Chapter 8
Tobey hesitantly mumbled, “Is it Sophie who killed Mom?”
Silence fell heavy in the air, and not a single word was spoken as they continued down the dim corridor. The glaring fluorescent lights cast an eerie glow over the suspect, making him look like a
monster.
With a malevolent grin, he suddenly turned his gaze to Henry, hinting at some old grudge.
Then, he began recounting the details. leading up to my death. “She managed to call for help, but thank goodness it got disconnected. Was that you who hung up, kiddo? Thank you,” he sneered.
Tobey let out a startled cry, tears streaming down his face. Lately, he seemed to be crying at the drop of a hat, completely losing the persona of a prodigy.
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“That woman of yours? She’s like a dog begging for mercy. It drove me nuts, so I threw acid on her.
“She was writhing in pain, so I hacked off her limbs.
“And her head? I used it as a soccer ball for a few days.”
Henry’s eyes were ablaze, reddened with rage as if they were filled with the desire to kill. Tobey was trembling so badly he could barely stand.
Then, he was forcefully ushered out of the
room.
The motive behind my murder was shockingly simple–he just found me annoying. But I distinctly remembered Sophie knowing him.
Paul placed a reassuring hand on Henry’s shoulder, his voice heavy with gravity.
“There’s some more info to go through. Just listen and don’t act on impulse.”
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All my personal details and the call recordings had been recovered. My phone was filled with the venomous words Sophie
had sent me.
[You’re old, ugly, and stupid–how long are you going to cling to Henry?]
[We look like a family of three, and if I were you, I would’ve left ages ago.]
[Why haven’t you kicked the bucket yet? You’re like a mangy dog.]
Henry flipped through the files faster until, at last, he found a USB drive. On it was the recording of the call Sophie made to me.
“Did you hear? You guys are in a standoff again? Don’t go crawling back to Henry like a dog this time. Forget it. Since you’re so sensible this time, meet me at ten tonight. I can help clear up the misunderstanding.
“You wouldn’t want him to hate you after you’re divorced, right?”
That was the bait that lured me to my
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doom. I should have seen it coming, but ultimately, it was too late.
Once all of this sunk in, Tobey became
furious, charging out like a bull. “I’m going to avenge Mom! Sophie is a big, bad
villain!”
But Henry grabbed him by the collar and yanked him back, his frustration spilling
over.
“Why can’t I avenge Mom? You’re the villain too, Henry!”
The slap Henry dealt Tobey echoed in the room, leaving the boy in stunned silence.
Paul wrapped his arms around the sobbing Tobey and spoke to Henry, “We can’t pin the blame on Sophie just yet; the suspect insists she wasn’t involved, but I think you know what kind of person Sophie is.”
Henry remained mute, simply taking Tobey to Zoe’s house before calling Sophie, his tone dripping with a warmth I had never heard before.
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“Hey, what do you feel like eating tonight? I’ll cook.”
I couldn’t say I was surprised. What am I expecting?
Henry was setting up a romantic dinner for the two of them. Dressed in a stunning red gown, Sophie looked enchanting as she nibbled on her food.
“Henry, are you planning to propose tonight? But Rachel just died; isn’t that a tad inappropriate?”
Henry forced a smile and raised his glass, and Sophie blushed, taking a sip from her glass.
I couldn’t figure out why I was even there- am I just a spectator in their twisted love story?
As the night wore on, Henry looked serious. as he pulled out a small box. Sophie’s eyes sparkled with anticipation, closing her
eyes.
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With a sudden clank, Henry handcuffed himself to Sophie and then struck her hard across the face.
Sophie was left stunned while Henry gazed at her with a mix of satisfaction and something more sinister.
“That man, is he one of your admirers? Back at school, you were always luring me and him on simultaneously.”
It dawned on me then–this must be why Zoe’s investigation led her to dislike Sophie.
“Today, we all need to apologize to Rachel.”
Sophie’s delayed realization fixed on the glass of wine, and I finally understood what Henry intended.
But it really wasn’t necessary. I wanted nothing more to do with them.
Sophie’s eyes went from disbelief to panic and finally to madness. Her voice shifted from quiet pleas to loud curses.
“What do you think you are, some kind of
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good guy? Everything was tacitly allowed by you!
“You’re just a coward. You couldn’t keep me as a teenager, and now you can’t hold on to her!
“Did you really not know your mother came to see me? Blaming Rachel is just an excuse for your cowardice.”
Henry’s expression revealed himself when he heard those words.
It hit me then–the obsession lifted, and my soul felt lighter. All along, what I couldn’t. let go of was the desire to clear up misunderstandings.
But what if the misunderstanding had never existed? Throughout, Henry had been feigning ignorance, indulging in tormenting me.
Sophie cursed through tears until she began to spit blood, then howled in agony.
“Please, Henry, spare me. I want to live. I
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swear I’ll take good care of you and Tobey.”
But Henry remained as still, not uttering a word, his face serene as he murmured, “Rachel, I’m coming to find you.”
I only felt revulsion. Don’t come near me; I don’t want to be associated with you.
anymore.
When they both lost consciousness, Tobey burst in at the last moment, screaming, and rushed them to the hospital.
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