Everyone was in shock on what Elise just said." And as for you, you were supposed to look after Cassie." Elise said looking at Oliver.
" Elise, let's go." Natalie said holding her hand. Looking behind the crowd, she also saw Ashton and some of his friends." We need to go." Natalie said.
The Harpers went out and drive away with Cassie passed out on Avery's lap. Elise looked out the window, trying to calm herself down.
Tears were starting to slip down her cheeks. She still could feel Isaak's grasp on her wrist. She's trying her best not to cry inside the car.
Natalie noticed and so she held Elise's hand and rubbed it so she could calm down. She moved closer to her and put her arm around Elise to comfort her.
When they got home, Elio was carrying Cassie." Take her to her room." Alex said then Grandpa Enzo came out of his room.
" What happened here?!" He asked his grandchildren." Cassie was about to get raped, luckily Elise found her before it happened." Avery explained.
" Excuse me." Elise ran up to her room, tears falling down. As she went to her room, she slammed the door and locked it.
She went to her bathroom and cried as she tried to clean her wrist on where Isaak held her. Flashbacks started to happen.
She couldn't help herself but cried. She doesn't know what to feel, she was all mixed emotions. She was mad, hurt, and disgusted about herself.
" Elise, please open the door." Natalie knocked on the door repeatedly begging for Elise to open the door." Elise, please. I know what you're going through. You can talk to me about this." Natalie said.
" Elizabeth, open the door." Alex calmly said. They could hear Elise crying and it broke their hearts. The trauma it brought as she saw Isaak broke her into millions of pieces.
" I'm gonna call Max." Avery said.
Max's phone was ringing and it led him confused as why Avery was calling in the middle of the night.
M: Avery?
A: Max, you need to come at the mansion
M: What's wrong?
A: It's about Elise... she locked herself in her bedroom and I know you're the only person who can get inside to talk to her
M: I'm on my way
Max hung up and quickly went to his car and drove to the mansion.
He was worried on his way to the mansion.
As he got there, he met up with Elise's brothers, waiting for him.
" We tried our best for her to open the door but she wouldn't listen." Elio said.
" Follow us." Alex said, leading Max to Elise's room." Max, great. She still won't open up." Avery said.
" Elise, it's Max. Avery called me. Can you open the door please?" Max asked knocking on the door.
They waited a few minutes before the door finally opened. Max was quickly pulled into hug as Elise continued to cry.
Max hugged her tight and kissed her head." It's ok. I'm here." Max comforted.
The rest watched as Elise slowly calmed down as she's with Max.
" What happened?" Nick asked.
" It's better if we tell you downstairs and leave them alone for awhile." Avery said.
They en5 down to the living room, with Grandpa Enzo." Can you tell us now?" Elio asked.
" 2 years ago, Isaak raped Elise." Natalie said. Of course it shocked them." I am going to kill him! " Nick exclaimed about to leave when Elio pulled him back.
" No one's leaving the house, Nick." Alex said. " You'll only make things worse." He added.
" Did you hear what Natalie said?! Elise was raped by the guy who tried to rape Cassie too. " Nick said.
" I know what I heard. But do you think the possibilities that you're going to end up in jail if you kill that guy?! " Alex asked him.
" You know everything I've done. And I'm not afraid to do it again. " Nick said.
" That's it, Nick, you need to calm down. We will discuss this tomorrow morning." Grandpa Enzo said.
Nick shrugged Elio's hands off of his shoulders, going up to his room.
" Elio, will you please look after your brother and make sure he doesn't sneak out?" Grandpa Enzo asked.
Elio nodded before following Nick.
" Girls, go to your room and sleep. You've had a long day." Grandpa Enzo said.
The girls nodded and left. It was only Alex and Grandpa Enzo left at the living room.
" Did you know about this? About the rape?" Alex asked. " I know everything that goes with my grandchildren Alex. I always keep an eye on them. I can explain everything but it's better if Elise tells you her story." Grandpa Enzo said.
" I'm going back to my room, I assumed you've called Elise's boyfriend. Go check on them." Grandpa Enzo said before going to his room.
Alex went to Elise's room to check on her. Elise was in her bed, finally sleeping in Max's arm.
