Deception by design

Yo, Kylie!" André hollered from across the street, waving his hands in the air like a maniac. 🤪

Kylie turned, spotting André on the other side of the road. Despite his goofy behavior, she couldn't help but chuckle. "Come on over," she motioned, waiting for André to catch up.

Keep going

As André jogged over, Kylie could tell something was off. André's normally chipper face was pinched with stress, like a dude who'd just been dealt a bad hand at poker. 🃏

"Hey, girl. I'm in a major pickle here. The ER's packed like a tin of sardines, and one of our nurses didn't show. Plus, I heard about your bro, Riley. What's up with that?" André gave Kylie a look that was equal parts concern and confusion.

Continue

Kylie sucked in a breath, the mention of her brother's name still carrying the weight of a ton of bricks, even years after his supposed death.

"Yeah, it's been rough. But that's not why you look like a cat that's just seen a ghost. What's got you so wound up?" She asked, trying to focus on the present moment and push away the lingering feelings of sadness.

André sighed, running a hand through his hair, as if he were trying to push back the stress with it.

It's family drama," André explained, his shoulders slumping. "My dad's pressuring me to take over Richmond Holdings, and I just don't see myself as the suited-up, boardroom type. He's got Blake for that. But Dad's not listening, and it's driving me up the walls."Kylie gave André a sympathetic smile.

"Dude, I'm really sorry about your dad. I get that he wants you to be involved, but that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your own dreams. You've worked hard to become a doctor, and I respect that. It takes guts to follow your heart, even if it's not what your family wants." Kylie smiled softly, feeling a strange sense of kinship with André in that moment.

André let out a deep sigh, clearly struggling to put his feelings into words.

"It's more than just not wanting to be part of the business. I just don't feel like I belong in that world, you know? Dad and Blake are all about power and money, but I've always been more drawn to helping people, like you." He gestured to Kylie with a small smile.

Kylie's heart warmed at André's sincerity.

Hearing André's words, Kylie couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. Here he was, a guy with a family that, despite their issues, loved and needed him. She had lost her own brother and her father had disappeared. What wouldn't she give to have André's problems? But she knew it wasn't fair to minimize his struggle, and she gave him a sympathetic look.

The two friends stood there for a moment, letting the gravity of their conversation sink in. Kylie took in André's appearance—his deep blue eyes shining with gratitude, his tanned skin from hours spent outdoors, his sandy blond hair tousled like he'd run his fingers through it one too many times today. It was a familiar sight, but in this moment, she noticed how much the stress had aged him.

"You're always here for me," André said, his voice breaking through her thoughts.

"And I'll be here for you too," André continued, his gaze steady and sincere.

Kylie smiled, but before she could respond, her pager went off, alerting her that it was time for surgery. "Damn, I've gotta get to the OR. But hey, if you need to talk more, I'm all ears," she said, slinging her bag over her shoulder and flashing André a grin.

He smiled back, his expression easing slightly.

As Kylie turned to leave, André stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "Kylie, wait."She stopped, turning back to face him, her brow furrowed with concern. "What is it?"Kylie, I just… there's something I need to talk to you about. It can wait, though. Focus on your surgery," he said, concern etched into his features.

Kylie nodded, the weight of André's words settling over her like a fog.

"Okay. We'll talk later," Kylie replied, her mind already racing with possibilities. What could André know about her family that she didn't? Was it connected to her brother's disappearance?

She shoved these questions to the back of her mind, reminding herself that she needed to focus on the surgery. But as she strode towards the operating room, she couldn't shake the feeling that something big was about to happen

The rest of the day passed in a blur of patients and paperwork. Despite her best efforts to push André's words from her mind, Kylie found herself continually drawn back to that one sentence: "There's something I need to talk to you about."

When the last patient was discharged, Kylie headed for the staff lounge, hoping to catch a few minutes of peace before her conversation with André. But as she sank into the worn leather couch, her phone buzzed with a text.

The text was from an unknown number. Kylie's heart skipped a beat as she opened the message, and her hands trembled slightly as she read the words:

"If you want to know the truth about your brother, come to the abandoned warehouse by the river at midnight. Come alone."

Kylie stared at the message, her mind racing. Was this a hoax, or could it be the key to uncovering the truth about Riley's disappearance? And who had sent it?

Kylie's mind raced as she re-read the message, her pulse quickening with each word. She needed to find out if this was real or just some sick joke. But who had sent it?

She decided to take a chance. After all, what did she have to lose?

As the clock struck 11:45pm, Kylie parked her car near the abandoned warehouse, her headlights illuminating the dark, empty space.

She cautiously approached the decrepit building, her eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement.

Kylie took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. This warehouse could be a trap, or it could be the answer to the question that had haunted her for years: what really happened to Riley?

As she approached the entrance, she heard a faint noise in the distance. Her heart pounding, Kylie crouched low, her eyes darting from side to side walking in as gently as she could

Kylie paused, remembering the message in Riley's toy. Could it be true? Could he still be alive? And if he was, why would someone be luring her here?"

With a determined look on her face, Kylie squared her shoulders and entered the warehouse, prepared for anything.

Kylie's footsteps echoed through the empty warehouse as she cautiously moved deeper inside. A soft, metallic clink drew her attention, like someone tapping on a pipe. She followed the sound, her heart racing as she turned a corner.

There, in the corner of the room, stood a woman, her hair pulled back in a tight bun. A man stood next to her, his face partially obscured by the darkness.

Kylie's breath caught in her throat as she recognized the woman, her steely gaze fixed on Kylie, stepped forward, her heels clicking against the concrete floor.

"Kylie, I'm glad you came. I have something you want," the woman said, her voice cold and unyielding. "But first, you have to tell me why you're so interested in my family's affairs."

Kylie, shocked and confused, stammered out, "Your family? I'm here because of my brother.

The woman scoffed, "Your brother? Don't be foolish. Your brother has nothing to do with this. I'm talking about my family—the Lockwoods. My husband, my son."

Kylie froze, her mind racing as the pieces fell into place. "The Lockwood? Are you Alicia? Alicia Lockwood?"

Alicia inclined her head in a curt nod. "I am. And you've been digging into my business, Miss Hayes. I don't like that."

Kylie swallowed hard, her pulse thundering in her ears. "I wasn't trying to pry into your business," she managed to say, her voice trembling slightly. "I just want to know what happened to my brother. He was in a car accident. The car that hit him was a Lockwood Construction truck."

Alicia's gaze hardened. "So you know about the accident," she said, a hint of disgust in her voice. "You think my son is responsible?"

"I just want the truth, Ms. Lockwood," Kylie implored. "I know your family's company owned the truck that hit my brother. I just want to know why this happened, and if your son had anything to do with it."

Alicia Lockwood sighed, her eyes glinting with a hidden pain. "You're not the only one with questions, Kylie. There's a lot you don't know about that day, and about my family.