Brooke thought she could finally breathe.<\/p>\n
<\/ins><\/div>\n
After everything that had happened recently, she believed the situation with Chicago was something she could explain to Larry herself when the time was right.<\/p>\n
But when Brooke walked into the living room that afternoon, she immediately noticed something was wrong.<\/p>\n
Larry was sitting quietly on the couch.<\/p>\n
Bethany was nearby.<\/p>\n
Neither of them said anything.<\/p>\n
Brooke looked between them.<\/p>\n
<\/ins><\/div>\n
\u201cWhy y\u2019all looking at me like that?\u201d<\/p>\n
Larry slowly looked up.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrooke\u2026 we need to talk.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her stomach dropped.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout what?\u201d<\/p>\n
Larry didn’t answer immediately.<\/p>\n
Then he said,<\/p>\n
<\/ins><\/div>\n
\u201cChicago.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke froze.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about Chicago?\u201d<\/p>\n
Larry’s expression became serious.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn’t you tell me the whole story?\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke immediately looked at Bethany.<\/p>\n
Her face changed.<\/p>\n
<\/ins><\/div>\n
\u201cWait\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
She pointed toward Bethany.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou told him?\u201d<\/p>\n
Bethany sighed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought he needed to know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke couldn’t believe it.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou had no right!\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/ins><\/div>\n
Brooke stepped toward Bethany.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you went behind my back and told Larry everything?\u201d<\/p>\n
Bethany tried to remain calm.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn’t trying to hurt you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou already did!\u201d<\/p>\n
Larry stood up.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrooke, calm down.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/ins><\/div>\n
\u201cNo, Dad!\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke’s eyes filled with tears.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe didn’t even talk to me first!\u201d<\/p>\n
Bethany replied,<\/p>\n
\u201cI tried to talk to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you kept avoiding me.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/ins><\/div>\n
Brooke shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou wanted me to look bad!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat isn’t true.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou told Larry about Chicago knowing exactly how he would react!\u201d<\/p>\n
Larry interrupted.<\/p>\n
\u201cEnough.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke turned toward him.<\/p>\n
<\/ins><\/div>\n
\u201cAnd now you’re completely against me!\u201d<\/p>\n
Larry looked stunned.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m not against you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, you are!\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke’s voice cracked.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou believed her before you even heard my side.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bethany quietly said,<\/p>\n
<\/ins><\/div>\n
\u201cLarry has the right to know what’s happening.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke immediately responded,<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I had the right to tell him myself!\u201d<\/p>\n
The room went silent.<\/p>\n
Larry looked at Brooke.<\/p>\n
\u201cI asked you before if there was anything I needed to know.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/ins><\/div>\n
Brooke lowered her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn’t ready.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat doesn’t make it okay to hide things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn’t hiding it forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
Larry sighed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why Chicago?\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/ins><\/div>\n
Brooke didn’t answer.<\/p>\n
Bethany watched quietly.<\/p>\n
Larry continued,<\/p>\n
\u201cWho were you with?\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke finally said,<\/p>\n
\u201cI went there for a reason.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat reason?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can’t tell you yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Larry’s expression became even more serious.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat’s exactly the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke looked at Bethany again.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou see what you did?\u201d<\/p>\n
Bethany frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn’t create this situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou made it worse!\u201d<\/p>\n
Larry raised his voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrooke!\u201d<\/p>\n
She stopped.<\/p>\n
Larry took a breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love you. But I’m disappointed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those words hit Brooke harder than anything else.<\/p>\n
She whispered,<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you really believe I’m the bad guy?\u201d<\/p>\n
Larry replied,<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe you made a choice you need to explain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke wiped away a tear.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat’s not the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke started walking away.<\/p>\n
