Chapter 40 : Fredrick's Fate

As Angela and Leonardo ventured further down the steep and treacherous path, the forest grew denser, obstructing their way. The setting sun began to cast long shadows over the rocky cliff that loomed above the mansion. Angela, realizing the challenges they faced, tried to dissuade Leonardo from continuing their perilous descent.
"It's too difficult to go down there, Leonardo," she urged, her voice laced with concern. "And it's getting darker. We should turn back."
But Leonardo was resolute, driven by an unwavering determination to touch the ground where Esmeralda had met her untimely demise. He disregarded Angela's words and pressed on, his heart and mind consumed by his mission. As they continued, Angela lost her footing and tumbled to the ground, a cry of pain escaping her lips.
"Angela!" Leonardo's voice reverberated with worry. "What happened? Are you alright?"
Grimacing, Angela replied, "I slipped, but I'm fine now."
Concern etched on his face, Leonardo asked, "Are you hurt?"
Managing a reassuring smile, Angela fibbed, "Just a small cut on my palm, nothing serious."
But in truth, her palm bled, the pain throbbing with each beat of her heart. She glanced upward, catching sight of the veranda's railing high above them, a stark reminder of the great height they had descended.
"Leonardo, we seem to be right under the veranda of your mansion," Angela remarked, her voice tinged with both awe and discomfort.
"Do you see a protruding rock?" Leonardo queried.
Angela scanned the surroundings, eventually spotting the rock Leonardo described. "Yes, I see it. It's on our right."
"Next to that rock," Leonardo began, his voice heavy with emotion, "Esmeralda's lifeless body was found. Her head was twisted, facing upward toward the veranda." As he recounted the haunting details of that fateful day, Angela's stomach churned with a mixture of sympathy and dread. The scene he painted was too ghastly to fully comprehend. She wished to shield herself from the painful imagery, but she forced herself to listen attentively, determined to honor their quest for the truth.
"Are you still there, Angela?" Leonardo asked, breaking the silence.
"Yes," Angela replied, her voice laced with both physical and emotional pain.
A moment passed before Leonardo instructed Angela to thoroughly search the area. "Please, find something, anything," he pleaded. "I remember it was the rainy season when she died, and this part of the cliff was shrouded in trees. From the veranda, you couldn't see anything down here on the ground. That's why Esmeralda's body went unnoticed for several days."
Curiosity sparked within Angela as she sought to assist in their search. "What was she wearing on the day she died?" she inquired.
Leonardo's voice wavered with sorrow as he recalled, "She was dressed in white. I can still vividly picture that day. The rain had transformed her white dress into a muddy brown. She always wore white when she went to church, and it was on a Sunday that she was discovered here. It was a devastating day for all of us."
A suffocating silence descended upon them, casting a pall of unspoken anguish upon their souls. Angela's pain intensified, her hand throbbing with an unbearable ache, a physical manifestation of the darkness that consumed them.
"Search the surroundings," Leonardo urged. "Find something that belongs to Esmeralda, no matter how trivial—a hair clip, a token of her presence."
With trembling hands, Angela ventured into the mire of the earth, combing the muddy ground with twigs, desperately seeking a trace. Yet, her efforts yielded nothing, each fruitless sweep a testament to the elusiveness of their quest. "There is nothing here, Leonardo," she confessed, her voice tinged with defeat.
Minutes stretched into eternity as they stood there, their hopes crumbling in the face of an unfathomable void. Resigned, they turned their backs on the desolate scene, retracing their steps toward the sanctuary of their home. They walked along the road leading to the grand estate's imposing gates, their hearts heavy with unanswered questions.
It was then that Fredrick's car screeched to a halt beside them, a beacon of unexpected interruption. Fredrick emerged from the vehicle, his eyes drawn to Angela's bleeding hand, an unwelcome omen. "What happened, Angela? Why is your hand bleeding?"
Leonardo's anger surged, fueled by Angela's silence and concealed pain. "Why won't you tell me the truth?" he seethed, his voice a tempestuous whisper. "You assured me there was nothing wrong with your hand."
Angela's fingers clenched tightly around her wound, a futile attempt to stifle the truth. Yet, Fredrick's concern refused to be ignored. "You must see a doctor, Angela," he insisted, his voice laced with determination.
"Go, Angela. Seek medical attention," Leonardo commanded, his resolve unyielding. "Fredrick, take her to a doctor."

After escorting Leonardo to the house, Angela and Frederick embarked on their journey to visit a doctor. The atmosphere inside the car was filled with tense silence, prompting Frederick to seize the moment and inquire about Angela and Leonardo's activities at the cliff.
"What were you doing down there?" Frederick finally broke the silence, his voice tinged with curiosity. Angela, knowing she couldn't evade the question, mustered the courage to respond. "It was Leonardo's wish to touch the ground where Esmeralda perished," she revealed, her words hanging in the air. Frederick fell silent once more, his mind swirling with thoughts.

After completing their visit to the doctor, as they made their way back to the mansion, Frederick mustered the courage to make a request. He turned to Angela and implored her to take him to the cliff. Angela, who harbored reservations about being alone with Frederick, hesitated, her reluctance apparent.
"Please, Angela," Frederick pleaded, a sense of urgency lacing his words. "I, too, want to uncover the truth of that fateful day." His sudden fervor for unraveling the mysteries surrounding Esmeralda's demise grated on Angela's nerves, her patience wearing thin.
Relenting, Angela nodded softly, surrendering to Frederick's persistence. And so, Frederick increased his speed, eager to arrive at their destination swiftly, his anticipation palpable.
Angela began to back up once they were at the same spot where the projecting rock lay on the ground. "I should go back to the mansion," she remarked, beginning to walk back to the exit's bushy path, but a strong hand grabbed her arms and drew her around to face Fredrick's shining gaze. "Don't leave me yet."
"What's the matter with you? Angela tried to free herself from his grip, but he was too powerful, pulling her into his arms and imprisoning her in his chest. "You have no idea how much I adore you, Angela," he panted eagerly as he hugged and kissed her.
"Let go of me, Fredrick!" screamed Angela as she struggled free from his grasp. You have no right to do this to me. You're insane!" She twisted her body, but Fredrick's grip on her tightened. "Please, Fredrick, don't do this to me."
But Fredrick was insanely coiling his arms around her body and started licking her neck, which caused Angela to jolt and push Fredrick, but he punched Angela in the stomach, and she slammed down on the muddy ground. Fredrick leaped over her, reaping her upper clothes, exposing her black bra, and snapping it off to free her round, full bosom.
"You're so beautiful, Angela." He was now on top of her. "You'd enjoy it," he said as he began to kiss Angela from the neck down to her breast, pinning her to the muddy ground. Angela's right hand was fortunate to grasp a hard stone, which she slammed hard onto Fredrick's head.
Fredrick cried out in agony as he yanked away from Angela's topless body, blood splattering all over the ground.
"What have you done?" Fredrick was horrified to see the blood on his hands, and he dived, lying motionless on the ground.