"You have to be a bit of a liar to tell a story the right way."

************

Lilly's POV

I thought that was it.

No more lies. No more secrets. No more surprises.

No more heartbreak.

I thought I had it all figured out. I thought I connected the dots of my parent's complicated past, but no.

No.

This man, he is...he is not him. He can't be. It's not possible. I saw dad aim a gun and fire.

I saw dad kill him.

But, he is here.

How?

He is the same man I saw on the phone that made me discover his existence all those years ago. The existence my father didn't plan on ever telling us about.

Those eyes, if I focus on them only, it's like I am looking at Max...at my little brother, the one who is fighting for his life inside. The one in danger. The one who can be finally saved, by...this exact man.

His biological father.

My uncle.

The man who ruined everything.

The man who hurt my mom.

Oh my god...

"We still have just a couple of more tests to run and then we can prep him for the surgery," The nurse carried on, explaining the whole transplant procedure, but I wasn't listening anymore. I stood frozen, staring at the man ahead of me. His gaze didn't waver either, he didn't say anything, as if waiting for my reaction.

I didn't know what to say, how to think, or what to feel.

He looked so familiar, even though he was a complete stranger to me. Almost as if his face is buried deep down in my memory, stored in a place I never visited before. The place that has been through every secret I am discovering recently, but I was too young to understand anything, so I stored them far away, thinking I will never have to face these memories again.

The nurse talked with him, finally breaking his gaze away and he turned to her. I silenced their words, my eyes only on him and I tried to understand, make sense of this situation but I failed again.

His eyes, his face, his tall strong presence. His worried gaze as the nurse carried on explaining Max's upcoming surgery. The muscles of his jaw worked and his finger on the side shook before he curled them into a fist, nervousness and fear radiated off him in waves.

Worried. How could he be worried?

He is the man who hurt my mom, who hurt my parents. I turned to look at them, but...but they seem so okay with his presence. Normal. Natural.

There isn't one normal right thing about this situation. Everything is wrong. Everything.

I wanted to step forward and do something, scream at him, shout and hit him, hurt him because he is responsible for what we are going through.

But the logical part of my brain argued, the one worried sick about my brother, the one that thought dad might have an explanation; that part stopped me.

He is the one who can save Max, after all, that's more important.

But...Max, when he wakes up, what would he feel? How would he ever accept this news, how would he be able to get back to his old self? Silent tears spilled from my eyes at the thought, oh my god, I have turned my brother's life upside down in just a couple of days.

The nurse finished supplying them with all the information and told them to check with the doctor before she walked away. Dad looked at...him, and he nodded his head to the other side, ushering him to go along with him so they could talk, alone and away from us...from me.

"Hold on," I found my voice again and I took a couple of steps closer to them.

My eyebrows pulled closer, I thought an explanation was coming, that's why I haven't acted irrationally yet, "Are we really not gonna discuss this?" I asked, out of breath as I pointed at that man.

Dad shook his head, "This is not the time nor the place," His voice still held that underlying disappointment, that buried anger he still has toward me.

He was doing it again. Pushing me away. Hiding things from me. Lying to me.

Maybe I don't deserve the explanation, but this...it's bigger than me.

I shook my head, my eyes on dad, "Seriously?" I asked, still trying to adjust to this, "More lies? He is alive? How? How is this even possible?" I turned to that man, my gaze accusing and raged, "Do you have any idea how this is going to affect Max's life, do you?"

"Then, maybe he doesn't need to know," He finally talked, a voice that was both soft and hard at the same time. A voice I am learning to hate as the seconds pass by, as I stare at him and see my brother in his face.

This is wrong. So wrong.

My eyes widened at the insinuation behind his words, "You want me to lie to him?" I asked in disbelief, "You want me to join this little dirty game of yours?" My voice raised and I was losing a sense of everything again, "God, I can't believe this!" Tears strolled down as I turned to dad, "Yes, I did wrong, I made mistakes and my brother ended up hurt, I admit that I was wrong but you," Hurt bled through my words, "You're still lying, you're still hiding things from us, when I came and called you a killer, why didn't you tell me that he is alive, why didn't you say anything all these years!"

"It's not his fault, Lilly," That man said, his hand reaching for my arm, muttering my name so effortlessly, like he has said it before, like he knows me, "It was my decision, not his, and it was the right decision to make."

I snatched my arm from his hold, "Don't touch me!" I snapped, backing away from both of them.

I didn't want to talk to him, or look at him any longer and see why everything went wrong.