Bethany stopped her.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrooke, wait.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke turned around.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
Bethany looked emotional.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn’t tell Larry because I wanted him to turn against you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why?\u201d<\/p>\n
Bethany hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I was scared.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cScared of what?\u201d<\/p>\n
Bethany said,<\/p>\n
\u201cI found out something about Chicago that worried me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Larry looked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou never told me that part.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bethany nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I wasn’t sure it was true.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke crossed her arms.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you told him anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI told him because I didn’t want you walking into something dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou could’ve asked me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI tried.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
Bethany replied,<\/p>\n
\u201cThe night before you left.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke’s expression changed.<\/p>\n
She remembered the conversation.<\/p>\n
Bethany had asked where she was going.<\/p>\n
Brooke had avoided answering.<\/p>\n
But Brooke still wasn’t convinced.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat’s not an excuse.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bethany nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe not.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then she pulled out her phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have something you need to see.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bethany opened her phone.<\/p>\n
She showed Brooke and Larry a message.<\/p>\n
It had been sent anonymously.<\/p>\n
The message said:<\/p>\n
\u201cBrooke doesn’t know what she’s walking into in Chicago.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Brooke stared at the screen.<\/p>\n \u201cWho sent that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen did you get it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBefore you left.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke became quiet.<\/p>\n Larry looked at Bethany.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy didn’t you tell me about this?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause I didn’t want to cause panic.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cSo you secretly investigated me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen how did you know about Chicago?\u201d<\/p>\n Bethany replied,<\/p>\n \u201cBecause someone told me.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke’s eyes widened.<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n Bethany hesitated.<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t know if I should say.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke became furious again.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter everything you’ve done, you’re still keeping secrets?\u201d<\/p>\n Larry stepped between them.<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody calm down.\u201d<\/p>\n But Brooke wasn’t listening.<\/p>\n She pointed toward Bethany.<\/p>\n \u201cYou told Dad one side of the story!\u201d<\/p>\n Then she looked at Larry.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd now he thinks I’m lying!\u201d<\/p>\n Larry replied,<\/p>\n \u201cI never said you were lying.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke answered,<\/p>\n \u201cYou didn’t have to.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke finally sat down.<\/p>\n She covered her face with her hands.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn’t tell anybody because I was trying to protect someone.\u201d<\/p>\n Larry immediately looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke stayed silent.<\/p>\n Bethany asked,<\/p>\n \u201cIsaiah?\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke looked up.<\/p>\n Nobody spoke.<\/p>\n Larry’s expression changed.<\/p>\n \u201cSo this is about Isaiah?\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was something happening in Chicago that involved him.\u201d<\/p>\n Larry asked,<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke took a deep breath.<\/p>\n \u201cI got a message before I went.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat did it say?\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke reached into her bag.<\/p>\n She pulled out an old\u00a0\u00a0photograph<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n Larry took it.<\/p>\n His eyes widened.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is Chicago?\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI found out Isaiah had been there.\u201d<\/p>\n Larry looked confused.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy didn’t you tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause I didn’t know whether I could trust what I found.\u201d<\/p>\n Bethany quietly said,<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that’s exactly why I was worried.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cBut you made Larry think I went there for the wrong reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n Bethany shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cI never said that.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke replied,<\/p>\n \u201cYou didn’t have to.\u201d<\/p>\n Larry looked at the photograph again.<\/p>\n Then at Bethany.<\/p>\n Then at Brooke.<\/p>\n \u201cI owe you an apology.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke looked surprised.<\/p>\n Larry continued,<\/p>\n \u201cI should’ve listened to your side before making assumptions.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke’s eyes filled with tears.