In the pale morning light, Andrew stood in his kitchen, attempting to cook beef porridge for Mary and gather some clothes for her hospital stay.
Having long been estranged from the culinary world, the tension gripped him. Once he seasoned the dish to satisfaction, he carefully transferred it into a food container to bring to the hospital.
As he stepped out towards his car, the unsettling trill of the hospital’s call rang through. They informed him that Mary was scheduled for surgery at ten this morning. A wave of joy swept over Andrew. Without hesitation, he sprinted to the hospital – he had been anxiously awaiting this news for what felt like an eternity.
“Mary, Mary, we have wonderful news!” he exclaimed breathlessly.
Confusion clouded Mary’s eyes. “What are you talking about? Has a new art masterpiece been created?”
Andrew suddenly realized she was unaware of her current health status. Feigning agreement, he nodded, “Let me explain.”
“Why don’t you rest first?” he gently suggested, drawing the blanket up to her waist and assisting her into a more comfortable position. But Mary sensed he was holding something back, suspicion brewing in her eyes.
Lately, Andrew had been acting oddly. Although he assured her that her condition was not severe, she noticed his frequent secretive exchanges with the doctor. She grabbed his hand firmly, compelling him to stay. “Sit down,” she implored, “Is there something you’re hiding from me?”
Caught off-guard, Andrew struggled to find words, fearing the anguish the truth might cause. “Everything is fine. Just rest here,” he said evasively.
“No, I want to know the truth.”
Faced with Mary’s resolute demeanor, Andrew found himself unraveling the grim reality of her condition. Her face drained of color as he spoke, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes, a palpable fear evident. It was as though the universe had dealt her an unfair hand, one cruelty after another. This ailment threatened to steal her most precious things: hope, love, and future.
Holding her close, Andrew felt a crushing weight of guilt. Despite all his efforts, he couldn’t shield her from this.
Suddenly, a commotion outside interrupted their moment. A nurse appeared, bearing the unsettling news that the surgery had been postponed due to allegations of bribery against the lead surgeon. The hospital, realizing the gravity of the situation, had decided to wait until a suitable replacement could be found.
Furious, Andrew sought the hospital’s director. There, he was shown a chilling video of a woman handing the surgeon a bag of money with an insidious request – to deliberately make a fatal mistake during Mary’s surgery.
Bathed in disbelief, Andrew found it inconceivable that someone could harbor such malice towards Mary. Perhaps an old vendetta silently simmered between them. Yet, there was something eerily familiar about that figure – the posture, the movements, the cadence of their voice, and those piercing eyes. He hesitated for a split second, then muttered: “Agnes. It’s her.”
Trembling, Andrew was consumed by bewilderment before hastily taking his leave. He tapped into every resource every contact he had, desperate to trace Agnes’s whereabouts. The revelation that she was still alive, living under a different identity no less, came as a startling surprise.
After realizing her cover was blown, Agnes again pleaded with Tom for help.
“Tom, save me. You know you love me,” she implored.
“If you knew that, why did you exploit my love? My affection for you doesn’t give you the right to trample over my feelings. I might have wronged you in the past, pushing you to assume another’s identity, but I’ve made amends ever since. I no longer see you as a substitute for my late wife, but you’ve shattered my trust.”
“I thought being with you would bring happiness. But seeing her happy, I couldn’t stand it. Why should they get to live joyfully after all they’ve done to me?”
Shaking his head in despair, Tom found it hard to reach Agnes, a woman seemingly beyond redemption.
“From the start, you were in the wrong. Jealousy and greed morphed you into someone wicked. If you had the guts to act, then bear the consequences.”
As Agnes knelt before him, tears streaming, clutching his hands with fervent desperation, Tom was torn between anger and pity.
“I can’t go to prison. Take me back to where we were happy. Away from here, I’ll be safe.”
“But the evidence against you is undeniable. Escape is impossible now.”
In utter despair, Agnes released her grip, her eyes clouding, before bursting into bitter, pained laughter. “It was him! He must have betrayed me. No one else could.”
“Who are you talking about?”
The distant blare of police sirens pierced the air, sending Agnes into a frenzy as she scrambled to hide behind a couch. When taken into custody, she wailed desperately.
“It wasn’t me! I’m innocent. Tom, save me!”
A pang of heartache hit Tom as he realized he had once again misplaced his affections, entrusting his heart to the undeserving.
Inside the prison, Agnes gave up evidence on her accomplice. Mr. Jonathan could not escape the charges either. She had long known about her mother’s suicide and intended to manipulate him again. However, the cunning old fox was one step ahead. Yet, this evidence could still corner him.
In a voice soaked with emotion and veiled desperation, she whispered, “How could I perish alone when our shared fate remains unfulfilled? You must accompany me on this final journey.”
In another twist, Mr. Jonathan could hardly contain his glee upon hearing Agnes’s arrest. He threw back his head, his laughter resonating with smug satisfaction.
“I always said, every betrayer, every deceiver who crosses me will meet an ill fate.”
This moment, this dismissal had been long anticipated. He believed that without his revenge, he would never find peace, even in death. Yet, in his moment of jubilation, he remained unaware of the encircling police forces outside, waiting for the perfect opportunity to capture him in one swift move.
Suddenly, the blaring announcement from a loudspeaker jolted him from his revelry.
“Mr. Jonathan, you are surrounded. Surrender now, and the law might show you mercy.”
“Damnation!”
In haste, he grabbed his gun, its chamber already loaded. He held his ground, waiting for his allies to rescue him, but no assistance arrived after three seemingly eternal hours. In a desperate gamble, he blasted his way through the door, attempting to escape. Yet, unbeknownst to him, an overwhelming force awaited him. Eventually, weakened and outnumbered, he was shot and met his tragic end.
The life of a man who hustled, schemed, and competed, who harmed others in pursuit of personal gains, culminated in a chilling, tragic fate: bereft of wealth, without a soul to mourn him, and without a tear shed in his name.