Page 59 of The Revenge Plan

“I received something you’ve been itching for all these years.”

My heart was hammering in my throat. It could only be one thing. “It can’t be. How did you get it?”

“An anonymous source. It seems they don’t want to be known for whatever reason. Judging by what’s on the tape, I get where they’re coming from.”

“Are you saying you’ve got the tape?”

“Yes. But I don’t think you should see it.”

“Why not?”

“It’s uh. It’s rough.”

“Send it.”

“Very well, boss. I’ll send it to you right now.”

A few seconds later, my phone chimed. It was a video from Fred. It was of Liam. Fred was right. I hadn’t been prepared for what I saw. I dropped to the ground and cried after I finished watching it. It was worse than I could have imagined. The hate that I had felt for her came rushing back.

35

Iwaited and waited for him to come, but he didn’t. The call wasn’t that long, was it? He had sounded like he was going to take a few minutes and come back. I guess whatever it was, was taking forever. Bored by waiting, I went downstairs, grabbed my bags, and put them in my room. Then I unpacked. Went to the kitchen and ate some leftovers. A couple of hours went by and he still was in the study. I went to check on him, but he had locked the door. I knocked a few times, and he didn’t respond. Afraid that something had happened to him, I knocked louder this time and called his name.

After a while he opened it. “If I had known the call would take so long, I would have read a book instead.” He looked like someone had dropped a thousand years on him. He was both sad and angry. His eyes were red and puffy. Had he been crying? “What’s the matter?” I raised my hand to hug him, but he flinched. I immediately let go. It was funny how any slight rejection from him was becoming harder to stomach. However, I also noticed that something was terribly wrong.

He strode away from me and into the study. I followed him. He took his phone that was on his desk and handed it to me. I took it, puzzled by the sudden mood shift. On it was a video on pause. I hit play.

It was CCTV footage. The clip was grainy and recorded at night, so it was hard to see. It looked out to a road. A flash of memory hit me. Me in a car driving. That was then I realized what this footage was.

There was nothing on the road for a few seconds, then a car passed by. And another one. The third car didn’t, however. It came into the frame spiraling and crashed into a tree. I recognized the car. It was a red convertible corvette with the roof on top. It was my car. Another memory flashed. It was of me and Liam in the car. My vision was hazy and I could hardly see a thing as I was driving. It was the same vision again. This time it was clearer. We were arguing. He points at something. The next thing I see is nothing but white light.

“Caiden,” I turned my attention to the phone to face him. His face was hard and pensive. There was no getting through to him. I looked down at the video. A few minutes later, I stumbled out of the car. I got out from the driver’s side. It could only mean one thing. I was driving. I had been the one driving when the accident happened. From the looks of it, I seemed drunk. Maybe I was. I wandered around aimlessly, then I went back to the car. And dragged a lifeless body from the passenger’s side. It was Liam. I knew it was him from the blue converses that he liked so much. I kneeled down next to him. It wasn’t clear if I was giving him first-aid or if I was checking if he was alive. He wasn’t. He was dead. And I had killed him. The video ended there.

“Caiden.”

“Are you going to say it’s not you?”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“How about; Sorry I killed your brother. Or Sorry I lied to you. Or sorry…”

“I didn’t lie,”

“You lied!” his voice was so harsh it froze me, “you told me it wasn’t you who was driving!”

“That’s because that’s what I was told! I didn’t remember. Not until now.”

He let out a harsh laughter, “Now you remember. How convenient.” He turned away as if I was too despicable to look at.

“It’s not like that at all. The video. It brought back memories.” How was I supposed to tell him what really happened when he thought all that was spewing from me were lies? Until now, I had almost no memory of that night. But there were still things that made little sense. Little details I couldn’t remember.

“You’re exactly like your father. You change facts and manipulate people when it suits you. Regardless of consequences. Tell me,” he turned to face me, “was any of what we had true, or was that all part of some sick plot you and your father were cooking.”

“It’s not like that at all.”

“Looking at you makes me want to vomit.”

“Caiden Please.” My entire life I had begged no one for anything I had never felt like doing so. But now. Looking at him. I wanted to kneel, grovel, lick his shoes. Do whatever it takes for him to forgive me. It was then that I realized I loved him. I stepped forward tentatively, like prey walking into a lion’s den. I took hold of his arm. It felt tense under my grasp, “Caiden, please forgive me. Can you please forgive me? I don’t know what happened. And I still don’t understand what happened, but can you please forgive me? I’ll do anything for you. I love—”

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