"You want me to trust you, dad, how?" I whispered, weakly, recalling his words the other day, "How do you expect to do that when every day you keep showing me that there is so much about you I don't know," I shook my head, "I really don't know who you are."

My gaze went between them both, and I didn't understand, were they brothers, or enemies? But at the moment, they looked like they're on the same team, against mine.

"When Max wakes up, which he will," He has to, "I won't say a thing, but you will tell him, because I hope you admit that what you did is wrong, dad, it is wrong!"

Dad stayed silent, he didn't say anything back to me, only adding to my doubts and fears. He rubbed an anxious hand over his jaw and looked away, deciding not to reply back. I shook my head, and physical pain pelted at my inside, like little needles stabbing at my stomach and tightening it into knots.

I turned, ready to walk away before I say more and end up hurting them again. I am hurt, yes, but I am trying to be careful, for mom's sake at least, who kept silent all along, witnessing everything unfolding.

A hand reached for my arm, stopping me, "Lilly, you can't blame your father for this," He said, like he knows everything...he knows nothing.

I snatched my arm back, "You, don't interfere!" I snapped having enough of this bullshit, "I am just putting aside the fact of what type of man you are just because you can save my brother now," I stressed out, "But don't you dare touch me again, don't you dare come near me!"

Something flashed in his eyes, lines etched his forehead and he nodded, "If you want to blame someone, blame me, your father didn't do anything wrong-"

"Actually, no," Dad interfered, stepping closer to us and interrupted him, "You don't get to blame anyone," He said, the muscles of his jaw worked as he spat the words in my face, "After what you've done, you should blame yourself only," His anger took the best of him, "I told you if something happens to Max, I am not forgiving you and I won't, because your brother's life is in danger and you still won't tell me who told you about this!"

I shook my head, "I am not gonna tell you, I don't trust you anymore." This is why I was going to walk away, because I was gonna do this again, I was gonna let my heartbreak tumble out with hurtful words.

He took an enraged step forward and that man's hand shot out to his arm, "Alex," He said, carefully, as if trying to hold him back.

"Guess what, I don't trust you either," He said, meaning it and he shook his head, "You're not my daughter, you can't be her, and I am now more sure it is Christian behind all of this," He said, "It has got to be him, he is the only one who got you under his spell like this, who is turning you against your own parents," No, no, that's not it, "And Lilly, I am gonna find him and when I do, he's gonna beg me to just kill him," His eyebrow raised as he mockingly remarked, "So maybe you should go now and warn him."

His last words hit me harder than everything else. It ruined me that he would think like that, that I would take Christian's side against theirs.

He doesn't understand, he doesn't get it!

No one understands this, no one...

"How could you say that?" I whispered.

"Because that's what your actions say."

I shook my head brokenly, "Just tell us who told you about this," That man talked again, grabbing my attention to him, "So we can stop them, for Max's sake at least-"

"Don't-" I warned him, "Don't you dare say his name, don't, you are just a kidney donor now, that's all you are, don't you dare interfere in our lives!"

My words had his jaw tightening, "Lilly-"

"Stop saying my name like that!"

"Like what?"

"Like you know me!" I snapped, unable to take it anymore, "You don't know me! You know nothing," The pain multiplied, squeezing at all of my muscles, my body aching to just give up and collapse, "You hurt my mom, you hurt my brother without even trying and I hate you!"

"Lilly, it's enough!" My mom said, her voice raised as she came to a stop beside me, "Just stop, your brother's health is at stake and we are dying with worry over here, it's enough, just stop already!" Pain mixed with the anger in her gaze, "You didn't live our life, even with all that you know, you still know nothing, you won't understand it, you know why, because everything we did, is so you can have this life, you and your brother, so you both can have a normal life," She carried on, "We lied, we hid the truth and we don't regret it, all of us," She looked at both of them and then back at me.

"We three made sacrifices so that we can keep you out of that dangerous life," She added and I wasn't planning on opening my mouth and saying anything back, "We just didn't want to make the mistakes our parents did, but somehow we ended up committing a bigger one," She paused her words there, leaving me to read in between the lines.

Her voice was steady, the total opposite to the pain surging through her eyes, "So now, all I care about is Max getting out of that surgery, that's the important thing," She stressed out, so strictly, leaving me no place to say a thing back, "I don't want to hear one more thing about the past, I don't want to hear you fighting with either your father or with Nikolas, you get that?"

