The Incubus System Chapter 152. Don't Lie To Me
"Do you guys know each other?" Larry's voice broke the silence between us. I never told anyone about Tiffany, including to Larry. Besides, I only met her twice. The first was before my mother married my stepfather and the second was at my mother's second wedding.
"Yes," I said without taking my eyes off her. My heart was beating fast and my feelings were mixed. Since finding Tiffany was tantamount to finding my mother. The problem was I didn't know whether she wanted to tell me or not.
"Long time no see, Ethan," she greeted in a cold voice. From her expression, I could tell she was unhappy to see me, so was I. There was a bitter feeling in my heart because she was able to get my stepfather and my mother's love, while they dumped Celia and me like trash.
"Yes, it's been so long, Tiffany. How have you been?" I said as I kept my composure.
"Good," she answered in a nonchalant tone. She turned to Larry and Emma who were standing in silence since they caught how my mood changed drastically after meeting Tiffany. And I was sure Tiffany had also recognized Larry and Emma as demon hunters just like her.
"Looks like you made some good friends," she said with a smirk. A second later, her expression turned cold again as a breath escaped her mouth.
"Oh well --- since you look fine, I'll assume Celia is also fine and I will end this unuseful conversation here." Then she walked away.
As she had just walked past me a few steps, I spoke again.
"Where do you live now?" I asked straight to the point.
She stopped her steps.
"Why do you want to know about that?"
I clenched my hands, holding back my mixed feelings, remembering what my mother had done to me and Celia.
"Answer me, where's mom?" Even though I kept my voice down, traces of my anger were clear from my tone.
She turned around and gave me a challenging look.
"I'm sorry. You asked the wrong person. How do I know where your mom is?" Despite her words, she said it in a displeased tone. Then she turned around casually and resumed her steps.
I chased her as I gritted my teeth in displeasure and blocked her way. And she stopped in her tracks.
"Don't lie to me. Where's mom?" I said with a glare.
"I don't know," she replied curtly. Then she shifted to the side to get past me, but I also shifted to block her.
She responded with another glare.
"What do you want?"
"Tell me where is she? I just want to talk to her," I insisted.
"I told you I don't know," she replied in a displeased tone.
"You live with her," I said in the same tone as her.
She let out a short bitter chuckle.
"I've left them for a long time."
"Do you think I will believe that?" She obviously got a better life and affection than me and Celia, there was no reason for her to leave.
She sighed in exasperation.
"It's up to you to believe me or not. They don't live in Aeros anymore but have moved overseas and I don't want to go with them nor leave my job." Her gaze was suddenly filled with hatred and anger.
"Besides, I don't want to live with lunatics who killed my mom."
This time not only disbelief but confusion also filled my head.
"What happened? Since when did they move out?" I asked impatiently. I guessed Tiffany didn't come with them, because she didn't want to leave her job as a demon hunter or maybe she couldn't.
"They have moved out since ten months ago. The reason was ..." She paused, this time I could see the sadness in her eyes.
"Because they've committed a sin that I can't forgive." She paused again as she looked at me.
"Besides, someone is constantly disturbing their life."
I frowned again. My confusion was clearly visible on my face. My mother's number which was used to contact me and transfer money to me was registered in Republic Eros. If she had moved overseas ten months ago, she should have used a different number.
'Is she lying?' I quickly checked her with my observation skill and found her emotional status was honest, angry, jealous and sad. From her honest status I knew she didn't lie, she was angry maybe because she met me but why was she jealous and sad? Because I came with Emma and Larry? Or because Theo was injured? But I didn't find that emotion when I checked her out earlier.
"What do you mean?" My curiosity filled my head. I didn't understand what happened.
But instead of answering my question, she let out another bitter chuckle and folded her arms in front of her chest. Her body leaned towards me, her face closer to mine.
"Does it feel good to live under someone else's protection?" she asked in a cynical tone.
"Under someone else's protection?" I repeated in confusion. I never felt protected by anyone. Besides, if I was being protected, I shouldn't have died a week ago.
"Shouldn't that question be for you? You live with your dad and my mom. You don't have to struggle like me." This time I also replied with a cynical tone.
She smirked bitterly.
"I told you I didn't want to live with lunatics who killed my mom."
"What happened?" I repeated my question. I had heard her say that before, but she only gave me confusing pieces of the puzzle, as if she mocked me.
She pulled her face away from me and smirked in satisfaction with my confusion.
"I have no obligation to tell you." She gave me a polite nod.
"Have a good day, Ethan," she said calmly. Then she walked away, trying to pass me again, but I got in her way. And when she shifted to the side, I shifted to follow her.
"Move," she said with a glare.
"Tell me what happened," I repeated in a firm tone. She was my only clue, I couldn't just let go of her, especially after she played around with me and made me curious.
"I said move," she said in the same glare.
I smirked.
"Make me," I challenged her.
"As you wish," she said confidently. Tiffany lifted her hand to push me
Meanwhile, as soon as Larry caught Tiffany's intention, he almost came over to me since he knew the difference between an ordinary person and a demon hunter's strength. But Emma extended her arm to the side to stop him and shook her head side to side. She knew I could not lose to Tiffany and this was my family problem.
As Tiffany's hand almost landed on me, I caught it. She looked surprised and quickly pulled her hand away, but I didn't budge.
"I'll let you go after you tell me what happened," I said.
"No." The look in her eyes did not change. She tried to push me with her other hand and I caught it with my other hand. Again, when she tried to pull it, I didn't budge.
"Tell me what happened?" My voice was getting higher. My bad thoughts along with questions began to fill my head. Did my mother and stepfather kill Tiffany's mother? That's why they moved out? Then what did she mean by I was living under someone's protection? And why after they left my mother was still able to reach me with the Republic Aeros number?
"Let me go!" she snapped.
"Then answer my question!" I replied with another snap. I lost my temper.
"Ehem!" A man's voice came from our side. At our side, a nurse was standing and looking at us angrily. But I did not turn my face away from Tiffany and our eyes stared at each other like mortal enemies.
"This is a hospital, not a fighting studio. Please get out," said the nurse. Despite his low voice, I knew he was mad at us. Moreover, this was a special treatment room corridor.
"Of course, we're gonna finish this outside. Am I, right, Tiffany?" Again, I said with a glare.
She let out an exasperated sigh since she knew she wouldn't be able to escape from me.
"Fine." After that answer, I loosened my grips and she pulled her hands roughly. Without further ado, she walked past me to the elevator.
I turned to Larry and Emma.
"I'll be right back." Then I went after Tiffany.