Max was still awake, playing with her hair. Alex knocked on the door getting Max's attention.
Max carefully moved his arm out of Elise and went over to Alex." Mr. Alex-" Max was cut off.
" Just call me Alex when we're out of school." He said and Max nodded. " Elise didn't tell my anything right now which is why I'm still confused. But she pleaded that I should stay and be right beside her. I was going to ask if it's OK with you." Max said.
" Uhmm... Yeah, if it makes her comfortable and that she feels safe." Alex said.
Alex and Max went back to Elise, sleeping. Alex smiled and kissed his sister's forehead." Thank you for going here right as we called you." Alex told Max.
" It's not a big deal. It's the least I can do." Max said. Alex smiled and patted his shoulder before leaving.
........
The next day, Max waited for Elise to wake up. She was laying her head on his chest as she sleeps.
A few minutes later, Elise started to open her eyes, waking up to Max playing with her hair.
" Max." She softly called looking at him." Good morning." He said. Elise just smiled before getting out of bed.
" Are you OK?" Max asked. Elise nodded." I'll just go take a shower." Elise said then Max nodded.
As Elise was in the shower, she remembered everything that she had gone through. She could remember everything she felt and it felt like it was done just yesterday.
The cold shower waked her uo from her sleepiness in which found herself to calm down and think of something else.
After she was done and already dressed up, she and Max went downstairs, meeting up with her family by the dining room.
" Hey." Elio greeted as the rest of his siblings were looking away, knowing what Elise still feels from last night.
" Uhm.. Good morning." Max politely greeted everyone." Good morning Max, I'm Elise's grandfather." Grandpa Enzo said.
" It's very nice to meet you sir." Max said. " Have a seat and join us for breakfast." Alex said.
Max smiled as he sat down next to Elise and ate breakfast. After breakfast, they all head to the living room and sat down.
" Anyone want to talk?" Avery asked breaking the silence." We're missing one more person." Granpa Enzo said.
Max was receiving a bunch of texts from his friends and schoolmates.
See photos and videos at the party on the internet.
As Max was about to play the video, Cassie walked in the room. Everyone immediately turned to her.
" Cassie / Max?!" Both Cassie and Max were surprised to see each other.
" What are you doing here?!" Both of them asked in unison." Cassie, please sit down." Grandpa Enzo said.
Cassie looked at her cousins then at Max." Elise, do you have anything to say to your cousin?" Grandpa Enzo asked, Max was taken by surprise as Cassie looked away.
" Do you know what happened to you?" Avery asked. Cassie shooked her head no.
" You seriously can't remember?" Natalie asked. " N-no.. I Don't remember. "Cassie said.
" How are you feeling?" Nick asked.
" I feel dizzy?" Cassie questioned herself." Do you know who you were with last night? At the party? "Elio asked.
" With my friends... Max was there but he went home early. And Oliver was called by Austin and Liv and Liam were called to play a game so I was left alone. " Cassie said.
" Anything else? " Alex asked." T-there's a guy, he said his name was Isaak and another guy, I think it was Taylor's ex? " Cassie wasn't sure as what she was saying at that point.
She was scared of Elise. She knows how Elise get angry." Isaak was my rapist, Cassie. He raped me." Elise spoke.
" And the other guy you're talking about is the one and only Ashton who sells party drugs to people like Isaak so he can easily get his rape victims." Elise added, looking at Cassie.
" Didn't I tell you not to come to that party?" Grandpa Enzo asked." I'm sorry. Ok? I didn't get much freedom and I need to unwind. So I decided to sneak out." Cassie explained.
" Sorry doesn't change anything, Cassie. You almost got raped!" Elise said standing up from her seat.
" Elise, seat down. " Elio said. Max held her hand and let her seat beside him again.
" Didn't I warn you about going to parties?! This is exactly what happens. " Elise said.
" Cassie, can you at least remember small things from that party? Just so we can have evidence when we file a case against him." Natalie said.
Cassie think everything through. Trying to remember what happened." I-I can remember now. Isaak approached me... He talked me through on getting me to drink... I told him I don't.. He tried and tried to ask me to drink but I've rejected him multiple times, and then he started manipulating me and bringing out his friends... They all pressured me so I had to." Cassie explained.
