Secrets

{Juliana's POV}

I drove the car to the bar in a jiffy, where we picked up Eric, and then I drove him to his house. I laid him on the couch while Sara made some tea and served Eric.

"I'll take my leave now," Sara said trying to give us some privacy to settle the dispute between us.

But I wasn't planning on doing that. I'm sure Eric is better without me. Tiara can have him for all I care, although I still love Eric but family first.

"Okay," I replied. Sara winked at me as she went out of the house.

Eric smiled as he opened his eyes. His deep blue ocean eyes staring into my eyes. I was already lost in his eyes but I quickly shakes my head.

"Why are you smiling?." I asked.

"Nothing." He kept on smiling. His smile made me have butterflies in my stomach. I love his smile, so beautiful and perfect.

"Good. Now that you are okay, I better take my leave now." I stood up but Eric grabbed my hand. I turned around and looked into his eyes, I could see he was hurting but I can't let Tiara ruin my family because of me.

"Please don't leave me again. Without you, my heart would be broken into pieces." Eric hugged me. I struggled to break free but he held my wrist tight.

 I looked into his eyes. "Do you love Tiara?." I was dying to know what Tiara meant by Eric going to meet her sister. But I have to ask the questions one at a time.

He placed his finger on my lips." I don't love her." He was looking into my eyes but somehow I didn't believe him. I wanted to know more.

"What does she want from you? Or what does her sister wants from you? To me, this is something serious and you have to tell me the truth so that I can know the dangers that lie ahead of me. Tell me please, I assure you that I won't be scared at all." I said calmly even though I was mad at him for keeping secrets.

"I don't know!." He stood up and dipped his hands into his hair. I was making things hard for him but you won't blame me. I can't be in a relationship with someone that conceals secrets from me. And what scares me the most is that I have no idea whether I am safe or not.

"More lies. Tell me the truth. Don't look away. What are you keeping from me?  I want to know the truth. Tell me. If you want this relationship to continue you must tell me the truth. No more secret." I said with tears weld up in my eyes. I don't want to break up with Eric but he is not helping matters. I love him so much and it would be hard for me to leave him.

"You are right. Maybe we are not just meant to be together. Go!. leave!. Never come back." Eric shouted at me.

I was hurt as more tears poured out of my eyes. "We can fix whatever the problem is. You just have to tell me the truth." I held Eric's hand.

 Eric muttered some unknown words and looked straight into my eyes. "Our relationship is done. Leave and never come back unless I want you to."

I felt hypnotized, I didn't want to leave Eric but my body refused to listen to me. I found myself walking towards the door. No matter how hard I try not to leave, my legs refused to listen. I went home feeling bitter. I locked myself in my room for days not wanting to see anyone. I was prepared to starve myself to death.

   My mom did all she could to lure me out but none worked. So she called Sara but Sara did not pick up the call. She decided to go to Jack's house. Mom left home early in the morning and she is yet to return late in the evening.

Lucy and Rick were worried and at the same time trying to put Ruth to sleep. Ruth kept crying and Lucy being the worst babysitter in the world found it hard to put her to sleep. I was so frustrated that I had to open the door.

  "Would you mind keeping the noise down? Where is mom?." I was so frustrated.

"She went to Jack's house to call Sara hoping she would lure you out."

"Call Mom," I yelled.

"Why don't you call her yourself?." Lucy fires back and went out of the living room with Ruth in her hand.

  I picked my phone up to call Mom but it kept saying. *Hey it's me, Mrs. Robinson. Leave a message.* That was when Sara's call burst in.

"Hello, Sara. Is my mom with you?."

"No, I called her immediately I saw her missed calls. But she did not pick."

"That's weird," I said.

"Why was she calling me in the first place?."

"I had this stupid fight with Eric and I overreacted."

"I'm coming to your place now," Sara said.

"Ok. Bye." I hung the call and placed my phone on the table.

As I was about to call mom's working place to ask if she was at work. I heard the doorbell ring, so I opened the door but I met no one. Instead, there was a present on the floor. It was wrapped like a gift. This was suspicious. Why is there a gift on our doorstep? I thought. I carried the gift and took it inside. I opened the gift and saw the most shocking thing in my life. The package was filled with blood stains and there was a real human finger with a ring on it. The ring looks like mom's wedding ring. I was terrified but tried so hard not to make a sound. My siblings must not know about this. That was when I heard another doorbell. My heart kept pounding hard, I went to the kitchen to take a knife. When I opened the door I almost stabbed Sara.

"What was that for?." She asked but I did not reply instead I showed her the mysterious package. It was a mystery to us. Sara rummaged through the contents of the package, hoping to find a hint that would lead us to the person who had sent such a thing. Hopefully, she saw a flash drive inside the package. Sara inserted the flash drive into Lucy's laptop. Then she looked through the contents of the drive, only to find a video. She clicked on the video.

  It was Tiara !. My mom was tied to a chair with bruises all over her face. She appeared to have been beaten. Tiara was by her side.

"I did this to get back at Eric. If Eric doesn't go to my sister (Jessica) then I would wipe out all the Robinson family from the face of the Earth. Starting now." She turned to my mom. "Any last words?."

"Eric has a message for you. You have to believe whatever he says and seek justice. Be brave and keep me in your heart at all times. I will be with you and watch over you. Tell your dad not to grieve too much because of his health. Tell Ruth that I love her and love her for me. Do not forget nor miss me too much." My mom said weakly.

"Tyler get rid of her," Tiara said and that was how the video ended. 

"She has crossed the red line," I said angrily with tears in my eyes. "Nothing must happen to my mom or I would make Tiara pay."

"Cool down. Lucy and Rick must not know about this or they would be scared. It would be an emotional breakdown for them to know that they are not safe and they have to watch their backs when moving on the street. You have to keep the noise down." Sara said.

"My mother is being held captive by her. Eric has a lot of explanations to do. I knew something was fishy but Eric refused to let the cat out of the bag."

"Let's call Eric."

"No am calling my dad. We have to figure this out and call the cops."