Chapter 14:

Narrator {POV}

He walked into the building disoriented unlike before the haste of the information he carried would put all his effort to waste but it was surely not the end. He pressed on the password that opens the secret door, one he has become accustomed to but it denied him access.
Furiously he stabbed his palm against the door. The lock has been changed, this means the situation was getting critical. Secrets have been spread in secret. Now the empty building felt eerie and deserted; anything could happen at this moment. He should have been watchful, he advised himself. This could only mean one thing: his identity has been discovered or he was about to lose his life.
"Who cares.... ?"
"Who cares?!, " He thought loudly
He was just a trained puppet like everyone else. Designed by fate to betray the people that trusted him the most. He pulled out his phone and punched down on its numbers.
"What's the code?" he asked without waiting for any reply.
"Her death day!" the crude voice replied with so much empathy of delight.
***************

Louis {POV}
The arrival of Connor, my chief security brought me to a halt as he entered my inner office chambers. It's been a few days and hopefully, he has found something useful. All the links to Nora's death had ghosted even the recent hint still hanging on the cliff about to disappear like the rest. I scanned his appearance as he walked towards me with a short bow. He stood as rigid as usual. Conner, retired from the military, his uncle worked alongside with my foster father and he swore to protect me.
He was loyal, trustworthy, and very reliable. Best tracker in his field, nothing can easily cross past him.
"Morning, your highness, " he greeted.
He handed me a file containing newly gathered information. As I glanced through the file, I saw the original picture of the selected staff on duty that night. Their names and background everything seems normal.
"What else? "I asked, not happy with what I was getting.
He pulled out a picture from the file, he bought a picture of someone leaving the party thirty minutes before Nora's body was found. The CCTV camera captured his face, his appearance was a match to Miriam's description.
"His tag!"
"Joshua...., " I muttered
"He's the one!" my voice was quick to rage as anger enveloped my chest.
"Yes, "
I looked at the staff picture again.
"This guy...". I pointed at the same tag name, the original owner of the tag, the lanky fellow.
"What's their relationship?, " I glanced at him.
"None, " he answered.
"He was found dead in the toilet, throat slit wide open.", he showed me the picture sent by the hotel.
I analyzed his picture, he looks like a skilled killer, definitely a hired assassin. When I look thoroughly at the time frame with which the crime was committed, it was quite amiss, something didn't feel right or corresponded.
Nora's body was found at 1:00 am, in the morning while this guy left the hotel at 12:30
Where the hell was her friends during those minutes she was in the bathroom? They didn't even bother to check up on her.
Nora crowded herself with parasites that fed on her status; none even truly cared about her, they were all clout chasers, altruistic beings, parasites for fame.
I pounded my fist on the table. Even if we share no love relationship, I still have to find out who murdered her to clear my name from these baseless accusations.
"What did you find out about him?, " I asked.
"Currently, there's still no lead, whoever hired him must be very influential cause I scanned his picture yet I still found no database with his identity."
I already know who was paying him for this. All I needed was just a piece of evidence to bring them down. My stepmother was gaining allies, and I will do my best to unveil their dealings.
I glanced back at the picture and something caught my eye, a tattoo drawn very close to his left ear, it looks familiar. I zoomed closely at the tattoo... A scorpion tattoo.
"Where did I see this?"
My mind rummaged through my memory.
Kina her date!...
Hmm, that guy was oddly out of place.
The discovery made me gasp in wonder.
"Conner, did you see this? " I asked as I tapped the picture pointing at the tattoo on his neck side.
When he didn't answer, I became furious and couldn't imagine he missed such huge details.
I got up from my seat.
"Conner!,"
I gave him a look that intensified my disappointment, closely walking upfront toward him. In my presence, he tilted his head downward in submission. He could hardly keep his eyes fixed on mine.
Conner was not someone to miss any detail. He was very good at this stuff. Why was he becoming careless at this point? The tattoo drawing was the same as the guy at the seminar.
"What was he doing with Kina?".
"Who was he working for?",
Her uncle or her!
Rather who has he offended?
"I need an answer, " I ordered
"Before midnight!" My voice was so raw, clear enough that he took notice his chances to redeem himself were limited. He matched out immediately.
I recall the look of death Lord Elliott gave me when he found out his daughter was dead, the way he lost control and nearly pounced on me. Have I overlooked these things?
Kina was indeed his new substitute.
************
I woke up late that night from my disturbing sleep. My senses seem to be alerted all of a sudden. I have been under a lot of stress lately. I have been away for so long that something I wonder if the throne was worth all my stress. I walked down the staircase and headed toward the kitchen. The light was still on, Maria must be awake.
Behold I found Amelia in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal. I checked the time at 3:45 am.
I haven't seen her all day, when I got back the housekeeper informed me that she had already slept. She has a weird attitude coming down to eat by this time dressed in little clothing. Her inner short lace silk nightgown was too revealing, I cleared my throat to announce my presence but she didn't even notice.
"If you were so hungry, you should have rung for Maria instead of coming down with little clothing, " I said sternly.
I can't deny the fact she was irresistible right down. To my own surprise, she didn't bat an eye, she kept eating as if I wasn't even there.
"Amelia, " I called her again.
She eyed me narrowly. That's when I noticed how clear her eyes were but they were clouded looking dreamy.
She was sleepwalking. I found myself chuckling so hard, she was really sleepwalking. I watched her silently. It was quite interesting, I heard so much about people who sleepwalk but this was my first time seeing anyone sleepwalking. I find it funny when people tell stories about having no knowledge of anything while they sleepwalk.
After she finished her cereal, I kept watching her puzzled, waiting for what she would do next. When she stood up, she accidentally knocked down the glass jug, it scattered with a loud noise as it landed on the floor. The loud noise didn't seem to wake her. She kept moving forward towards the broken glass.
I rushed towards her pulling her away. Still asleep, she looked vulnerable. My face crawled into a frown. What if she had hurt herself in the process?
Mrs. Maria and a few staff started to arrive in the kitchen.
" What happened?, " Mrs. Maria asked with a worried expression.
"Clean it up, " I said, still holding Amelia who was now struggling to free herself.
Mrs. Maria ordered the staff to tidy up the kitchen.
I finally let go of her as we left the kitchen. She started walking towards the stairs slowly dangling along the way while I guided her from behind, preventing her from any misleading trail. I thought to myself if this continues it may lead to greater consequences so I would hire her a personal maid, someone to look after her in case no one is around. I don't want her to cause any harm to her body at this early stage.
In her vulnerable state, I couldn't take my eyes off her Nighties that barely covered her long legs. The nude lace was revealing even though her breast stood firm and her nipple pointed.
Unbelievable!
Louis Han Walser was seduced by a woman not the other way around.
She was indeed a daredevil messing around in my head. She kept moving up and down the stairs continuously.
Frustrated, I gathered her in a bridal style up straight to her room.
I laid her down on her bed.
She coiled herself in the shape of a ball, her lips colored like rose petals. I spread the duvet over her creamy skin that looks like an untainted flower about to bloom. She muttered something softly, I could make out a word she said, I couldn't take my eyes off her either.
Her plump lips partly closed daring me to take a bite like the forbidden fruit in a garden. Her long glossy chestnut brown hair swept behind, it made her look so small yet dangerously irresistible. She smiled softly in her sleep as if her lover had just beckoned her with a kiss of love. A striking resemblance to someone I met before. Then I realized why I find her so familiar.