Found But Broken (ON HOLD)

Chapter 34: Manipulation

Marco: "Emilia you were either living in a foster home or with Lilith, and then we overheard you talk about your foster family who you've never mentioned or told us anything about. I understand that Stefan crossed a line, and it was wrong and I'm so sorry he did that. But now you're also telling us you know criminal level hacking. Where would you have even learned that. Is it so wrong that were curious and worried"

Emilia: "One I never told you about my foster family because it doesn't matter whether or not you know anything about them. I want to and choose to keep them separate from my life here with you. That is my decision to make. I won't speak further on that topic and if you try anything like hacking my phone again, I'll leave. Two don't be so blinded by your privilege, just because I was in foster homes and with Lilith doesn't mean the only way, I learned coding was through illegal activity. My foster father signed me up for coding lessons after he noticed I had an interest. I've gotten really good since then."

Marco: "Why didn't you just tell us that"

Emilia: "For goodness sake you never asked, you all made assumptions and then resorted to eavesdropping, going behind my back, and hacking into my phone"

Everyone simply remained silent because every word that Emilia uttered was the truth. Finally Lucian broke the silence by apologizing " I'm sorry, we should've come to you instead of making assumptions and talking behind your back. We were wrong". Emilia replies, "Thank you" then gets up and starts walking away but turns back and says, "You know if you weren't such insecure cowards and just manned up and talked to me none of this would've happened". She then walks out the door gets on her motorcycle and drives away. She heads to Liam's house.

Back at the house Matei is arguing with Stefan.

Matei: "Do you see what you've done. You've destroyed any and all rapport we've built with her"

Stefan: "I'm sorry, I just wanted to"

Matei: "You just wanted to what hack into her phone. What would you have done if you found out who her foster family was"

Stefan: "I would've told you guys"

Matei: "Then what, it wouldn't have improved our relationship with her. We'd just feel guilty for what you did and jealous because now we know who was with her during all the moments we missed out on."

Stefan could do nothing but hang his head in shame as he now fully grasped the consequences of his actions. He didn't just destroy his relationship with Emilia. He destroyed everyone's. Matei stormed out and went to his room. A worried Allegra asks Bella if she knows where Emilia went. Bella reassures her "there's only a few people she knows in New York I'm sure she's fine". Allegra "Let me know if she calls" Bella replies "I will". Allegra then leaves to go and check on Matei and everyone disperses.

Meanwhile at Liam's house Emilia told him everything that happened.

Liam: "Damn, good thing you put encryption on your phones. What made him even do that, like going from eavesdropping to hacking. That's a big jump."

Emilia: "Lexi"

Liam: "What do you mean"

Emilia: "They asked her about my foster family she must've planted the idea in his head then"

Liam: "What makes you so sure"

Emilia: "She was trying to gaslight me. I mean does she honestly think I'd believe that crap about them wanting to torture me"

Liam: "What?"

Emilia: "We were finally reunited after 17 years there's no way they would lay a hand on me"

Emilia shows him the messages "I mean if you're going to gaslight someone at least don't be obvious about it. I just went along with it and manipulated her into thinking I was none the wiser"

Liam: "What are you going to do"

Emilia: "Do a deep dive on her and especially about what happened in Idaho something is telling me that's what started all this."

Liam: "That's it?"

Emilia responds "Oh most definitely not, I'm just getting started with her" with a smirk.