Cara sighs as she took another sip. The drink was strong, just as Cara wanted it. Her dad's apartment was dark. Ever since she got that subpoena, she spent her days laying low. Why did she go back to Sweet Valley? She had cousins in Ohio, she should have gone there instead.

Lila called, she was wondering how she was doing. Cara called back and told her about her upcoming testimony and how scared she was. She heard about the Karl Family. They were notoriously famous in the crime scene since the 1930s. She heard of the scandal at SVU, but didn't think much of it. Now she was terrified. She was indirectly responsible for her ex's arrest.

She knew nothing about the drugs. She was having dinner with Ashley DeHaven, aka Amy Sutton's half sister and her husband Dr Peter DeHaven in London when she got interrupted by the maître d that she got a phone call. Excusing herself she answered the call.

"Tell Karl I need a answer, yes or no."

Cara was confused. "Excuse me?"

"I need a straight answer. In or out. I'm not bullshitting."

Cara was mystified. She racked her brains to see if Marco was making any deals when the voice on the line said he was going to hangup unless he had a yes or no answer. She recalled Marco saying this deal was the deal of the lifetime that will change their whole lives. He said this is what his father and grandfather was waiting for their whole lives. She had no idea why the guy was calling her, then realized he was on a business trip in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and wouldn't be back for another week.

"Yes."

"Fine."

The voice hung up. Cara was left scratching her head. Not wanting to be rude she went back to her dinner. When Marco got home, he asked Cara if there was any calls for him. When Cara told him, his face was blank. But he thanked her. He told a disappointed Cara he had to leave again for another business trip. But he assured her this would be the last one for a long time.

That "business" trip ended up with him and his flackkies going to Italy to buy drugs. His dad wired him one hundred million in a underground money service that can move money mysteriously without government officials or law enforcement interfering. Marco took the briefcases and paid the guy off. Whoever those dealers were gave him directions to a habour in Salerno, Italy. The ship that came from China supposedly contained cheap toy teddy bears.

Those teddy bears contained cocaine. It was cleverly disguised, not in the stuffing, but in the fake eyeballs and buttons that were on the bear. Marco and his gang were caught when Interpol Police were waiting on a sting. The sting called, Operation Orsacchiotto (Teddy) was in the works for ten years. They were watching the gang, they been watching them for years. They knew they were waiting for a buyer for their shipment.

They were responsible for many terrorist attacks in and around Europe. They were responsible for the attacks in Romania, Brussels, and Spain. They needed money and sold drugs, illegal firearms, and many shady illegal products. When the Karl family got a hot tip about a guaranteed sale, Nelson demanded his son put in a bid for the drugs.

There was plenty of offers, but it was Nelson Karl that put in the highest bid. It cost them a huge fortune, but the sales of the cocaine would have made them quadruple the money they lost. At least 900 million.

Cara remembered how excited and scared Marco was. He was very jumpy and nervous. He was telling a excited Cara that he was going to buy them a private piece of land in Italy. He knew Cara loved Italy, since her ancestors came from there and promised her she can once again walk on the soil her great great great grandmother walked. He told her he was going to buy a private vineyard. Build them a private villa, or even a castle. Buy her everything she even dreamed of. He gave her his credit card and arranged for his family's private jet to take her and her friends to Milan.

Cara should have saw the signs. Marco was always jumpy. He disappeared several times to the bathroom, even when they were having dinner or shopping. Cara always wondered why he sniffled a lot. Now she knew. When she got that phone call her life changed forever.

First the Interpol Police and the British Police came to their home and seized everything. Then Cara was arrested. She was rotting in a jail for almost a week. She had no lawyer, she couldn't afford one. Her bank account was frozen. She was let go for lack of evidence. Her dad flew to London to help her out. After making arrangements with the authorities, she was allowed to head back to the United States.

Cara flushed her ring down the toilet. She knew she could have gave it back, but it was a painful reminder that her relationship was a lie. Her ex fiance Marco called and begged to see Cara, he claimed it was just a huge misunderstanding. He wanted her to support him. Cara refused. She sent back all the gifts he sent her from jail. She wanted to forget. Now with Nelson Karl's arrest, she was forced to testify. She knew if she got on that stand, she was dead.

The knock on the door scared her. She didn't want to answer it. She was scared it was another threatening warning. It started off with letters, then Barbie dolls with short hair similar to hers with broken limbs and red nail polish on their necks, then dead animals that were eviscerated left at her dads. The knocks became louder. Cara closed her eyes.

"Cara! It's Jessica! Open the door!"

Cara hesitated.

"I bought chinese. Lila is here too, same with Jeannie, Sandra and Annie. You don't have to be alone!"

Cara heard Jessica's voice, and recognized her old friends. When she opened it, she was glad to see them. A few hours later she felt like her old self again. She was glad to see they were doing okay nowadays. Jeannie West was now a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Sandra Bacon was married to her high school sweetheart, Manuel Lopez and was working as a secretary at Wakefield and Muldaur, Lila was in charge of Fowler Enterprises, Annie was running her independently owned vegan makeup company called Simply Beauté, it was small, but getting more popular thanks to social media, and Jessica was still acting on The Young and the Beautiful.

Cara was telling them about her fears. She noticed how everyone exchanged looks. When Jessica suggested she go stay with her in her home in Malibu, Cara eagerly agreed. Cara was terrified to leave her dad's apartment, not even to the gas station, fearing she was being followed. Jessica told Cara she lived in a gated community and had heavy security 24/7. She and Lila made arrangements for Cara to come to Sweet Valley with private security whenever she needed it. Since both were rich, they had to have bodyguards on special occasions.

A few days later she was at Jessica's. True to her word, Cara felt safe. Thankfully her dad was in Chicago on business. She and her mom begged him to stay there, especially when he found out about Cara's "presents."

Her mom was staying with her grandparents in Corvina, and her younger brother was attending college in Stanford. The hearing wasn't on for a couple of months, but the DA was feeling pressure from the defense to move the case, so it can be thrown out. Cara was feeling the pressure. She wanted to run, but couldn't. Steven at least made the trip down south, Cara didn't feel safe in Sweet Valley. She was scheduled to be interviewed by a ATF, agent Nick Fox. The DA, Robert Muldaur, Ned Wakefield, and Steven Wakefield were going to escort her to Sweet Valley. The trail was going to take place in Los Angeles, but the witness statements will be done in Sweet Valley. Cara was terrified. The trail was coming way too soon. She wished she moved to Chicago with her dad instead of London with her mom all those years ago.