CHAPTER 90: TRUTH HAS UNFOLD

Just right after our final sexual interaction, which we incredibly did three in a row, non-stop and highly intensified body unison, I wasn’t expecting myself to be fully rejuvenated and extremely all-pumped up. It was as if our love making served as an antidote for me that literally revitalized my body circulation and completely extracted stress from my system.


I felt utterly revived, like I was given a new strength, which cleared all sorts of discomfort and anxiety in me that I experienced over the past weeks. If only I knew that spending intimate time with my boyfriend would grant me a magical boost and toxic-free feeling, I should have initiated making love with him sooner.


As I lay my head peacefully on top of his chest, vividly hearing the symphonic rhythm of his heart as he feathery caressed my hair, relaxation overpowers my exhaustion and fatigueness, which slowly blessed my eyes in sleepiness.


“I love you so much, Penelope Hunt, will you marry me?” My mind swiftly registered his words even if it's on its way to unconsciousness. I gradually lifted my head so our eyes could meet. He was eying me with sheerness, unmitigated and profoundly serious. There was not a hint of humor nor fooling around that could be evident in them.


“Seriously?” He simply nodded without removing sight from me. “Don’t you think it’s somewhat untimely, Lewis? I mean, with everything that was occurring now, the investigation, dad’s upcoming burial, Nicole…”


“Don’t you love me?”


“Of course, I do, but…”


“Then marry me. Why do we need to prolong the process if we know we both love each other? Not unless you are having doubts in me, then I would understand why you don’t wish to be married to me.”


“It’s not that simple, Lewis. Don’t you think we should deal with what we are facing first before heading to that stage? I love you, but don’t you think it’s inappropriate now with our current situation?”


His eyes were slightly tainted with discouragement before sighing laboriously. I could sense him disagreeing with what I just conveyed. “What happened to your father made me certain that life is full of uncertainty. It fears me enormously that there will come a time where one of us wasn't there for the other and I didn’t get to live life the way I desired it to be. It scares me not knowing what the future lies, especially perceiving that there are several people who aimed to see one of us fall. I’m scared of losing you, Penelope, as I was terribly frightened to be gone and leave you behind.”


“That wouldn’t happen, Lewis. We will look at each other. No harm would come our way.”


“We can never tell, Baby. The sudden death of your father was uncalled for, unperceived and unforeseen. It could happen to anyone regardless of how careful we might be.”


His reasons made me think, weighing heavily his words versus the weight of our current situation. Deep inside my heart I know he was the one for me and the one I wish to spend my whole life with. But partially inside my head, there was this desire to get over this mind-blowing case first before venturing to that road to forever with him. As I stared at him, there was a discussion going on between which weighs more, what my mind believes or what my heart desires.


I was about to open my mouth and voice out my decision when rampant knocks both caught our attention. Whoever was outside surely was in urgency to speak to any of us with the way the knocks were administered.


“Yes?” I spoke loudly.


“Miss Hunt, your presence is highly needed downstairs! The officers summoned you to quickly head to the basement! It’s a matter of grave importance!” A male voice exasperatedly exclaimed, which made me jolt off to bed and hastily clothed myself.


“I will be there in a minute!”


I heard Lewis cursed before exhaling heavily, obviously irritated at the abrupt interruption. But when my head turned to him, he was putting his clothes back on as well. I was about to apologize to him when he swiftly marched towards the door and opened it.


“Let’s go! Let’s see what they got for them to disturbed you in such an unmannered way.”


I decided not to respond as his words were laced with impatience and dormancy. He was certainly displeased with the unanticipated suspension of our conversation, which I truly understood. Quietly but in rapid motion, I strode out of my room and without any words headed to where I was told to be.


The moment Lewis opened the basement door for me, several police officers were gathered around at one corner. The one whom I was conversing with hours ago inside my father’s room, broke the ice and authoritatively spoke up.


“Miss Hunt! You might want to check this.”


“What is it?” I cluelessly inquired before commencing to walk towards them.


“It seems your father smartly input undistinguished hidden cameras in the entire household, which when we asked prior to this moment all your household staff regarding them, none of them knew these devices ever existed. Do any of you know about this?”


“No,” Both Lewis and I answered in chorus.


“Your father must have secretly placed them for a certain reason. Run back monitors 2.1 and 2.2. The one we unfold earlier” He ordered in no one in particular. One of his comrades started punching through the keyboard.


