Chapter 29
In the days that followed, I was in a constant daze.
Even my dreams were haunted by the image of Benjamin, using moral coercion to force our son into providing for him in his old age.
I kept trying to reassure myself.
Those with HIV don’t usually live long.
Yet, in reality, there are those who can lead normal lives and die of natural causes.
When I was at a loss, a piece of news reached me.
Sophia was dead, and the alleged killer was Benjamin.
My initial reaction was disbelief.
Benjamin might have despised Sophia, but not to the extent of wanting her dead.
After all, we live in a society governed by law; murder carries a heavy penalty.
If he had truly intended to kill, he would have done it in the hospital.
He’s intelligent, composed, and rational-such a mistake doesn’t fit his character.
When the police questioned me, I didn’t voice my doubts.
I simply told them Benjamin had HIV, which I suspected he contracted from Sophia.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.
My sincerity was convincing, and they believed my story.
But after the officers left, a figure flashed through my mind.
“It had to be Amy!”
No one else came to mind.
This time, I didn’t search her home.
Leaving our son in the care of his nanny, I went to the spot where I first met Amelia.
It was a man-made lake, stagnant and foul-smelling in the summer.
It was in that putrid water that I had rescued her.
“You came.” she said, sipping her drink and looking up at me with a faint smile.
She was indeed here, as I’d expected.
I didn’t speak, just sat down beside her, waiting for an explanation.
“You’re right; you’ve figured it out.” she remarked.
“Why did you do it?”
“If I hadn’t, how would you be free of your worries? That man doesn’t deserve the honor of having your son care for him in his old age.”
It seemed she had overheard my conversation with Benjamin that night.
“You’ve lost your mind!”
“I haven’t. My life is a gift, and I had to do something for you.”
I held her close, my heart aching.
I wept, torn apart by the thought of what she had risked for me.
Her plan was flawless: she lured Sophia out under the guise of Benjamin.
Then, using Sophia’s name, she arranged a meeting with Benjamin.
Being old adversaries, their meeting was destined to be tense, and they ended up in a fierce argument.
After they parted ways, she discreetly administered an anesthetic to Benjamin.
Dressed in his clothes and wearing a mask, she struck a fatal blow to Sophia.
In the shadows, she had cleverly adjusted the surveillance cameras to cast her figure in a way that appeared elongated, ensuring that no one would suspect the perpetrator was a woman.
Everyone would assume it was Benjamin, acting out of spite after a dispute with Sophia.