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Chapter Four – Uncovered Truths
The next morning dragged like molasses, each minute slower than the last. Olivia barely paid attention in class, lost in the thoughts that buzzed in her head like angry bees. Her mom's cold face still lingered in her mind, the way she'd caught Olivia just moments before she could see what was hidden beneath that floorboard.
She needed answers. And the floorboard was just the beginning.
By the time the last bell rang, Olivia's heart was racing. Her parents were out. She had no idea how long they'd be gone, but the moment she stepped out of school, she ran home faster than she ever had.
The house was empty, just as she expected.
She didn't hesitate. She dropped her bag on the couch and rushed upstairs. Every step felt louder than the last. Phoenix's room was just down the hall, and Olivia felt the weight of her own heartbeat thudding in her chest.
She opened the door cautiously, then froze. It felt wrong, like she was trespassing in a place she didn't belong. But this wasn't about betrayal. This was about finding the truth.
She knelt beside the bed and, without wasting time, turned her attention back to the floorboard. Her fingers trembled as she pushed gently, lifting it with the care of a thief in the night.
The loose board creaked as it gave way, revealing a small space hidden beneath the floor. It was cramped, but she could see the corner of something white—something unmistakable.
Her breath caught as she pulled it out. It was a..... pregnancy test. Her heart pounded in her ears.
It was ....positive.?
The small, unmistakable line stared up at her, a symbol of something much bigger than Olivia could have prepared herself for. Phoenix—her sister—had been pregnant.
Tears pricked at the corners of Olivia's eyes as she stared at the test. It felt like the floor had fallen out from under her. She shoved the test into her pocket as fast as she could, knowing she couldn't waste any more time. Not now. Not when everything was starting to make sense.
Just then, her phone buzzed.
Peter: You okay?
She quickly typed back:
Olivia: I found something...
But there was no time to explain further. She slipped the test into her pocket just as she heard the faintest sound from downstairs. Her mom.
The front door creaked open.
"Olivia? You home?" her mom's voice echoed through the hall.
She quickly shoved the floorboard back into place and rushed to close the door behind her. She couldn't risk being caught again. She threw herself onto the bed just as her mom's footsteps grew closer.
The door opened, and her mother stepped inside, her eyes narrowing as she looked around.
"What did I tell you about going into Phoenix's room?" her mom asked, voice sharp. "You don't belong in there."
Olivia didn't meet her gaze. "I wasn't doing anything."
"Don't lie," her mom hissed. "You don't understand what you're messing with."
Her pulse raced, but she managed to keep her voice steady. "What don't I understand?"
Her mother hesitated, a flicker of something crossing her face before it was gone. "You'll find out soon enough," she muttered, then turned on her heel and left.
The door slammed behind her, but Olivia's mind was already elsewhere. The test. The truth. Phoenix had been hiding it. But what had she been hiding from? What had her parents been involved in?
Olivia stood up and walked to the window, gazing out at the empty street. A feeling washed over her—an uneasy certainty that her sister's disappearance was tangled in something much bigger than she could ever have imagined.
She wasn't done. She couldn't be.
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