“All set, Lieutenant.”


“If you would kindly please, Sir, Mam, watch the monitor here first followed by the next one. But I highly suggest that you brace yourselves, especially you Miss Hunt, for what you were about to behold” I gazed at him first as tremendous fright and nervousness enveloped my entire system. I could feel my feet sweating as Lewis tightly secured an arm on my shoulder and pulled me closer to him. It was as if he knew I would be needing his strength to whatever it was that we were about to see. “Play 2.1 followed by 2.2.”


All pairs of eyes were attuned to the monitor that was singularly playing now. The wide screen shows a hallway, which I am certain was the second floor, since there were only two doors present unlike the rest of the upper floors. It was taken from a much higher angle, but nonetheless, it was visually clear.


I was holding my breath as I awaited. It took several minutes, the time was accurately flashed at the top left part of the screen, when a figure appeared where I think came from the stairs. Its back was seen on screen, but I could tell who it was and perhaps Lewis does too, since the figure was pulling a luggage and was carrying a medium size handbag.


The figure was none other than Nicole. My eyes were glued at the screen as she stopped outside my father’s room and gradually held the doorknob. My heart skipped a beat as I held my breath when the screen suddenly blacked out, then just a matter of seconds it went back on, but appears to be in a different location.


It was my father’s bedroom. The hidden camera must be placed at the right side corner near the door, where almost every angle of his private room could be seen. It was shown that dad was lying asleep on his bed. After a short while, Nicole started walking towards one corner and straight to where the vault was located. She managed to open the vault with swiftness before several times stacking something inside her luggage then placing some sort inside her handbag.


“That must be those missing money and jewelry she intentionally took,” Lewis nonchalantly uttered.


I was speechless as my eyes were locked at what I was beholding, but my heart was raging adamantly mad at Nicole for what she did, which was caught on camera. Both my hands were clenching with enormous fury towards her, but I tried to control myself and focus on what was ahead of me.


Right after closing the vault, Nicole headed back to where she appeared and was out of the picture. But only seconds after, she once again reappeared and this time headed slowly towards where my father’s bed was situated without carrying anything. There was a short pause before she gradually held one of dad’s pillows, which made my eyes protrude with intense fright as I am fully aware of what will occur next based on what Lewis explained to me, the real cause of my father’s sudden death.


Grieving and pitiful tears were obtained in my eyes as I didn’t blink and looked straight ahead at the screen. I visually witness how Nicole forcefully covered my father’s face with the pillow she was holding, how my father’s body struggled and minutes after slackened lifelessly.


“FUCK YOU, NICOLE! I’M GOING TO KILL YOU! DAMN YOU! I’LL KILL YOU WITH MY BARE HANDS, YOU MANSLAUGHTER!” I hysterically shouted from the top of my lungs, struggling uncontrollably against Lewis' tight embrace. Rivers of tears came flooding from my eyes as extreme anger filled my entire being and I continued to curse the person who ruthlessly and unmercifully killed my father. I was wailing excessively while calling for my helpless father and profaning Nicole with spiteful words.


“I need to stabilize her!” Lewis murmured authoritatively, which made me scream even more.


“NO! THAT BITCH WILL PAY THIS WITH HER LIFE! THE HELL WITH THE SYSTEM! I WILL KILL HER MYSELF! FUCK YOU TO DEATH, NICOLE! YOU'RE A MURDEROUS THIEF! I WILL KILL YOU IF IT'S THE LAST THING I WOULD EVER DO!”


“Help me with her! She’s mentally and emotionally unstable! I need to sedate her! I will get it in my room!”


“Hold her!” Someone from the room ordered and secured me in place on the ground.


Minutes after I heard Lewis’ voice again and felt a prick of pain on my skin. He injected me with a sedative, which gradually made my body light as my head started to feel like floating. He cradled me in his arms and wrapped me around his embrace.


“Everything will be alright, Baby. I got you, don’t worry.”


“But Nicole…”


“We will give your father the justice he fully deserves, Penelope, now that the truth has unfold. Rest yourself first. I’ll be just right here when you wake up.”


I couldn’t force my eyes to open further as it slowly closed involuntarily. I am gradually drowsing off to a bed of oblivion, which I unwillingly wish to be at right now. The last thing I heard was Lewis whispering to me, I love you, before I completely surrendered to unconsciousness.