She turned to them, her anger and rage directed at all of us, "And I don't want to hear one more thing about killing and punishing who did this, you want to do that, do it somewhere else," She added, ordering them both, "Whoever wants to stay here, the only thing we'll be discussing is Max and his health, no more and no less!" The strictness in her words had dad's gaze flickering down and that man looked away, nervously rubbing at his neck.

Her chest heaved out a breath, trying to calm herself, "Now, I am gonna go talk with the doctor to make sure that my son is going to be okay," She added, her jaw tightening, "When I come back, this conversation better be over."

She walked away, heading toward the doctor's office, and I immediately turned around and stepped away from them as well, unable to stay in the same confined space. The further I walked, the more my internal pain intensified.

I felt a gentle hand rest over my lower back, before I felt his warm presence beside me, "You're okay?" His voice had me lifting my eyes to his blue ones and I just shook my head as an answer.

Lines pulled between his eyebrows, both in worry and pure confusion, his eyes flickered to the direction of where they all are gathered and asked, "So, that's the uncle?"

I nodded then mumbled, "I really don't understand anything."

He shook his head, probably just as lost as me, "You don't look okay, at least let me take you out of here."

I shook my head, refusing the idea, "Max, I can't leave him."

"But they're not letting us see him and there isn't anything you can do until the surgery-" He tried to explain but the footsteps nearing us had me turning my head from Chase, my eyes falling on that man once again.

He came to a stop beside us, his gaze flickering from Chase and his arm that's around me before they met my eyes, his jaw tightening and he strictly said, "We need to talk."

I shook my head and backed away, burying myself closer to Chase and away from him, gritting my teeth, I said, "No, I told you, stay away from me."

He edged forward and before he could say anything again, Chase stood in front of me, stopping him, his tone steady and a bit harsh as he sensed my uncomfortableness, "She said she doesn't want to talk."

He hefted out a loud sigh, his eyes focused on Chase now, the softness they had when they were on me faded away almost immediately and was replaced with something entirely different, "Look, I already don't like you, so just step out of my way before I make you," My eyes widened at the threat behind his tone and I inched forward, "What do you want from me?" I snapped, taking his attention away from Chase.

"I want us to talk," He said and I shook my head, "No, I don't even know you!"

He nodded, and that look in his eyes came back, "You do," He said, so sure.

My eyes widened at his audacity, "For god's sake, where did you come from?" I snapped, unable to come in terms with his sudden presence in our lives, "You'll do your job here, and then you'll go back to wherever you were hiding, you'll leave both Max and me alone, because the last thing I need to do is talk with the man who hurt my mom."

Before I could wait for his reaction, I tightened my hold over Chase's and walked away, ushering him to come with me, because the last thing I need is this man to be near those I care about. One thing I understood from everything that happened, he was a dangerous man, and he probably still is.

The tightness over my stomach pressed harder and harsher and the lump rose up to my throat. I paused in my steps, unable to walk more and I clutched at where it hurts the most. Chase said something but I didn't hear him. Feeling unable to keep it in anymore, my eyes widened and I rushed to the bathroom, the nearest one on my side.

Slamming the door, I stumbled inside, my knees hit the ground as I let out whatever was left inside my stomach from today's breakfast. I barely ate, but my stomach cleared it all out of my system. Bile burned a hole in my gut. I choked over the acrid taste as it rushed up to my throat. I heaved for a normal breath, panting, and trying to understand.

Tears spilled down my face, one after the other, fast till I couldn't control them anymore, especially when I felt his hands over my hair, pulling it away from my face, "No, no," I sobbed, and my arm clutched into my stomach as I backed away, my back hit his chest, his arms around me, steadying my failing body and I cried, both in the inside and the outside.

No, please, I don't want this.

My heart clenched so tight, I didn't need a test, I didn't, I haven't had my period yet, and all the uncomfortableness I've been having since I left the UK, it was obvious.

I don't want this.

More tears fell and I tightened my arms over my stomach, where everything hurt.

I don't want you.

"Lilly," Chase mumbled, my name tumbled out of his mouth in pure worry, "Hey, hey, you're probably too stressed, it's okay, you just need to take it a bit easy on yourself," He tried to soothe me, totally unaware of everything and my heart broke all over again.

He wrapped his hand over my arm, pulling me up with him, "Come here," He said softly and opened the water, he kept his hand over my arm, scared I may collapse again, before he gently rubbed water over my face, removing my hair away from my face.

I stared at him in pure confusion, "Why are you here?" I mumbled, so weakly.

He shook his head, "You didn't leave me when I was at my worst," He explained before he pulled some napkins and helped me dry my face, "I am not gonna leave you now."

