CHAPTER FIFTY SEVEN

"Leo" Lia said.
"Hmm"
"I'm going to see my father," Lia told him.
"Why?" Leo said as he brought her closer to his frame and held her against his chest.
"We already talked about this, My father asked me to come to visit him. It's the least I can do since I don't live with him plus I miss him." Lia said and pouted.
Leo gave her a peck on her pouted lips.
" Don't take too long, I will be waiting for you to come back" Leo said and released her from his grip.
Lia left the house but not before having a small argument with Cynthia.
She arrived at her father's house and the sight of it brought back old memories which made Lia smile.
Lia sucked in a deep breath and then knocked on the door. Ben had opened the door almost immediately.
"Dad" Lia said and hugged Ben and he hugged her back.
"My sweet cheeks has finally arrived, I've missed you so much," Ben said flashing her a heart-warming smile.
"I miss you too," Lia said.
"Come in," Ben said as he moved aside, creating space for Lia to enter.
"This place has been so empty without you, I have missed your presence so much"
"Yeah, I miss the old times with you, me, and... Mabel" Lia said and Ben frowned.
" After what she has done, you still think about her," Ben said.
" Even though she turned her back on us, it doesn't change the fact that she was still a part of this family"
" You have a big heart, you should change that or else everyone will take advantage of you and then they would abandon you, just like that husband of yours"
" Leo wouldn't do that to me," Lia said.
" And how would you know that?"
" He assured me that he..." Lia was cut off by Ben.
" Just like how Mabel told you that she always had your back and she will never betray you"
" They are two different people dad, not everyone is the same" Lia said.
" You have to understand that I am the only one you can trust Lia, No one else"
" Dad, stop it. I can take care of myself"
Ben raised his hands with defeat,
" I was just saying," He said.
" Well, please don't say that anymore, and also, give Leo a chance" Ben rolled his eyes as she said that.
" What would you like to drink?" Ben asked her not wanting to promise her anything.
" I think some water will be fine," Lia said.
Ben went to the fridge to pour Lia a glass of water. He brought out a small sachet from his pocket, the sachet contained a powdery substance.
Ben put some of it into the water and then stirred it with a spoon until it had completely dissolved.
He went back to where he Left Lia, but he saw that she wasn't there. He checked a few places before going to her old room, where he saw her sitting on the bed and looking at one an old photo album.
Lia saw him coming in and smiled at him. Ben gave her the glass of water to drink and she gladly accepted it.
Halfway done with the glass she stopped drinking and then looked at Ben,
"This water tastes weird," Liana said.
"Does it?"
"Maybe it is just my imagination," Lia said and chugged down the remaining contents in the glass.
Lia flipped through the album again and saw a picture. He looked at her father and at the same time, she pointed at the picture.
"Do you remember this?" Lia asked her father while giggling.
It was a picture of six-year-old Lia, on top of her cake.
Ben smiled as the memory came back to his head.
"Of course I do, I was the one who took that picture after all," Ben said.
Lia looked at Ben as if she wanted to ask him a question. Ben took notice of this and asked,
" What is it?"
" Why don't I have any baby pictures?" Lia asked him.
" You do, but I left it at one of our old houses. It would be long gone by now" Ben lied smoothly.
" Oh"
Lia suddenly yawned. Her body was beginning to feel kind of heavy and she was feeling drowsy.
"Are you okay?" Ben asked her.
"I am, I just feel a little sleepy, that's all"
" Why don't you sleep then?"
" I can't do that, I wouldn't want to bother you and overstay my welcome," Lia said.
" Don't be silly this is your house, you can stay as long as you want" Ben said.
" I think I should probably start going, I promised Leo that I would go back shortly," Lia said and stood up.
She fell back to the bed, seeing as a sudden wave of dizziness hit her.
" I think you are right, I should probably get some sleep before I leave," Lia said.
Ben gave her a light peck on her forehead.
" Have a good sleep" He said.
" Please wake me up in an hour" Lia pleaded.
" Don't worry darling, I will" Ben said, and soon after Lia fell asleep.
The drug had worked perfectly and now that Lia was sleeping, it was time for him to carry out his plan.
...
Ben unlocked the door to the room where he held Mabel and Mr. Black captive. The both of them stared at him intensely, but he was unbothered by their harsh stares.
"Mabel, come here and eat" Ben spat out.
Mabel stood up from the floor and went to take the plate from him, but before her hand could reach it he shoved it into her chest.
"Hurry up and finish it, I don't have all day," Ben said and left.
Mabel opened the plate and saw that it was another good meal. This is the fourth day in a row that he had brought her a decent meal. Mabel quietly ate her food and remembered to leave some for Mr. Black.
She had been giving him half of her food just so that he could have some energy when it was time for him to escape.
Mabel fed him the food and then gave him some water to drink. Feeling refreshed, Mr. Black thanked Mabel.
Immediately after Mabel moved away from him, Ben barged into the room and roughly grabbed her arm while he dragged her out, she could barely catch up with his pace.
Seeing Ben treat Mabel that way made him angry, but there was nothing he could do. He waited for a while and after what felt like forever Mabel had finally come back.
She looked fresh and smelled nice. She had taken a bath and changed her clothes.
She hung her head dangerously low.
" Is he finally letting you leave?" Mr. Black asked her jokingly.
Mabel said nothing and just continued to look down at her feet.
"What is wrong?" Mr. Black asked her, sensing that there was something wrong.
"He w...wants me t...to do something" Mabel stuttered.
"What does he want you to do?" Mr. Black asked her.
"He wants m...me to ki..kill Lia" Mabel managed to say.
Mr. Black was taken back by her answer. Why would Ben want Lia dead?
"You aren't going to do that right?" Mr. Black asked.
"..." There was no reply.
"Right?"
"He promised me that if I did, then he would give me the life that I have always wanted. He told me that he would be good to me" Mabel said.
"No, Mabel. He is lying don't you see that " Mr. Black said.
"I'm sorry but getting rid of Lia is the only true way I will ever be happy," Mabel said as she raised her head. Tears were rolling down her cheeks.
"No Mabel don't do it"
"Goodbye," Mabel said and turned around.
"Don't do it"
"Ma..." Mr. Black was cut short by the door slamming against its frame.