Glaring bluntly at the picture in the album, my eyes began to waver. "Daughter? My parents had another daughter?" I yelled looking at the pictures all over again to assure myself I hadn't seen wrong.
Just as I expected, I wasn't seeing wrong. With a picture of a year old girl in my hands, I looked up in hesitation. I had a sister whom I didn't know of? Where was she? Why isn't she with me? What happened to her and why did they keep this from me?
Breathing heavily, I got up and dragged the drawer backwards before pushing all the pictures in it on the floor. In no time, I managed to take out everything. As the pictures laud scattered in front of me, I sat on the floor and started to look through for more information.
After looking through almost all of them, I only found pictures of me and mom. With a heavy sigh, my hands fell over a picture lying right under the drawer. Rushing to pull it out, I stared at an old picture of a man. It was only after looking at the name attached to the edge that I knew who it was.
It was my dad. It was the very first time I had a glimpse of how my father looked. Mom never placed his pictures in frames. In fact, she kept all the pictures to herself. She'd pick an excuse everytime I asked her for my dad's picture.
He was smiling so much waving to the camera. With his blue turquoise eyes, his jaw lined up with his perfect teeth as he smiled. But when I looked at his outfit, I couldn't believe my eyes. He had the same outfit of the hospital mom also worked in.
With his name tag, I found out his name too. It was Lucas Dickson. It was clear to me now. Both of them worked in the same hospital in the city. Why did she have to lie about his occupation too?
Pursing my lips, I turned to my picture in the mess and picked her picture too. After glancing at my picture together with hers, I realized something. Although we resembled each other thorough, pointed nose, black long curly hair, our eye colors were different.
I had green eyes like mom but she had turquoise eyes like dad. Unable to keep up with the confusion in my head, I packed all these pictures into my bag including the documents about her. I needed to check that hospital. They might have information about my mom and dad at least.
Throwing myself on the chair, I looked up into the window and turned to a pile of slides on my phone. Due to my messed up life, I forgot to even study. After pulling out some notebooks, I dumped them on the table and started reading. After a few minutes, I dozed off and slept on the table.
When the sun rose, my eyes fluttered from the burning light. Rubbing my eyes, I turned to the books in front of me. As I looked up, a scream escaped my lips at the time on the wall clock.
I'm late! Dragging the books into my bag, I rushed to the washroom to get ready. As I hopped on a toe to fix my boots on, I raised my hands to toe my hair up. I quickly scurried for the house keys and placed my bag behind me, running over for a taxi.
Immediately it stopped at the entrance to Beverly Hills, I stepped out and run towards the entrance. "Get ready for class," the alarm went off as I walked along the hallway. It was snowy today so I took along my hoodie with white boots and a long coat. At the end of the hall, I saw Tricia waving to me.
"Coming!" I yelled dumping the books from yesterday into my locker. Speeding my pace, I met up with Tricia and Jess in no time. Tricia's eyes fell when she saw me. "Clara, about yesterday," Tricia started blocking my way with her arms.
"You don't have to go. They'll just out the blame on you. We believe you." Turning the principal's office, I ignored her and walked away. Dropping my bag on a desk by them, I began running. "Clara!" I walked to the principal's office quickly looking away from the murmuring crowd.
Surrounded by detectives, I saw the policeman who was in charge of my mom's case too.
"Clara. Please sit," the principal exclaimed pointing to a seat in front of her. I nodded and took a seat by her lowering my head.
She passed a letter to me and sighed. "We found this in Kate's locker." As I moved my hands to receive the letter, I couldn't help but think over the situation. After ripping the letter from the envelope, I saw her handwriting in it.
"Horrible life. Hi! I find this strange to be writing to myself. But I just feel the need to do so right now. Whoever reads this, I'm going to quit. Yes....it's suffocating to be here. There are friends around me, but no one actually talks to me sincerely unless they feel the need to. I hope in the next stage of my life, I'd have true friends.
Yeah.. I'm leaving this behind before I leave. Don't be shocked. I don't need anyone's sympathy." I could see a strained pen ink. Remembering back, Tricia and I once intercepted her writing something a few days ago. She quickly hid it when she saw us walking to her.
"Thanks to Mr. Tucker, we were able to find this. You're acquitted of all suspicion now." Turning with a surprise look, he just smiled at me. I looked away immediately and rushed out without even talking to him. "Miss Dickson!"
When I got ti the entrance, he held my hand. "We don't have anything to talk about." Yanking his hand off, I walked to class hurriedly.
