in his eyes that had her lower her defensive stance. When he held out his hand and she placed hers in his, his touch felt reassuring. "Come on," he said softly. "Let’s get you out of here."
He led her away from the alleyway, his arm protectively around her. He took her back to the apartment she shared with James, ensuring she was safe and comfortable before leaving.
He did not want to leave her alone but he was a stranger to her and he did not want to scare her any further, he also knew that she needed time to process what had happened, and he didn’t want to overwhelm her with questions or explanations. He simply wanted her to be safe.
The next day, Brandon arrived at the apartment having gone to look for her at the Chadwick house, his usual confident demeanor replaced by a mixture of anxiety and anger.
He had woken up in a rage to discover a naked Brooke asleep beside him. After he had thrown Brooke out, he had discovered that Lyse had come to the party. He felt anxious and knew instinctively that he needed to explain himself, to salvage the situation whatever that may be.
Lyse came to the door, her expression cold and distant. The fear from the previous night had been replaced by a quiet rage.
"Brandon," she said, her voice flat.
"Lyse, I can explain," Brandon began, his voice pleading.
"Did we break up?" Lyse interrupted, her voice sharp and Brandon’s face went pale.
"Who told you that? They are lying! I love you and you love me." He answered, his tone forceful.
"Then explain to me why you kissed Brooke? Explain why you did not tell me about the party? Explain why you lied to me?" She demanded.
Lyse had not been able to sleep a wink, she had spent her waking hours thinking, trying to make sense of her life as it was. So many things did not make sense, Brooke having her job, she and Brandon not being married at this time even though she could vaguely remember them making wedding plans, even Brandon’s effusive attention felt suspect.
The only one she could trust to tell her the truth about everything was James and she could not reach him. He seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth. However, one thing was certain. They were lying to her face.
Brandon’s face flushed. He could see the anger in her eyes, the hurt that he had caused.
"It’s not what it looks like," he stammered.
"Keep your distance from me, Brandon," Lyse said, her voice firm. "I don’t want to see you again."
She closed the door in his face, leaving him standing in the hallway, his anger and frustration reaching a boiling point. He knew exactly who was responsible for this. Brooke. She had orchestrated the entire thing, inviting Lyse to the party, exposing his betrayal.
He stormed back to the Chadwick mansion, his anger directed solely at Brooke. He found her in the living room, calmly reading a magazine.
"You!" he yelled, his voice filled with rage.
Brooke looked up, her expression cool and unconcerned. "What is it, Brandon?" she asked, her voice nonchalant.
"You invited her, didn’t you?" Brandon accused, his voice rising. "You invited Lyse to the party. You did this on purpose."
Brooke shrugged, her expression defiant. "Maybe I did," she said. "She deserved to know the truth."
Brandon grabbed her arm, his grip tightening. He slammed her against the wall, his face inches from hers.
"You listen to me," he hissed, his voice low and menacing. "If Lyse leaves me because of this, you will pay. You’ll regret ever crossing me."
He released her abruptly, leaving her slumped against the wall, her eyes wide with fear. He turned and stormed out of the mansion, leaving Brooke alone with her thoughts.
The fear that Brandon had instilled in her quickly morphed into a cold, hard resolve. She had wanted Lyse gone, but she had not wanted this chaos, this mess. She had wanted to replace Lyse, to take her place in Brandon’s life. But now, Lyse was a threat, a constant reminder of her betrayal.
"It is not enough," she muttered to herself, her voice barely a whisper. "It’s not enough for her to just lose her memory. She needs to be gone. For good."