" But before his friends came, Ashton came to talk to me while Isaak was out to get me a cup of beer..." Cassie said looking at her cousins.
" Ashton is Isaak's back up... He was there to distract you while he puts drugs on your drink." Avery said.
" This is why we called you late at night, Max. " Avery said. Max turned to Elise.
" Elise, would you mind telling us everything?" Nick asked. Elise nodded.
Flashback
2 years ago, it was December 26, Bryce's annual after Christmas party. Almost the entire school was there partying.
Elise was invited by Chloe and Bostyn. Of course she was only 16 and doesn't know everything yet so she agreed.
" Mom, Dad, I'm going to a party." Elise informed her parents in the living room.
" Who are you going with?" Lorenzo asked. " I'm going alone." Elise said.
" Alone? What about your friends? What about Max?" Amelie asked.
" They weren't invited." Elise said." And your sisters?" Lorenzo asked.
" We declined. We've been in a lot of parties already." Avery said.
" Are you sure you want to go alone?" Lorenzo asked." Dad, I don't need a chaperone." She said.
" Alright, I'm just making sure you're ok." Lorenzo said." Bye." Elise said before leaving.
Elise entered Bryce's and was quickly drawn to the huge crowd partying everywhere.
" You're here." Bostyn said as she saw Elise walked in." Couldn't miss any party." Elise said.
" Where's your sisters?" Chloe asked." At home." Elise answered.
" Well then, if you need anything, let me know." Chloe said and Elise nodded.
Elise wondered around and found herself by the pool area. She leaned against the pillars and crossed her arms as she watched everyone.
" Hey." Isaak came up to her." Isaak." She said rolling her eyes. Ever since grade school Isaak was already a bully and Elise hates him a lot.
They've fought all the time in classes and people know they don't get a long well.
" Surprised you're alone." Isaak smirked." Let me get you a drink." Isaak said. " And for what reason?" She asked.
" So we could just live a night without fighting." Isaak said. " I don't drink." Elise said.
" For a popular girl like you? I doubt." Isaak said." Just because I have the reputation of a popular girl doesn't mean I drink." Elise said.
" Whatever, I'll get you a soda or something." Isaak said before leaving.
And then Ashton came. She wasn't really fond with him as he has a reputation for being a jerk.
" Hey." He greeted." What do you want?" Elise asked." Chill, I'm not gonna do anything to you." Ashton chuckled.
" You know I don't really like you so why are you talking to me?" Elise asked. " I just wanted to have a conversation with you. I noticed your sisters aren't here. " Ashton said.
" Too bad your loser friends weren't invited. " Ashton laughed. Elise was pissed off every time someone calls her friends losers.
" If they are losers, then what are you?" Elise asked raising her eyebrow.
Ashton scoffed before walking away. Just in time as Isaak came back." Here, it's coke. " Isaak said.
" Just try it." Isaak smiled. Elise was unsure if she's going to drink it or not. But as she looked at him, he looked innocent.
So she drinked it. Isaak grinned. They talked for awhile but suddenly Elise felt light-headed.
" Are you ok?" Isaak asked." I-I feel a bit dizzy." She answered rubbing her forehead and holding onto him.
" Follow me." Isaak whispered, leading her out of the party. Isaak lead her to something familiar, almost all the students in Quinton knows.
It's an abandoned tree house in almost all the couples go to.
There he lay her down and looked around before starting g to take his short off.
" Isaak... W-what are you doing?" Elise asked, scared for her life, but she was too weak to run or scream for help.
Isaak pinned her down to the floor and started doing nasty things to her like kissing her and more.
He was covering her mouth as he do it. She was screaming in pain, fear, and helplessness.
Tears fall down her cheeks as she felt helpless. She couldn't do anything but cry.
After Isaak was done with her, he left her alone and run away for his life. Never said a word.
Elise knows her life is ruined in just one night. She felt like throwing up, disgusted on what just happened to her.
On what he had done to her. She felt betrayed as she thought he was innocent. All night she cried and couldn't think of anything.