I tried to keep myself together, and I shook the fact this situation brought away, there are way too many things for me to fix.

One, Max.

Everything else can be dealt with later.

"I am fine," I mumbled, assuring him, "If you don't mind, I just need to-" I added, pointing at the bathroom.

He understood and nodded, "If you don't feel okay, just tell me, okay."

"Yeah, thank you," I mumbled and when he left me alone, I immediately pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed Sally.

"Hey Lilly, how is Max?" She asked the moment she answered, her voice lacing with worry and concern.

I shook my head, "They will make him a surgery soon, hopefully, he will be okay after it," I said, hanging into whatever hope I had in me, "Yes, yes, he will for sure," She sighed, "God, I wish I am there by your side now," She added.

"No, it's better you're there, once I make sure Max is okay, I will come back for the exams," I mumbled, unable to believe how all of this happening at my last month before I graduate.

"Okay, I asked around to check and Lilly, Christian has been here at the university all throughout last week," She said, answering the question I asked her when Max was first brought to the hospital.

"So, he wasn't here when Max got hurt," I mumbled, trying to understand, "If it wasn't Christian, then who?" Who else would hurt my brother?

"I am really not sure," Sally answered ever so helplessly, "All I know is Christian didn't leave the UK yet," She added, "Hopefully when Max wakes up we can figure it out, he probably saw who did it or if they said something to him, maybe Christian hired someone, I really don't know, I am still trying to understand this situation."

Christian felt like the only one who'd do this...he is the one with the motives. I never ever expected him to cross the line by physically causing harm, but I should learn to expect anything from him, he isn't the same man I came to know over the past two years.

The thought had my inside trembling once again and my gaze went back to my stomach. This is why I can't do this, I can't have his child. I just can't. Maybe my mother was able to, but I can't, I am not as strong as she is.

"Lilly, did you...did you take a test?" Sally asked, almost reading the thoughts in my head.

I shook my head, "No," I mumbled, "I don't think I need to." If I see the words positive, it will just make it more real. I can't deal with that at the moment, there is Max, that's more important.

"Okay, if anything new happens, tell me, just take care of yourself, okay?" She added and I nodded, "Okay, I will."

When I hung up, I kept my mind working and thinking. What if it wasn't really Christian behind this? If not, could it be...Could it be Joe? He is the one who had that big hateful attitude toward me, a one he didn't care to hide, like Christian did. Maybe he too has his motives, maybe he had been hurt by my family as well, is that possible?

The probability behind the theory had me dialing Stacy, his girlfriend, and she answered after two rings, "Lilly, hey, it's been a while!"

"Hey, Stacy, uh-" I tried to head for a normal conversation, maybe she is involved, I really don't know who to trust anymore, "How are you?"

"I am fine, what about you?" She said, so sweetly, "Is there something wrong? It's probably midnight there in the UK, are you okay?"

Her words had my eyebrows pulling closer, "I am not there, actually."

"Wait, you're here as well?"

"You're in the US?" I asked, my curiosity took the best of me.

"Yes, Joe and I came here so he can finally meet my parents and-" She carried on, explaining but my mind froze after the very first sentence. It felt too much of a coincidence, for him to be here at the same time my brother got hurt.

"You know, since we're both here, maybe I can come and see you," I said, my fingers tightening over the phone in anger, "Why don't you send me your address."

"Yeah, that would be great!" She answered so cheerfully, proving just how clueless she is of Christian and Joe's motives toward me.

We hung up after and she messaged me her address. I gathered myself up, and stared at my phone's screen with determination.

It's about time I act up. I won't rest till I figure out who hurt my brother. Dangerous or not, I really don't give a damn anymore.

**************

Nikolas's POV

My chest tightened with every word the doctor muttered, about the surgery, and about the risks it still imposes on Max and his health. His words drove me insane, multiplying all the worry and the fear I have been feeling since Alex called me and told me Max was hurt.

I came here as fast as I could. I waited behind the scenes for his health to get better, but it was only deteriorating over the past few days. Then, the doctor suggested the kidney transplant and here we are. Even with this solution, the procedure is still risky and there are some possible side negative effects we have to prepared for.

The doctor left the decision to us, then he walked away, leaving us in the waiting room alone to discuss it.

"What do you think?" Alex asked, his eyes drifting between Cara and up to me as I came to a stop beside them.

I shook my head, "I don't know, from my part in this, I would do anything," Fuck, I will give him both of my kidneys if I have to, "But, it's not my decision to make," My eyes fell on Cara, "What do you say?"

