Finding Lilibeth

Lilibeth slowly got up when she heard Lex leave. She looked at her cast which Lex had cracked open when he kicked her, she was scared. She knew she had to get out of there. She needed to get the cards from her bag and called Mark Little to come get her. She didn't want to be sold at all. She slowly made her way back to the house which she had been stuck in for the last week with people who hated her.

Darren was in the dining room with Beau and Leo when Lilibeth returned. She didn't want to see anyone but was stopped by Darren. "Why are you back and where is Lex?" Darren asked. Lilibeth kept her head down not wanting to speak to anyone at all. She couldn't trust any of them especially after what Lex had said. "Dad, Lex said she ran away" Leo rushed out knowing that Lex had been drinking and not wanting Lilibeth to dob on him. "My office now Lilibeth" Darren fumed out.

Lilibeth followed Darren to the office still not looking up. "Why the hell would you run away from your brother? He is probably worried sick about you. How dare you disrespect me and my sons. We took you in Lilibeth" Darren fumed out. Lilibeth had held her tongue long enough. "They are lying" she whispered. Darren swung around facing the girl who was still looking at the ground. "What did you say?" Darren yelled.

Lilibeth looked up at Darren, "I said they are lying" she replied. "Are you calling my sons liars?" Darren fumed. "I can assure you my children don't lie" Darren continued. "So you are saying what Lex told me is true ..." Lilibeth began to say wanting to ask if Darren had sold her. "I can assure you what Lex said is the truth my children don't lie. I don't know how your mother raised you but my children know better" Darren fumed out. Lilibeth took a step back paling even more. He had sold her and admitted it. She knew she needed to get out of here and quickly. She would pack her things and ring Mark Little when she got somewhere safe.

Lilibeth hadn't heard Darren's rant until he screamed her name causing her to jump. "Did you even listen to what I said?" Darren asked but Lilibeth didn't answer at all just stared at Darren watching to see if he would strike her. "Get to your room now, you will be punished for this" Darren yelled and Lilibeth ran from the room. She knew she had to get out of the house. She quickly packed her things the nurse gave her at the hospital in the bag. She wouldn't be staying here at all.

Lilibeth crept down to the kitchen careful not to run into anyone and grabbed a loaf of bread, some fruit, peanut butter and some bags of chips that she could reach stuffing them in the bag she had. She crept to the front door and slowly opened it. Once outside she took off running. She didn't know where she was going but she needed to get away from that house. It was worse then being with her mother.

Lex stumbled into the house just before dinner laughing. He was still off his face and didn't realise his father was in the dining room. "Leo, oh god Leo. Come watch this video" Lex slurred out. Leo was sitting in the dining room with his father worried that Darren would work out that Lex was off his face. "Leo quick this is the part I tell the bitch dad sold her" Lex slurred out. "Shut up dickhead" Leo yelled looking at Darren who was now fuming.

"Lex get in here now" Darren yelled sobering Lex up quick smart. Lex walked into the dining room pocketing his phone. "Emma please go and get a Lilibeth for dinner" Darren spoke dismissing Emma from the room. "Show me the video" Darren stated. "It's nothing" Lex replied quickly. "Show me the video now Lex" Darren yelled causing Lex to gulp. He hadn't seen his father this mad in a long time.

Lex handed Darren his phone and Darren clicked on the video of Lex pushing Lilibeth and yelling at her. Darren glared at Lex until he heard the words that he had sold Lilibeth. He saw the young girl curled into herself as Lex kicked her. Emma came running into the he room "Lilibeth is gone" she yelled out.

Darren stood up running up to Lilibeth's room. He opened the door not seeing her there at all and then headed to her bathroom to check she wasn't there. He even checked her wardrobe which was completely empty. "Where is she?" Darren rushed out. He felt guilty, Lilibeth had tried to tell him and he refused to listen to the girl when she said his sons were lying. Darren headed back downstairs where all his sons were sitting with there heads down. They all felt bad for what had happened the last week.

"How could an 8 year old get out of the house unnoticed with all her stuff?" Darren asked. He had text Paul asking him to alert security to the fact that Lilibeth had left. She couldn't have gone that far with all her things. Emma had been looking on the ground floor but she knew Lilibeth had gone. "She couldn't of gone far with all her things" Darren said trying to assure himself she would be found quickly.

Emma heard and stormed into the dining room where everyone was seated. "All her stuff?" Emma questioned. "Do you mean the three outfits she brought with her?" Emma fumed out. "Beau took her shopping" Darren replied causing Emma to shake her head and Beau to sink in his chair. "Bullshit, Lilibeth was locked in that room the entire time you were gone. They threatened her and told her she wasn't allowed out. If it wasn't for me taking her food she would not of eaten. After everything that girl has been through with her mother abusing her and snapping her arm, she is stuck with you all who are just as abusive as her mother" Emma screamed at them.

All the boys lifted there heads looking at Emma. Did she just say her mother snapped Lilibeth's arm and was abusive? "What are you talking about?" Darren asked. "If you had bothered with your daughter you would realise that child has been abused since she was born. Then she is brought here after her mother put her into hospital where she required surgery on her arm. She was then sent here where the abuse continued. No wonder she took off. She is safer out there then she ever was with either of her parents. I quit, I won't work for monsters who continue to abuse an innocent child" Emma fumed out taking her apron off and throwing it on the table. Emma gathered her things and headed to the door slamming it on the way out.

Darren picked up his phone calling Paul. "Paul why wasn't I informed Lilibeth was abused by her mother?" Darren asked. "It's in the file Mr Staples if you bothered to look" Paul replied before hanging up. Darren retrieved the file reading through it and getting paler as her went. Lilibeth had been abused since she was a baby. The police reports were detailed and the medical reports showed a special diet had been required, all of which Darren hadn't bothered with until it was to late and Lilibeth had gone.