Why Did You Lie To Me?

Arthur and Helena decided to have their day back to normal as they figured they were safe in the campsite, unlike in the beach house. Arthur explores the woods while Helena continues writing her novel.

Helena smiled, and her stories flowed out and into her fingers. She reached the midpoint, the point of no return where the lead character was deeply motivated to help and save his female lead. The protagonist had been through so much that Helena felt sorry for him, but she promised to give his male lead a good victory.

The sentences kept getting longer, with more description and detail, until she started typing the words, "His strong arms enveloped her, pulling her closer as their lips met in a passionate kiss."

As she typed those words, Helena couldn't help but feel a rush of heat spread through her body. She had always been a romantic at heart, and writing these scenes made her feel alive.

Meanwhile, Arthur had been exploring the woods for hours. He had always been an outdoorsy person, and the tranquility of nature was the perfect escape from the chaos of everyday life. But as he trekked more profoundly into the forest, he couldn't help but feel like he was being watched.

He shook off the feeling and continued, eager to see the other secrets the woods held. Eventually, he came across a clearing and saw a black car, but it wasn't a Cadillac. It was a black suburban, but Arthur couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched.

As he approached the car, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. Before he could react, a figure emerged from the shadows and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, slamming him onto the ground.

Arthur's heart raced as he struggled to free himself from the figure's grasp. But the figure was too strong, and Arthur could feel his breath squeezed out of him.

"Who are you?" he managed to gasp out.

His years of outdoor training had prepared him for situations like this. He managed to elbow the attacker's ribs, causing him to loosen his grip. Arthur quickly got up and tackled the man, pinning him to the ground.

Arthur managed to hold the man down and grab a sharp rock, slitting the man's face with it. The man struggled and tried to fight back, but Arthur pinned him down.

"Why were you following me?" Arthur demanded his voice firm and commanding.

The man sneered at him, blood pouring down his face. "I didn't mean to hurt you; I want you to come with me. Someone wants to talk to you," he said, gasping.

Arthur laughed sarcastically. "You didn't mean to hurt me, but you squeezed my breath out of me just now."

"I didn't have a choice; you're a big man. Besides, if she wants to hurt you, she would have sent 10 armed men here."

Arthur's grip tightened on the man's shirt, fury boiling inside him. "Tell me what you're up to? Who sent you here?"

"I can't tell you that. Come with me; she wants to talk to you."

"Tell her I'm not coming home. Now, I want you to send that message to her, and I don't want to see your face again."

Arthur stomped on the man's face and punched him several times to ensure he would stay down. When he wakes up, he will surely learn his lesson and send the message to whoever asks to take him away from San Antonio.

Arthur's heart was racing, and his chest hurt, but he felt alive. He was sure the man in the suburban wasn't the same man who had intruded on Helena's beach house. He was sure who the woman behind it was, and she didn't want to tell Helena yet as it would make her worry more. He doesn't want to add to Helena's anxiety.

Arthur took his phone and dialed a number. He was impatient while listening to the ringing without an answer to the other line. The phone rang once before Arthur pressed the button on his screen to disconnect the call.

"Hello," finally, a woman answered. Her voice was soft and soothing, like a gentle breeze.

"Listen," Arthur said, his voice firm and commanding. "Alicia, I consider you and Robert dead, just like how you both want to see me. I don't want anything to do with you and Robert, so stop sending people to San Antonio."

"Son, this must be a misunderstanding. Don't you want to see your dad for the last time? Arthur, please come back to us, please..."

If anyone listens to Alicia for the first time and doesn't know her personally would believe how desperate and pitiful he is as a mother. But not Arthur. He clearly knows what kind of a person his mother is, and it's one of the reasons why he doesn't want to be associated with her anymore.

"I'll never gonna repeat this. LEAVE ME ALONE!!!"

"Arthur, he is still your father."

"Alicia, I consider you and Robert dead like how you want to treat me. Remember?"

"No, son. Arthur, please listen to me..."

"Enough with your bullshit!!!"

The call ended before Alicia could speak again. Arthur dialed Daniel's number. Daniel answered immediately. "Hello, Arthur. Thank God, you call. How are you?"

"Not so good, Daniel. I want to ask you if Alicia asks for my number."

Daniel sighed on the other line. "Sorry, man, I had no choice but to give her your number. Your mom came and threatened to hurt Chelsea if I don't give what she wants."

"Don't be sorry. I completely understand the whole situation. Alicia called me at dawn but didn't utter a word when I answered her. In the morning, she called me and told me about Robert. She wanted me to come home, which I declined. She sent a man to drag me back to the city, but he failed. After giving Alicia's man a lesson, I called her again. She tried to pull off her acting skills, but obviously, it didn't work for me."

"I could only imagine how furious she must be. Arthur, I'm scared of what she might have planned for you."

"Don't worry about me, Daniel; Alicia wouldn't hurt me. She needs me; I am her only salvation if Nathan refuses to follow her. And by the way, she acted earlier, it seems I am her only hope."

"Oh, that. About Nathan, that's another reason for us to talk in person, Arthur." His tone makes it clear that whatever Daniel needs to tell him isn't good, and it is so pressing that there is no time to waste.

The sadness in Daniel's voice at the mention of Nathan's name made Arthur weak. "What about Nathan?" He asked.

"I can't talk about here. Arthur, we need to meet; you must visit the city as soon as possible." A deep sadness lingers beneath the surface of his words, and Arthur can't help but feel their weight on his shoulders.

The call has ended. Arthur couldn't wrap his head around something terrible that would happen to Nathan. He walked around the woods to clear his head and figure out what was happening. He quickly spotted a black Cadillac that he recognized as the same one Helena described following them in the town. He immediately ducked into an alleyway, avoiding detection by the driver.

"They almost found us," he muttered with a hint of disappointment. He doesn't like that he almost has no choice but to do the last resort of solving the problem, which would hurt him and Helena.

He waited in the shadows until the car drove away before cautiously emerging from his hiding spot. He made sure to remain vigilant as he walked back to the woods. He slowly walked back to the campsite, his mind racing. When he arrived at the site, he saw Helena standing between the tents. Her face is flushed, and her eyes blazing with rage.

"Arthur?" Helena called out his name.

It saddened Arthur that her deep and mysterious look was replaced with anger. "Baby, what's wrong?" Arthur asked gently. He looked at Helena concernedly, his voice soft and comforting.

"Why did you lie to me?" Her eyes seem to blaze with anger, with a hint of sadness. The tiny pupils are almost nonexistent, replaced by a deep red hue. Her eyebrows are knitted together in an intense scowl, and her jaw is clenched tightly.