She pulled into a deep breath, "Even the doctor said it is the better option, it has its risks, but it's better than waiting for his kidney to fail and waste time and I don't know...lose him or something," Her last words were accompanied by the tears that spilled and fell, worry bled within her words, "I just want him to be okay."

Alex nodded, "Me too," He said, his hand tightening over Cara's, "The transplant feels like the best option to take now," His eyes flickered to me, "Ready to live with one kidney?"

"More than you can imagine," I mumbled forcing all the worry back down deep inside, because Max was going to be better. I won't accept otherwise.

Cara placed her face in her hands, her voice drained out and so tired, "I thought it was over, years passed in peace, but here we are again inside that same loop," She mumbled, "Is this how our life is always going to be, from one fight to another," She sighed and lifted her face up, her voice slowly breaking as she added, "Max is innocent, he didn't deserve this, he doesn't deserve to be dragged into this fight."

I placed my hand over her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, "He won't be dragged into it any further than this, I promise, and he is gonna come out of this," I said, my words steady and sure, I have to be sure that he won't pay for our mistakes...my mistakes anymore, "He will get back to his old normal life, even stronger than before, I'll do everything in our power to make sure of that, okay?" I stressed out and she gave me a small nod, trying to believe in my words, all of us hoping for the best.

My eyes traveled to Alex, my gaze alone telling him that we should act fast, find out who did this, and ruin his fucking life before he dares to lay a hand on either one of them again. He understood my motives and gave me a nod, "Okay, let's tell the doctor to start prepping for the surgery, we don't need to waste more time," Alex said, getting up to his feet and so did Cara.

"You go and tell him, I have a phone call I need to make," I said, more like lied and when the office door closed behind them, I headed in the other direction and stood by the door that had "Intensive Care" written on its side.

The nurse that I had talked with before and convinced opened the door from inside and let me in, she handed me the mask and the required attire. After that, she led my way inside the IC unit and paused to a stop beside one of the doors, "You only have five minutes," She said, in a warning and I nodded.

I just want to see him.

I walked inside, my steps hesitant, and my chest so tight as I stopped by the bed. My eyes fell into him and I felt my world crash in front of my eyes all over again. He looked so pale, eyes closed, machines connected to his body, and under their effect, he looked so young, so weak and vulnerable.

On one of his cheeks, there was a red bruise, a reminder left by whoever did this. Vile images of them hurting him corrupted my already beat-up mind, and I wanted to punch something, to kill someone, to fucking destroy who dared to touch him.

Agitation curled through me, and I took a step forward, my hand went to his limp cold ones and my heart broke for the second time today. Seeing him like this had ripped those old wounds open wide, leaving me raw. The thought of his pain, of him, scared as they did what they did and left him, it killed me.

I thought he was safe, tucked away far from every fucked up thing that once ruined us.

I thought I did right by him, apparently, I messed up, fucked up somewhere on the way.

My hand tightened over his, "I am sorry," I mumbled, my voice thick with guilt and sorrow, "I am sorry you were alone in there and I couldn't protect you," No one knew about him, no one was supposed to know, part of why I stayed away, so no one could ever connect the dots, but I still failed him somehow.

"But you're gonna be okay, I promise," I shook my head, refusing otherwise and the rage rushed back with full force, clouding my chest and all of my senses, "I am gonna find who did this and they won't live to see tomorrow, you have my word."

A torrent of anger surged, a rogue rush of hatred pounding through my veins. I felt sick. Unsettled. Unsound. Things I haven't felt for so long, but at the moment, everything felt wrong.

Cara was right; We had a couple of peaceful years but here we are here again, inside that same loop, moving around in circles. A fight after another. Hospitals. Gunshots and knives stab.

Innocents getting hurt for other's mistakes.

It is all so very wrong.

This; Max getting hurt, them discovering the truth. Lilly...god, I can't begin to understand the look she gave me, too many mixed feelings, too many unwanted memories, too many secrets that were supposed to stay buried forever.

They weren't supposed to know.

"You don't know me, Max," I added, "But I know you, more than you can imagine," A small smile lifted my lips, flashes of his face rushed behind my eyelids, him growing up from a little baby to this young man, "I saw you become everything that I am not, and I couldn't be more relieved at that," The lump in my throat throbbed, "Alex told me you want to become a doctor, it felt really ironic, you know," My gaze fell into his hand, that's finally warming up in my hold, "For you to want to heal people when I did the exact opposite of that."

"It's only proof that I am not your father," My face pinched, "But you're still my son."