I sat down in class and placed my head on the table to avoid talking to anyone. At this moment, I didn't want to listen to anyone. I don't believe she killed herself. Even if there's a letter, someone might be behind it. After lectures ended, I lifted my head and grabbed my bag from the chair.
"Clara," Jess said standing up after me. I didn't respond to his call and proceeded walking out. As I passed by the ball court to exit the school, I spotted Adrian training. Immediately he saw me, I turned away and started walking. He rushed after me along the hallway and held my hand to stop me.
"I don't forget my promises. Are you available for an hour?" As I lowered my eyes, I remembered I had a practice with him. Sighing, I turned to him with folded lips. "Alright." A little smile drew from the corner of his eyes after I affirmed with a nod.
"Are you okay? I heard about the acquittance." I nodded before dropping my bag on the bench. We were going to have finals soon. I need to practice, even if it has to be him. Picking a ball from the basket, he threw it to me slowly.
I caught it easily in the air, turning to him waiting for instructions. "First up, you should learn to balance the ball and protect it no matter what from attackers," he explained after receiving the ball from me.
"Try to attack me. Go to the last end and I'll start in the middle. Try to get the b-ball from me." I nodded while running to the end.
With a heavy sigh, I tied up my hair back properly and started attacking him with all my might. But he was too experienced for me to keep the ball all the time.
"Keep the pace. Don't be distracted. Study your opponent's tactics with his feet. That'll tell you what he intends to do next." When he tried to catch the ball, his hands fell on mine. I stepped back after looking into his eyes. Dropping the ball on the floor, I looked around. I couldn't concentrate, especially with him around me.
"Okay. Next up, let's learn how to throw the ball making 100% sure it's a goal." I stood in position while taking my time. He repeated that I should take a deep breath before throwing the ball and imagine doing it perfectly before tackling it.
I sighed, looked at the post, closed my eyes taking a deep breath before throwing it. "I did it!" I rejoiced as the ball passed through the court. Smiling, I did something right this time. I jumped happily turning to him with a smile.
"We're closing," the janitor alarmed making me roll my eyes in annoyance. "Another day. I have to go now." He nodded and threw the ball backwards.
"About that," he coaxed but I looked away with a sigh. "I have to go."
When I got to the woods, Max wasn't there. I saw him entering the woods only a few minutes after me. "I've never seen you coming from there in that," I snapped after pointing to him in shorts and t-shirt like a sportswear practice.
"I had some errands. Did you find anything?" I nodded while walking to the cottage.
I removed a collection of pictures and the documents and spread them on the table. "This language is intense, but I'll figure it out," he exclaimed, taking a look at the picture.
His eyes widened in shock when he saw the last picture.
"Catherine. Why do you have her picture?" My brain buzzed with his question.
"Wait..you know her?" He nodded and retorted, glancing at the other pictures. "She was adopted together with me. But I have no idea of her history before she came there."
I got up and paced around cluelessly, "She's my sister." Hearing this, he raised his head abruptly awestruck. "This doesn't make sense. If she's your sister, why would he adopt the child of his enemy? Did your mom voluntarily give her out?"
I sat down unconsciously folding my lips. "No idea. It's only after mom died that I realized that she hid a lot from me," I alluded.
"I don't know where she is now. But I'm sure she's still at Beverly Hills," Max appraised while handing over the pictures to me. I was in the same school, that too with my sister. It couldn't get any worse. But all I knew was that I had to find her, she's my only family left.
"The easiest way to find out is to check her name. I believe he named us after him, Morrison. Plus the date of admission," he added making a smile form on my face.
He was right, after all. Why didn't I think of this before? I leaped with excitement hugging him rejoicing. "You're right. This could help me discover more about my mom too!"
My phone beeped. Sighing, I rushed to the door after grabbing my things. "I have to go. Later!" Running to the exit, I boarded a taxi and rush into the building panting.
At one of the curving points, I saw a young woman standing beside a glass. Looking around, I saw that policeman standing with her. As I approached the young woman, I saw mom's picture in the frame with a pot of ashes beside it.
"Clara?" My eyebrows furrowed as a stranger called my name. "It's me, Janessa, a colleague of your mom. This man said he needs to talk to you about your mom." Dropping my hands beside me, I turned to the police man.
"What do you want? You even cremated my mom without my notice!"
He slowly approached me and returned an apologetic look. "It's about your mom. You were right. We need an investigation." My eyebrows furrowed with his confession. Janessa nodded and walked to me too.
"During the autopsy, I found bite marks on her neck."
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Thanks for reading this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. It's confirmed now that Ian killed Clara's mom, but for what reason, why is he killing girls from Beverly if he's sure about her looks.
Please keep reading, vote and comment on the story as I update.