Her mind wasn't processing as all she could think about was how she got raped by the guy she thought wouldn't do such thing like it.
Her clothes were ruined. She stayed there overnight and cried herself to sleep.
As soon as she woke up, early I. The morning, she saw her phone and knew one person she could trust.
E: Max....
M: Elise? Is everything ok?
The sound of his boys melted her and that's when she started crying.
M: El, where are you?
M: Elise, answer me, please
E: I'm at the abandoned tree house
M: I'll be there in a minute, wait for me
Elise hung up and continued to cry. Max hurried up to get out of the bed and woke his dad up.
" Dad, hurry up." Max said as he and his dad drive to the tree house Elise was talking about.
When they got there, they were in shocked as they found Elise curled up at the corner, her clothes were ruined.
Max quickly took his jacket off and covered her." Elise what happened?!" Max asked, worried as he hugged her tight as she did too.
She was shaking uncontrollably as she cried on him." It's OK... I'm here now." Max comforted.
Officer Anderson then came near her." Elise, we're gonna take you home." He said and Elise nodded.
They went inside the car and drive to the Harpers Mansion. Elise was curled up and you could see the trauma in her eyes.
As Avery woke up, she went to Natalie and woke her up. It was their usual thing to wake each other up.
" We need to wake Elise up, it's 8 already." Avery said. Natalie rubbed her eyes before getting out of her bed.
As they went into Elise room, they found no one so they thought she might be in the bathroom but no.
And they've guessed she might be downstairs so they looked for her. They've searched the entire mansion but they couldn't find her.
They decided to tell their parents and when they told them, they began to worry so they rushed down. That's when they heard a knock on the door.
Officer Anderson knocked on the door and was immediately greeted by the Harpers, dressed up and panicking.
And when they saw Elise, they were taken back as she looked ruined and traumatized.
" Elise! Where have you been?!" Amelie was worried as she hurried to her daughter and hugged her.
Avery and Natalie joined the hugged and so did Lorenzo. And that's where Elise bursted out crying again, going down to her knees.
Her father comforted her. They brought her to the living room as Max and Officer Anderson followed them.
" What happened to you?" Lorenzo worried as his daughter was shaking uncontrollably and wouldn't stop crying.
It also made Amelie, Avery, and Natalie tear up." I-Isaak..." Elise tried to get her words together.
" What about him?" Avery asked." H-He.. H-he r-raped... He raped me." Elise cried as she let those words escape her mouth.
Everyone was in shocked, tears slipped down, and words can't express how they felt at that moment.
The Harpers looked at Officer Anderson." I'll be reporting this right away. If you'll excuse me." Officer Anderson said before leaving with Max.
" Dad, stop the car." Max said. " Why?" Officer Anderson asked as he parked the car from aside.
Max quickly went out of the car as he saw Isaak in the park with some of his friends, he also saw his friends talking to them.
Max was mad, balling his hands into a fist as he walks towards Isaak.
" Max. Hey-" Isaak was cut off when Max pulled him by the collar and punched him in the face.
Everyone gasped as Max pushed him to the ground and started attacking him.
" Max!" Liam, Liv, and Oliver tried to pull him away. As Officer Anderson came running towards them.
" You raped Elise! You're going to Jail!" Max tried to get out of his friends grip to punch Isaak once again but Officer Anderson stopped him.
Everyone was in shock when they heard Max say that Isaak raped Elise. Everyone in the park heard it and they knew the Harpers very well.
" Isaak, you're coming with me." Officer Anderson said, grabbing Isaak by his arm and dragged him to the car and left.
Everyone's eyes were on Elise's friemds trying to make Max calm down.
" Is it true?" Oliver asked." Why would Max lie and make Officer Anderson arrest Isaak if it isn't true?!" Liv questioned his twin.
" I'm going home." Max said walking away.
" I'm gonna call dad." Liam said. The twins nodded and decided to call their dad too.
Back home with the Harpers, Lorenzo and his family were still gathered in the living room comforting Elise.
" He's going to pay for what he did." Lorenzo said, you could tell he was mad." I'm going to get you some clothes." Natalie said.
Avery got her some water to help her calm down. Later that day, Elise went to take a shower and hasn't spoken to anyone.