That was the truth; he will never see me as his father, he shouldn't, I won't allow it, but that doesn't mean that I look at him and not see my son, because that's what I do. I see the good that came out of the bad. I see the innocence that needs to be protected at all costs.

"You're aware of what I did now, I could only imagine how much you hate me," He will look at me with that same look Lilly had in her eyes, "It's okay, I can take your hate and anger, I can take all of it, just...just be okay again, that's all I want," It's all I ever wanted.

For them both, to be okay.

My fingers reached for the bruise over his cheek, they lingered there for a second or two, my touch almost feather-like, "I am not here to take your father's place," I mumbled, giving him a promise, "I am just here to make sure you get your health back, to eliminate that danger and I promise right after that, I will be out of your life again."

Just like Lilly said, she was right in that sense. They will never accept me, or even see me as anyone but the man who hurt their mother and broke down their family. The guilt I thought I was free of came back with full force again. Long gone the little girl who once saw me as her father, her safe place...and that ruined me.

Because when I look at her, I still see my little girl, the only one who made me feel, the one who helped me see a part of me I was hiding, the one who got me believing I deserved a second chance.

I don't want to ever lose that girl.

I looked at Max and that ache only intensified. I never had him in the first place to lose him, but why does it feel like I just did.

I lowered my mask and my hand went to his forehead, removing the few strands of his hair away before I leaned closer and pressed a kiss to his forehead, "I love you, Max," I mumbled against his skin, "More than you'll ever be able to understand," my eyes pressed shut as I tried to keep that pain inside but failed.

I haven't been this close to him in forever.

I edged my head backward a fraction, my hand still over his hair and I sucked into a deep breath, getting a grip over my emotions, "So please get better," I mumbled, "I once fought only for you and for your sister, so please, just fight back."

************

Alex's POV

"Roman, you need to catch him fast," I said with a loud sigh, placing the phone over the table, hating Roman for arguing with me over every damn thing.

"Alex, the moment Max got hurt, I checked, Christian was here, so it's not him, that's for sure," He said through the speaker, pulling on me the good guy act, "So, do you really want me to risk hurting someone innocent, that doesn't seem like you."

Nikolas walked into the room, his eyes flickered from me to the phone, where Roman's voice is coming from.

"For god's sake, just get Christian," I ordered with an annoyed sigh, "I am willing to take the risk with him, he is anything but innocent," Even if he isn't the one behind this. He had hurt Lilly, one way or another, I saw it in her eyes when I decided to trigger her, I am more sure of it now.

Maybe he didn't hurt Max, but he has a relationship with everything unfolding. I should've trusted my instincts when I met him. Something about him was just off.

"Who's Christian again?" Nikolas asked as he came to a stop beside me.

My jaw tightened, "Lilly's boyfriend," Who soon will be Lilly's dead boyfriend.

His eyes grew a bit wide, and the muscles of his jaw tightened, "Roman, get him," He said, sternly, barking his order and his fingers curled over the table's edge, "Innocent or not, I am gonna kill him!"

"Finally someone who is on my side!" I said, breathing out a relieved sigh. I should've told him about this a long time ago.

"Roman look, I am gonna have to stay here for Max and Nikolas also for the surgery, so we both can't be there at the moment, so it's on you now, you need to catch him, interrogate him, and please be creative," I said and Nikolas nodded, totally agreeing, "Once Max is okay, we both will come to the UK to finish the work."

Roman sighed, "Okay, I will call you back when I have him."

When we hung up, I let out a long tired breath and rushed a hand over my face, "So, Christian you say, huh?" Nikolas asked, fisting and unfisting his hand at the side, "My hand is itching to hold a knife now," His jaw tightened, "We're gonna kill him, right?"

I nodded, "I've been dying to do that for a year now."

"Cool, I like it when you put your morals aside," He commented, "Makes me believe you're really my brother."

I shot him a glare, "For them, I will put everything aside, and Christian is not innocent, I can feel it," And if he is really behind Max's current state, there is no stopping of what we'll do.

"And now what about....Lilly?" He asked and I shook my head, the anger rushed back, "Don't say her name, I still can't believe everything she is doing."

"She is in shock, Alex, everything happening is too much to make sense of," He tried to defend her, "I can't blame her, she is seeing things on the outside only, she didn't live it, she can't understand it," He added, "She is just a kid."

I shook my head, "She is not, as much as I keep seeing her as a little girl, she isn't anymore," I said, still in disbelief of all of her actions, "She won't even tell me who did this for god's sake!"

