CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

Vivianne was taken aback when Sharlene suddenly rushed into the private room, her face clearly showing confusion. Sharlene kept glancing back and forth between her and Tashia; she couldn't figure out what was wrong with Sharlene.

"Sis, are you okay?" Tashia, who was worried, asked the person in front of them.

Suddenly, she hugged them.

"Nothing will change; it's still me." 

Vivianne furrowed her brow at what she was saying to them now. They exchanged glances, and Sharlene burst into tears. It was the first time she had seen Sharlene cry, because ever since their childhood, she had always been brave; she never easily showed weakness in front of anyone.

But now, they just let her be weak. They just calmed Sharlene down for now so they could discuss what would happen calmly, especially since she already knows where she came from and who her parents are.

"I—I don't know what to do anymore." That's all they heard from Sharlene. "I don't know who to believe anymore." 

"Sister, are you really the missing child of Carmela?" Tashia asked.

Even though Sharlene's tears were falling, she just nodded at them. "That's me." Sharlene said it to them sparingly, her voice tinged with sadness.

"I know you'll find out too; don't you remember what your grandmother did to you?" was all she asked.

She regarded Vivianne with a confused look on her face. She pulled Sharlene's hand. She could take Sharlene to what she saw in the past. 

She saw seven-year-old Sharlene three years after their mother took her in and two-year-old Tashia at that time. Sharlene was still wearing her bracelet.

"Sis, don't you really remember who gave that to you?" asked the five-year-old child Vivianne.

Sharlene only shook her head in response back then. Sometimes, she sees the bruise when it comes from her grandmother.

"Even though I don't remember it, I feel that it's important to me," the young Sharlene could only say.

She didn't ask any further and just nodded at her companion's answer. 

Her sister is already enrolled in high school, and she is just beginning her studies in their town. Where she used to carry the truth about what happened to Leah, which only she knew.

Sometimes, her sister doesn't wear the bracelet because she treasures it, and she still has no memory of her childhood. 

A few days after her grandmother talked to her about Leah, telling her to just hide the truth, Vivianne would be rewarded if she kept her mouth shut about what really happened. She was also scared by the threat she received from Angely, so she kept her mouth shut.

Her grandmother hadn't moved into the mansion yet, but she was already able to send them to school together. Vivianne was at home when her grandmother called Sharlene for a talk. She didn't hear their conversation very well. 

So she decided to move a little closer to hear what they were talking about.

"Where is your bracelet?" her grandmother suddenly asked, glaring at Sharlene.

"W– Why, grandma?" Young Sharlene asked innocently.

"Give it to me." Felicia held her hand.

"Grandma, it is important to me." Sharlene refused, shaking her head, unwilling to give the bracelet hidden in her uniform pocket.

Because Felicia got annoyed, she slapped Sharlene. "Don't annoy me right now, Sharlene. Find out who fed you and educated you! Do you want me to starve them, Vivianne?" She threatened Sharlene.

Even though it was against Sharlene's will, she felt scared, so she quickly handed over the bracelet to her grandmother back then. 

"You are easy to talk to." Felicia immediately hid Sharlene's bracelet. 

Vivianne's face shows that Sharlene won't agree, but she is scared of every threat she makes. 

Felicia gave Sharlene some water.

"Drink this." Vivianne heard Felicia's command.

"Grandma, I'm not thirsty." Sharlene replied with a frightened tone.

"Am I the one who will make you drink, Sharlene?" She asked with an angry voice.

Even though Vivianne was just listening, she was already scared of her voice. That's why Sharlene drank it immediately.

After a while, she saw Sharlene getting dizzy and suddenly losing consciousness. She gasped then, so she quickly hid wherever she could now.

She even saw his grandmother helping Sharlene, who was unconscious, and laying her down in her room. After escorting her, her grandmother came out as if nothing had happened and was smiling as if she were pleased.

Vivianne sensed the surroundings, and since there was no one lingering around, the door wasn't locked. She saw Sharlene sleeping, still wearing her uniform. 

She was just watching over her, noticing that she was still writhing in pain, holding her forehead that was bandaged.

"Vivianne," Sharlene called out to her.

"Are you okay?" she asked her companion.

"My head just hurts a bit right now; I will have a fever." Sharlene said to Vivianne.

"D– D – Don't you remember why you're here?" She tried to ask Sharlene if Sharlene remembered what happened.

Her face showed surprise at the number of questions he had now. "Grandma just called me because there was no one here; that's all we talked about."

Her forehead furrowed. Vivianne's anxiety gripped her at the thought of what Felicia might have done to the person in front of her.

"Look at your right hand. Did you remember what was in your right hand?" she asked her.

"Huh?" Sharlene looked at her right hand. "N—Nothing, why, Vivianne?" Sharlene asked her innocently and gave her a confused look.

She quickly left at that moment because she didn't want her grandma Felicia to catch her. 

Vivianne heard that she had a fever and couldn't go to school. After the fever, she noticed that Sharlene didn't remember her most treasured bracelet. 

"Did Grandma erase my memory?" Sharlene asked, and her tears fell again.

"For goddamn sake! For the second time, they erased my memory." Sharlene couldn't help but say,. 

Suddenly, Ashley appeared and smiled at her. She suddenly took Sharlene and Tashia's hands.

"Mom," Ashley called sweetly.

Sharlene and Tashia were just surprised back then. 

"A—Ashley, my child?" she asked, tears streaming down her face at the sight of her child. 

Vivianne just looked around; she saw Leah in a white-stained dress looking at them.

"Please don't cry anymore." She hears Ashley say it and even wipes Sharlene's tears.

"My child." Sharlene even hugged it. 

"Don't be sad anymore; Aunt Leah didn't abandon me. Besides, she's taking care of me, and she's finding a way for me to get out." She heard Ashley say.

Even though Sharlene was very confused, she just nodded at what the child said. 

"Mommy, you tell me that I need to be strong, right? You too, Mommy; you need to be strong. I love you all." Ashley even smiled at them.

After saying that, it vanished like a bubble from their sight; the three of them were still in the private room.

Sharlene looked at the child.

"Thank you, child." This is her gratitude toward the sleeping child. Sharlene calmed down, wiping her tears. 

She just patted Sharlene on the back to say that Tashia and the others supported her decision.

Moreover, they need to reestablish themselves because they don't know where the truth will lead them, the painful truth that surrounds their lives.