<\/p>\n \u201cI just wanted you to trust me.\u201d<\/p>\n Larry nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n Bethany stepped forward.<\/p>\n \u201cBrooke\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke looked at her.<\/p>\n Bethany said,<\/p>\n \u201cI should’ve talked to you first.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke didn’t answer.<\/p>\n \u201cI was scared,\u201d Bethany continued.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought something could happen to you.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke finally said,<\/p>\n \u201cYou could’ve trusted me enough to tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n Bethany nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cYou’re right.\u201d<\/p>\n For a moment, the tension began to disappear.<\/p>\n But then Larry noticed something written on the back of the photograph.<\/p>\n He turned it around.<\/p>\n There was a date.<\/p>\n And underneath the date was a name.<\/p>\n Larry’s face immediately changed.<\/p>\n \u201cBrooke\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n Larry pointed at the writing.<\/p>\n \u201cThis person was in Chicago too.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke looked at the name.<\/p>\n She suddenly became pale.<\/p>\n \u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n Larry stared at her.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know who this is?\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke whispered,<\/p>\n \u201cThat’s the person I’ve been trying to find.\u201d<\/p>\n The room became completely silent.<\/p>\n Larry asked,<\/p>\n \u201cWhy didn’t you tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause I was afraid you’d stop me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStop you from doing what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFinding out the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n Bethany stepped closer.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat truth?\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Chicago trip wasn’t about running away.\u201d<\/p>\n Larry asked,<\/p>\n \u201cThen what was it about?\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke took out her phone.<\/p>\n \u201cI received several messages from someone claiming they knew what happened between Isaiah and me.\u201d<\/p>\n She showed them the messages.<\/p>\n One said:<\/p>\n \u201cYou were told the wrong story.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Another said:<\/p>\n \u201cChicago is where you’ll find the missing piece.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Larry shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is getting serious.\u201d<\/p>\n Bethany looked worried.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy would somebody send you there?\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke replied,<\/p>\n \u201cThat’s what I wanted to know.\u201d<\/p>\n Then another message arrived.<\/p>\n Brooke’s phone buzzed.<\/p>\n Everyone looked at it.<\/p>\n The message said:<\/p>\n \u201cTell Bethany she was never supposed to know about Chicago.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Brooke slowly looked up.<\/p>\n Bethany’s face went pale.<\/p>\n Larry immediately asked,<\/p>\n \u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n Bethany shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t know.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke stared at her.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen why would somebody say you weren’t supposed to know?\u201d<\/p>\n Bethany had no answer.<\/p>\n Larry took the phone.<\/p>\n \u201cWho sent this?\u201d<\/p>\n Unknown number.<\/p>\n Brooke said,<\/p>\n \u201cThey’ve been sending me messages for weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n Larry looked at Bethany.<\/p>\n \u201cYou knew someone was contacting her?\u201d<\/p>\n Bethany nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew about one message.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOnly one?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke suddenly remembered something.<\/p>\n \u201cWait.\u201d<\/p>\n Everyone looked at her.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke opened an old conversation.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was another message.\u201d<\/p>\n She scrolled through her phone.<\/p>\n Then she froze.<\/p>\n \u201cThis one came the same night Bethany talked to you.\u201d<\/p>\n Larry asked,<\/p>\n \u201cWhat does it say?\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke handed him the phone.<\/p>\n The message read:<\/p>\n \u201cBethany will tell Larry about Chicago. When he turns against you, you’ll finally come looking for us.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Everyone stared at the screen.<\/p>\n Larry slowly looked at Bethany.<\/p>\n Bethany whispered,<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone planned this.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke’s voice became quiet.<\/p>\n \u201cThey wanted you and me fighting.\u201d<\/p>\n Then someone knocked on the\u00a0\u00a0door<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n Three times.<\/p>\n Everyone froze.<\/p>\n Larry slowly walked toward the door.<\/p>\n \u201cWho’s there?\u201d<\/p>\n No answer.<\/p>\n He opened it.<\/p>\n Nobody was standing outside.<\/p>\n But there was an\u00a0\u00a0envelope<\/span><\/a>\u00a0on the ground.<\/p>\n Larry picked it up.<\/p>\n His name was written across the front.<\/p>\n He opened it.<\/p>\n
\n<\/div>\nChapter 6 \u2014 Brooke Reveals Her Secret \ud83d\ude2d<\/h2>\n
\n<\/div>\nChapter 7 \u2014 Larry Realizes He May Have Judged Brooke Too Quickly \ud83d\ude33<\/h2>\n
\n<\/div>\nChapter 8 \u2014 Someone Has Been Lying to Everybody \ud83d\udea8<\/h2>\n
\n<\/div>\nChapter 9 \u2014 Bethany Is Completely Shocked \ud83d\ude31\ud83d\udd25<\/h2>\n
\n<\/div>\nChapter 10 \u2014 Brooke\u2019s Final Words Leave Everyone SPEECHLESS \ud83d\ude31\ud83d\ude2d<\/h2>\n