A Hopeless Pursuit (Forbidden Love Series Book 10)

School was over and Lisa went to the student parking area at the back of the school and quietly got into Leo's car and ducked down to hide. Sofia and Victoria too climbed into the car and they drove off towards Sofia's house. Liam waited for a long time at the back gate for Lisa. He was very excited to be able to finally meet her tonight at his dad's birthday party. He saw Megan keeping a watch but there was no sign of Lisa. He could see her car parked right in front of the school at the visitor's parking area. Where did she go? What was taking her so long? Liam saw Megan climb into her mom's car and leave. He was disappointed at not being able to see Lisa. Did she forget him so soon?

In the next thirty minutes nearly all the students left the school campus except Lisa.  He could see her dad's chauffeur making worried phone calls. Liam was very worried about Lisa. He tried her number but couldn't get through as it was still blocked. He drove his black Audi to Sofia's house. He would have to ask her about Lisa. He was too worried and couldn't just go home without finding out about Lisa.

He parked his car opposite her house and was about to get out when he saw Lisa sitting near a bay window upstairs with two girls, busy talking with a grave expression on her face. Liam was relieved to see her safe. So she might have escaped from her house. He wondered what type of punishment had been inflicted upon her to make her escape. An elderly woman who resembled the other two girls came to sit with Lisa, hugging her to her bosom. Liam felt a tug at his heart. Was Lisa crying? The woman might be her friend's mom he realized. She might have shifted here. That meant she wouldn't be there at the party tonight. Liam started his car and drove home dejectedly not knowing how to see her again.  He wanted to talk to her. Tonight he would call her from a different phone.

The whole day he waited for his dad's birthday party to start. Serenity was helping his mom and Kathy decorate the small banquet hall in the main building where his parents lived. It was strange that Laurence hadn't returned home or called in the last five months. Liam tried to make his sister see sense and divorce Laurence but she didn't even want to think about it.

"I saw aunt Penny. I spoke to her too. She didn't look sick and dying, " said Liam, sitting with Serenity as munched upon a piece of apple from the plate of fruit salad in her hands.

"I know but Laurence believes that she's sick. The drama aunt Penny always starts when Laurence is around is worth seeing," said Serenity.

Liam stared at his sister. She was right. Aunt Penny looked fake in everything she did. She was upto something and only Lisa knew what it was. Maybe Lisa was abused at home in some way which made her so stressed and unhappy and caused her to always escape from her home.

"Is Lisa unhappy at her house?" Asked Liam.

"Yes, there's something going on between them. Lisa's a sweet girl but she's not her own self when her parents are around. She and her mom don't get on well. The few days that she stayed with me, I've seen her very unhappy and scared. I have no idea what's going on. She in't allowed to go and learn music which she is passionate about. She isn't allowed to have any friends. None of her friends come home too. It's a weird life for a vivacious teenager like her," said Serenity.

Liam told his sister everything that had been going on between him and Lisa and she felt bad for her little brother. "I don't know why she ran away from home, Liam. Maybe Sandra knows everything. I could ask her, " said Serenity. She hardly went downstairs to spend time with Laurence's parents ever since Laurence started going into severe depression and taking refuge in his bottle. She tried her best to give him some hope that he would find his Arianna and his child but it didn't comfort him much. It seemed that he had nearly given up all hope of finding his wife.

In the evening, Harry and Penny Lennard arrived to celebrate their dad's birthday. Liam wasn't expecting Lisa to come to his house but what surprised him was that the Lennards didn't look at all bothered by the fact that their daughter had run away from home. The amount of makeup and grooming that Penny Lennard had done might have taken her a whole day at the salon. She didn't look sick at all.

"Hello my dear," she said with a fake smile, patting Serenity's cheek. "So how's my grandson there inside you?" She asked excitedly.

"I have twins aunt Penny,  a girl and a boy," corrected Serenity. She wanted to tell her that her babies weren't her grandchildren. They were Alexander's babies and not Laurence's.

"Oh, is it. Well then double the gifts Eric. How much are you fixing in their bank accounts? Shouldn't they be born billionaires?" Laughed Penny Lennard. Serenity shot Liam a look while their mom and dad laughed at the joke. Liam escaped from the party and used another phone to call Lisa. The first two times,  the call went unanswered. The third time Lisa picked up.

"Hello who's speaking?" Asked Lisa curiously.

Liam heard her voice and felt relieved that she was sounding quite normal. "It's me Lisa, " said Liam with a sigh. Lisa froze hearing his voice. She had missed him with all her heart and soul.

"Liam," she said as her eyes filled with tears.

"Meet me Lisa. I need to see you please," he begged her.

"Forget me Liam, it's the best thing for us," said Lisa as a sob broke free, choking her. Her dad had come over to get her home, forcefully against her will. If Sofia's parents hadn't supported her she would have been forced to go to the Parker mansion to frame Liam by now. Her parents never gave up upon their plan with two famous hit-men harassing and threatening them for payment.

"I can't Lisa. I love you," he begged her.

"I can't be with you Liam," she said sobbing brokenly.

"Why? Give me a good reason and I won't bother you anymore," said Liam.

"I need two years to grow up, Liam. Two years to become an adult to legally be able to take decisions for myself," she said calmly, wiping her eyes. "Give me two years? I've left home permanently. I'll live here with Sofia till Laurence returns,"

"Why? Is there any problem?" Asked Liam with concern.

"I can only tell you this much that I don't want to do what my parents force me to do," she told him.

"Okay Lisa, take care of yourself and know that I shall always love you and wait for you. I'll call you after two years when you're an adult," said Liam with a sad smile. He could wait for two years, couldn't he?

"Thank you Liam. I don't think I deserve such a nice person like you, " said Lisa a sigh,

"You're wrong Lisa. I'm not so nice. On the contrary I'm very stubborn and strong willed. If I love someone, I love for life. I will surely make us happen even if I have to tread on fire for that," swore Liam.

Lisa smiled. "I'll wait for it to happen Liam. Even I'm a one-man girl. If I love someone, I love for life, " she whispered. "See you after two years." Lisa disconnected the phone call without waiting for Liam's answer. She took a deep breath. She was at peace for two years. When she was an adult, she would surely call up Liam and tell him that she loved him. Till then she had some growing up to do.

Liam stared at the mobile phone. What did she mean by that last statement? Did she love him or did she love Leo? Maybe she loved him. After all, she was sobbing heartbrokenly into the phone when he called. It wasn't that Liam didn't feel close to tears, he did, his heart broke hearing her broken voice.  But he couldn't cry like she could. He had never cried in his entire life. He decided that he would give her the space and let her grow up. In the meantime he could complete his college and internship.

He would pursue her after two years when she turned into an adult woman. It wouldn't be an easy wait but he could do it. He pondered over what she said. What was it that her parents forced her to do which made her run away from home? He was clueless. He would ask Serenity to find out from Sandra.