Officer Anderson, Atty. Patterson and Detective Hayes came to the mansion with their kids.
" Elise." Liv called as she saw Elise sitting down at the living room zoned out.
Elise looked at her friends worried about her. Then she looked at her sisters.
Liv decided to sit down and hug her.
Elise hugged her back." Max told us what happened. So we called our dads to help." Liam said.
" Isaak's already in the police department with his father. Max and I saw him at the park with some of his friends." Officer Anderson said.
" I'll volunteer as Elise's lawyer." Atty. Patterson said." And I'll be going to the site and investigate everything." Detective Hayes said.
" What else can we do to provide proof?" Amelie asked." Hayes and I had already tried investigating the party to see if anyone pushed party drugs." Officer Anderson said.
" My advice, we should let Elise take a drug test and other kinds of test to provide proof. It can cause a lot of money and It will take a couple of days for the results so we can't immediately put Isaak into jail, plus the court trials we will be having against Isaak. We all know Atty. Presley is a great lawyer, it will be tough." Atty. Patterson said.
" Money isn't a problem, as long as we do the right thing and hive my daughter justice for what he did." Lorenzo said.
" We'll do our best, Lorenzo." Detective Hayes said. Lorenzo and Amelie thanked them.
" We will be going back to work, and I think the kids are willing to stay with Elise. If that's ok with you guys." Detective Hayes said.
" It's not a problem. Elise needs her friends to be there for her." Amelie said looking at her daughter being comforted by her friends.
" We'll keep you updated, Harper." Officer Anderson said." Thanks Anderson." Lorenzo said before they left.
" We need to take Elise to the hospital for the tests." Amelie said.
" Maybe not now... Elise is still in trauma, it's best if she calms down first before we take her to the hospital." Lorenzo said.
" Mom, Dad." Natalie called walking towards her parents, holding her phone." The news are going crazy and reporting about Elise's situation." Natalie said showing the news articles she found on the media.
" Don't worry honey. We'll take care of it." Amelie said. The whole day, Elise couldn't speak a word, she couldn't talk, not even to her sisters, friends, and even her parents.
That night, Avery and Natalie decided to sleep with her." We should've came with you. We're sorry." Avery apologized.
Elise then hugged Avery and so Natalie joined them before falling asleep.
The next day, they came downstairs.
" We're going to take you to the hospital... To do some tests." Lorenzo told Elise who nodded.
After breakfast, the Harpers drove to the hospital. And as soon as they got down, some of the paparazzis were already taking pictures of them.
Elise felt scared but luckily her family was there to cover her up. Avery and Natalie held her hand knowing it helps her calm down.
The bodyguards already took care of the paparazzis. Meanwhile with the Harpers, Elise nervously waited for her turn, some were looking at her probably the ones who already read the news.
" There's nothing to be scared off. We're all here." Natalie said holding Elise's hand.
After they did some tests, The Harpers went straight to the police station as Officer Anderson called them because Atty. Presley was asking to talk to Lorenzo.
As usual the paparazzis were there, while the police and bodyguards guarded The Harpers inside the police station.
Elise was put on the spotlight as Paparazzis kept calling her name.
When the got inside they were met up with Isaak and Mr. Presley with Officer Anderson, Atty. Patterson, and Detective Hayes.
Lorenzo's blood boiled as he saw Isaak." Mr. Harper, I'm sincerely sorry for what I did." Isaak apologized which made Lorenzo and the Harpers even mad.
" We're asking for you to move the case against my son." Mr. Presley said that caught them off guard.
" Move the case?! Your son raped my daughter!" Lorenzo yelled and punched Mr. Presley in the face.
" Dad." The girls called while Amelie, Officer Anderson and Atty. Patterson pulls him and Mr. Presley away from each other while Detective Hayes protected the girls from the fight.
" Your son ruined my daughter's life. Her reputation. She's not going to have a normal life ever again because of him." Lorenzo said.
" He apologized!" Mr. Presley said.
" And you think an apology would do something?! No!" Lorenzo yelled.
" I'm gonna push that case and make sure your son goes to jail." Lorenzo said.
