Chapter 5: Shadows Of Doubt
Lilia was jolted awake by the loud bang of the door.
Her mother stepped inside, her figure tall and imposing, her gaze cold and unwavering. "Wake up!" she barked, her tone sharp as a whip.
Lilia blinked, the grogginess of sleep still clinging to her mind. She rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the heaviness in her body. As she tried to sit up from the sofa, her mother didn't wait, her feet moving with purpose, her gaze never leaving her daughter. "We're going out," she announced with an air of finality.
The words hit Lilia like a punch to the stomach. Out? This was a first. Her mother had never taken her anywhere, not like this, not so suddenly. It was almost as though the earth had shifted beneath her. Lilia froze for a moment, her mind struggling to process the unexpected.
Why was her mother suddenly willing to take her out? Where were they going? And why at this hour? Her thoughts raced, her stomach tight with confusion and a growing sense of unease. There had to be a reason. But what?
Before Lilia could even gather her thoughts, Sabrina, her younger sister, was already up, jumping out of bed as if this were a normal day. She glanced at their mother, then shot a quick look at Lilia, her eyebrow raised in silent question. Sabrina was always quick to react, always the one who spoke her mind first.
"Really, Mom?" Sabrina asked, her voice a mix of disbelief and curiosity, as though she couldn't believe this was happening either.
Her mother's expression didn't change, but her tone softened slightly, a cold edge still lingering. "I'm not talking to you," she replied sharply, her eyes locking onto Lilia. "I'm talking to Lilia."
Sabrina frowned, her curiosity piqued. She wasn't about to let this mystery slide. "But, Mom, I want to go out too," she protested, her voice rising slightly, a sense of entitlement creeping in.