"Did you take a second to think she is maybe scared?"

"Scared of what?"

"Everything," He said, "Your blame, your hatred, or maybe of you getting hurt, whoever told her about this, what if she is scared of them hurting you," As much as his words made sense, "I still thought she would've had more faith in me," I mumbled.

I gave her everything, and this is what I get in return? I am used to my parents hurting me, I just never thought my own kid would do it.

I looked at Nikolas and my eyebrow raised, "Also, when did you become the mature one?"

He gave me a bored look and sighed, "Anyway, there is Max now, let him wake up from this and I can deal with the rest later," I said, raking a hand through my hair before I rubbed at the back of my neck.

It's been such a tiring stressful couple of days.

"What is it?" Nikolas asked, knowing there is more I am not saying out loud.

"What?" I asked, my eyebrow raising.

"You're scared," He pointed out and I shot him another glare, "No shit, Sherlock!"

He shook his head, "Not just of the surgery," I hate it when he does this, "Say it, it's okay."

My jaw tightened and I sat down, my gaze on the floor as I mumbled, "It's no longer something I can control," I looked up at him, "It's his decision now, and yeah I am more than terrified of that."

He shook his head and took a seat beside me, "There isn't anything to be scared of, especially about this, Alex."

"There is, because what if he chooses you," I pointed out, not shying away from subjecting all of my fears, "Call me selfish but I don't want that, you can't take him away from me."

"You know I would never do that," He said and I know he won't, but what if Max wanted that, "You're Max's father, you were there for him since day one, while I am just," His eyebrows pulled closer, "What was that word you called me once, sperm donor?"

I nodded, "The sperm who made half of him," I mumbled and he smiled at the description, "Yeah, I am that, even Max knows that, you won't lose him, I can assure you this much at least."

I looked at him and let out a sigh, "I also don't want them to see you as the enemy."

His gaze drifted away, hating that fact as much as me, "Well, this is something that's not up for us to decide."

*************

Lilly's POV

I stared at the house ahead of me for a full five minutes, every scenario going up through my head. I could face Joe, learn the truth and maybe get hurt in the process, or I could bolt and run away.

Without further thinking, I rang the bell, and a few minutes later, Stacy opened the door for me. A big smile curved her lips and she pulled me into a hug. After Joes' incident, they stopped hanging out with us, but I would still see her at school every now and then.

"Hey, welcome!" She said, ushering me inside.

I forced on a smile, "Hey," I mumbled as I made my way in, my gaze warily drifting around, unable to even trust her genuine attitude toward me.

I couldn't trust anyone anymore.

"So tell me, why are you here in the US? Don't you have exa-"

"Stacy, I am gonna get into the subject immediately," I said, interrupting her from opening a normal conversation, "Is Joe here?"

Her eyebrows pulled closer and before she could answer me, "Yes, I am here," Joes' voice had me turning around to meet his confused but guarded gaze as he took me in.

"Can we talk?" I asked, my fingers curling into the inside of my palm, just at the thought, he might be the one who hurt my brother.

He crossed his arms over his chest and gave me a challenging look, "Talk about what?"

My jaw tightened, "Christian and his plan."

My words had his defensive state fading away, lines etched his forehead as he thought it through. The muscles of his jaw worked, his eyes on Stacy, "Stacy, can you leave us alone for a bit?" He asked, his voice softening.

She confusingly stared between us before she nodded and walked away. Joe, without much of a word, turned his back and walked away, his way of telling me to follow.

My nerves skittered with unease but I followed him nevertheless, it's not like he is gonna hurt me here in the middle of Stacy's parent's house.

Once we were alone in the room, "So, Christain finally did it, huh, spat the truth in your face?" He commented, amused.

My jaw tightened, "Did you hurt my brother?"

My words had the frown between his eyebrows deepening, "Excuse me?"

"You were the only one who didn't care to hide how much you hated me, so tell me, what's your part in this twisted game, do you want revenge as well, did my father do something to you as well?" My voice raised with every word, unable to understand how I was played with for two straight years.

He scoffed, "Even after everything, you are still so damn naive," He said, "Let me correct you there, I didn't say I hate you, I said I hated your presence in our lives."

"Doesn't that mean the same thing?"

He shook his head, "No," He said, "Look, Christian is my best friend, we kind of grew up together, and when he said what he wanted to do, I tried to stop him, but seeing the face of the man who hurt his father had him snapping, he wasn't listening to logic anymore, so I had to pretend and go with his plan."