" Girls, get back inside the car." Detective Hayes said and then escorted them back to the car as they waited for their parents.
Few days later, the court trial began.
" Your honor, I would like to ask the victim a couple of questions. " Mr. Presley said eyeing On Elise.
" Why did you go to the party?" Mr. Presley asked." I-I was invited by Chloe and Bostyn." Elise said.
" Why were you alone with him?" He asked again." He approached me." Elise answered glancing at Isaak.
" Why did he approach you?" He asked." Because he said that we should live a night without fighting. Isaak and I always argue at school and so I agreed with him, thinking he actually just wanted some peace between the both of us." Elise answered.
" Did you drink?" He asked." I-I.. It was only a coke... I know he put drugs in my drink." Elise defended herself.
" How could you be so sure that he put drugs in it?" He asked." Because he's friends with Ashton. And people knows Ashton pushes party drugs in every party." Elise said looking at Ashton in the crowd.
" And why didn't you report him to the authorities if you knew he was pushing drugs?" Mr. Presley asked.
" I-I..." Elise didn't know what to answer. She looked at her family for help.
" What were you wearing?" Mr. Presley asked. With that question, it triggered her and her friends and family.
" Your honor, I would like to speak on behalf of my client. His question is not valid as it has nothing to do with the case." Atty. Patterson said.
Everyone in the room murmured about what Atty. Patterson had said.
And now it was Atty. Patterson's turn to ask question to Isaak.
" Isaak, at the night of the party, who are you with?" Atty. Patterson asked." I was with my friends." Isaak lied, he knew he was with Elise throughout the night.
" Will you please tell us the side of your story?" Atty. Patterson asked.
Isaak glanced at her father.
" It was December 26. Bryce was having a party... My friends and I were invited. I saw Elise alone so I approached her. I offered her a drink and she said yes. I swear I didn't put drugs on her drink. She's lying." Isaak said.
Elise shook her head." Well then Isaak, if that is the case, can you tell me why her drug test said positive?" Atty. Patterson asked, bringing out a paper.
" Your honor, my client had provided evidences. It has her drug test results and other tests such as Sexual Assault Forensic Exam. This is a strong evidence to prove my client had been raped." Atty. Patterson said.
" Your honor, this could be fake." Mr. Presley objected." Atty. Presley, I can sure you that we are clean and telling the truth." Atty. Patterson said.
" As your client had said, they have bad blood between her and my son. For all we know this could be a set up to get rid of my son. We all know the Harpers can afford anything and this tests are not a big deal for them to fake. They can do anything with their money. And it's not fair for my son to be put in prison just because of false accusations." Mr. Presley said and it brought chaos to everyone in the room as Lorenzo couldn't take it anymore and was about to attack Mr. Presley but Officer Anderson and Detective Hayes stops him.
" If we were faking anything, why would your son apologize and ask to move the case?! You're nothing but a bunch of cowards who wouldn't admit everything. A bunch of liars!" Lorenzo yelled.
The judge hit his gravel repeatedly to call everyone's attention. After a lot more of arguing and twisting words, the judge had announced the defendant not guilty which shocked everyone.
Isaak smirked as he saw Elise busted out crying and being hugged by her father.
The Presleys celebrated their victory. The Harpers couldn't believe what just happened. After providing strong evidence, how could they not believe them?
" Lorenzo, I'm sorry. I tried my best. I swear I didn't know why he was not guilty." Atty. Patterson said.
Lorenzo just nodded, still comforting her daughter.
Ever since the trial, no one spoked about it and Elise tried to continue her life as if nothing happened.
End of Flashback
After Elise told her story, a tear slipped down and she quickly wiped it away.
" Now you know how strict I am to you? I was trying to protect you Cassie. West Brook is not the same as Las Vegas." Elise said standing up in front of Cassie.
" I'm sorry." Cassie apologized hugging her cousin." I don't want the history to repeats itself." Elise whispered to her ear and Cassie nodded.
Heyyyy guys. A long flashback and probably the longest chapter in FC.
We've unlocked one of Elise's past!!
So, remember when I told you Cassie's mother is the youngest out of 5? Changed my mind, she's the youngest out of 7. It will all make sense soon.
Peace!