His words had me shutting up, trying to understand how did Christian decide all of this, did he plan it for years, when did he see my father? If he planned this before he met me, did he see him before that as well? Was it when dad used to visit me?

Too many questions went unanswered, what was Christian's plan exactly?

"But then I saw how easily you fell into his game, you let him trick you and yes, your father did this and that to him, but," He shook his head, "But I wasn't going to stand and watch someone innocent get hurt."

"You could've said something to me," I mumbled, taken aback by the declaration.

He shook his head, "I told you Christian is my friend, he is wrong, but I wasn't gonna throw him under the bus, I wanted him to just wake the fuck up and stop this before he gets hurt," He explained, "If I told you back then, you would've immediately told your father and he would've hurt Christian like nothing else, so instead I tried to reason with him, but he was so keen on finishing this."

I shook my head, "You say you couldn't watch someone innocent get hurt, but my brother is innocent in all of this and he got hurt, if you said something, he wouldn't be in the hospital fighting for his life right now!"

"What do you mean?" He asked, taking a step forward, genuine confusion radiated off him in waves, "How did your brother get hurt?"

"He was stabbed, brutally beaten up by someone," Tears welled up in my eyes, "I believed it was Christian but he is still in the UK, so I thought it's you since you just happened to be here at the same time!"

His eyebrows pulled closer, "I would never," He shook his head, his gaze just as lost as mine, "You can ask Stacy, I was with her and her parents since we arrived here and...and Christian wouldn't do this either."

"What do you mean he wouldn't?" I snapped, frustrated, "He wanted to hurt my father, he said it, he said he'll play on his weaknesses, and then two days later, Max was hurt, of course, it's him."

Joe shook his head, "No," He said, trying to convince himself as well. His gaze drifted away, thinking and calculating, "No, it's not Christian," He looked back at me, "All he ever wanted was for you and your brother to learn the truth, he knew how much that would hurt your father, but that's all," He shook his head, too sure, "Christian wouldn't go to the extent of physically hurting anyone, heck, he is not stupid, he knows that he doesn't stand a chance against your father."

"What do you mean?"

I came here, thinking I will have answers, but he is only adding to my confusion. I don't want to believe him. I can't trust anyone in this matter anymore but Joe, wasn't the one who acted and pretended to like me, he was straightforward from day one...he has no reason to lie to me now.

"I mean Christian has no one behind him, but your father has a whole army behind him, so how could Christian ever stand a chance against your dad, he knows that, he is not stupid to put himself in this situation, no matter how much he wants revenge, this...this doesn't make sense."

"If it's not him, then who would hurt Max?" That also didn't make sense. Christian is the one with the motive.

Something flashed in Joe's eyes but he shook it away almost immediately, "It's not Christian, that's all I can say."

"He is a good manipulator, but he is not a killer," He added.

"After everything I've learned, I am beginning to see the worst in people," I mumbled, backing away, "For all I know, you're just trying to defend your friend."

He shook his head, "It's up to you, but just an advice, you should be more careful," He said, more like a warning, not a threat, "Don't fight a fight that's not yours."

My jaw tightened, "It became my fight the moment my brother got hurt."

I left the house and walked away, my mind almost breaking from how much it tried to think and understand. Why does everyone lie? Why can't they just tell the damn truth?

My frustration had me pulling my phone up, dialing Christian again, I was so fed up with everything, for god's sake, I just needed answers, I needed to find who hurt my brother.

"What do you want?" He said through the phone, his voice tight and full with anger.

"Did you hurt Max?" I asked, once again trying to make sure.

"I told you I don't know what you're talking about," He stressed out, rage tangling with each word, "I didn't touch your brother, so leave me the fuck alone."

"If it's not you, who did it then, huh?" I snapped.

"I don't know!" He snapped back in frustration.

"I don't believe you," I grated out, the anger multiplying over my chest, "It has got to be you someway, I don't believe in coincidences anymore!"

He scoffed, "You're mistaking me for your father sweetheart, I am not a killer!"

"I think you are and I am sure you will spit the truth out once he catches you!"

I didn't realize what was wrong with my sentence, till he said, "Catches me?"

My eyes widened, no, fuck, no.

"Well, thanks for the warning baby," Venom dripped within his words, "You're sending your daddy after me, I better go and hide then."

*************************************

Hey!

So, whatcha ya think? I sensed that everyone was above the moon with Nik's return lol xD!

But, there is still more confrontations to come, don't worry, there is so much that happened that we still don't know!

Got any ideas? xD

Love ya all!