The officer cleared her throat for a second time, and started, “From the footage we got, we weren’t able to see the vehicle’s number plate properly. But, we were able to scrutinize the picture of the vehicle, as much as we could. Only two days ago, one of our experts suggested that we take a survey. We went around the town, in search of a vehicle salesperson. The vehicle seemed pretty new, so we guessed that it was bought only a few days before the day of the incident.”
Serene sobbed from behind. She kept quivering, and though I didn’t appreciate that, I wasn’t ready to comfort her. Right now, she seemed disgusting. It hurt that I couldn’t contain this ruckus. It was her fault.
“So, what happened?” She asked the officer, her voice low and scattered.
“With the help of an old salesman, we found out that his retired coworker still sold vehicles, though that is pretty illegal. We visited his friend, and gently asked the man to help us with who had purchased the vehicle from him, that night,” the officer continued. She smiled a little, her smile more like a smirk. “Eventually, we got the buyer’s name.”
“Wh-Who’s the person?” Serene squeezed my hand. Well, actually, I hadn’t ever seen her this scared.
The officer sighed. “Investigating further, we found out that the culprit is pretty famous, and even owns her own boutique. The police managed to see her coming here, while there was traffic on Dilla’s road.”
“Who’s she?” I asked.
The police jogged from behind, pulling someone with them. Being hesitant, I turned my neck around, only for me to see them holding Sherri. Involuntarily, my jaw dropped.
Sherri? She had tried to kill Serene’s parents?
“Sherri?” Serene called her name in a whisper.
The police stayed in front of us, struggling with Sherri. She panted hard, wept hard, trying to leave their grip. “Ryan, please! Don’t let them take me! I did this for us. I wanted them to die, so she would be devastated for the rest of her miserable life! You both haven’t even been together for a year, but you love her so much! It’s so unfair!”
I clenched my teeth and jaw, holding back the agony in my heart. “You did this? Y-You tried murdering her parents?”
“Yes!” She cried at the top of her voice, wailing so much like a maniac. “But, why?! Why do my plans never work?! First, I framed her at Twinkle Stars. I’ve tried threatening her so much! Raymond and I abducted her! I’ve spiked her drink once, but she didn’t even take it! And now, though I’ve tried killing her parents, you still haven’t stopped loving her!”
“Take her away,” the officer ordered.
“No!” As they pulled her out, she kept screaming. “Ryan, stop them! I swear, I love you with all my heart! Please, stop them! Please! Don’t do this to me! I love you! I love you! I love you! Aah, no! This is unfair! I’ll kill everybody!”
With that, they took her out of the church.
I took a deep breath, and held Serene tighter. “Thank you, officer. We appreciate your effort. We’ll get back to you, okay?”
“No problem. We’ll let you know how it goes. Her court case will begin soon,” she announced.
“Thanks,” I said. I pulled Serene out of the church, headed to my car, and in a short while, we left the vicinity.
This was a whole lot I had to deal with. First, Serene betrayed me. And then, James and Sherri too. Why were these people this heartless?
It hurt.
***
Serene
Sitting on the balcony in my room, I looked down at my lap, sobbing so much. After Ryan had brought me home, I had gone straight to my room, and had wept so hard. I hadn’t even apologized to him. All I had been doing was to cry.
Because of Sherri’s stupidity, my parents wouldn’t make it. And now, Ryan was so upset with me. I didn’t even know if he was still in the house. Since I had come to my room immediately we had gotten here, I hadn’t been able to say anything to him.
I rubbed off the tears on my cheek, stood up, heading back into my room. About stepping in, I halted when I saw Ryan sitting on my bed. What a relief. He hadn’t gone home yet. But, why was he still here?
He looked at me when I stepped in, and looked away immediately.
“You’re still here?” I shut the door behind me, sauntering towards him.
He wasn’t smiling at all. He looked very upset. “I still need to speak with you,” he said.
I sat beside him. “Or, were you worried about me?”
He chortled. With a gloom and furious look on his face, he turned to me. “Worried about you? For what reason?”
I knitted my eyebrows, pursed my lips, feeling so disturbed. “I understand how you might feel right now, but please—”
“Keep it to yourself,” he shunned me. He glared, and stood up. I stood up as well, faced him, trying not to cry. He scoffed. “No. You don’t understand how I feel. You just don’t. You can’t understand it until you feel it yourself.”
My eyes welled in tears. “I-I didn’t have an option. I was hopeless. Right now, I’m so worried that my parents will die.”
“Is that all you care about?” He frowned even harder. There was a type of glare when one expressed his anger. But, no. Behind Ryan’s glare, I could see nothing but gloom and agony. He squeezed his face to express his irritation. “Do you never think of how I feel? I mean, I don’t get this. Why do you never notice my efforts?”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. I sniffled, took a step close to him, and took his hand. “But, seriously, this isn’t just my fault. Do you realize that you also don’t ever read my body language? The night I asked you for some money, I was so upset. I was in so much pain. But, you didn’t even notice it.”
He pulled his hand from mine, his glare deepening. “That means I’m to blame, right? I believe you know that this is the first time I’m actually in love with someone. I’m only starting to learn these things.”
“But, it was so obvious.” I tried defending myself. Of course, I was only trying to seem innocent, though I knew I wasn’t. I was so helpless. Nothing else.
He scoffed. “You really don’t know what I’ve been doing because of you. I watch videos on how to comfort one’s lover, I take special counselling, and I’ve been reading books as well. Yet, this is what I get?”
“You can just—”
“What’s the point of courtship?” He cut off. The more he spoke, the more his pain became glaring. “Isn’t it about growing with one’s partner? If you knew I was lagging something, why did you never teach me to do it right? Why didn’t you correct my errors? Instead of vexing for the tiniest things, why did you never try to make me understand you?”
I blinked away my tears. “I-I don’t know.”
He sighed. “You went as far as planning a marriage with my friend. If you had paid more attention to me, if we’d had enough time to speak with each other, you’d know that my investment is starting to work greatly.”
“I’m so sorry,” I apologized.
He grabbed his phone and keys from the bed, took a step backwards, and swallowed. That stern look was still on his face. “Tell me how much you need for your parents’ surgery. Things are getting back to normal. You don’t have to worry, I’ll pay the bills. Ask the doctors to begin the surgery procedure immediately.”
“Ryan.” I broke out in tears. I just realized that I had literally ruined my life with my own hands.
“Don’t bother to pay me back. This is more like a charity to me. I’m fine with it,” he declared.
I nodded. “But please, don’t leave me in this hard time. I need you very much. Fate made you stop the wedding. Let’s forget—”
“In the meantime…” Again, he cut me off. He put his phone in the pocket of his pants, obviously ready to leave. “… we shouldn’t see each other or text each other. We’re done. Really done.”
I nodded. “Thank you.’
He was about to leave, but something made me hold his arm back. I leaned close, held his jaw in a rush, and smacked my lips against his. Though I was kissing so much, he didn’t even bother to kiss me back.
I pulled away, stared into those angry eyes, a small smile on my lips. “I love you. And, remember that you stopped the wedding. That means, you want me back. Don’t worry, I’ll be waiting here for you. I will.”
He just let out a scoff, pulled away, and stepped out of the room. As soon as he did so, I grabbed my phone to call the doctor. I knew I was supposed to be worried that he wasn’t with me anymore, but I just wasn’t. I was positive for some reason.
Anyway, if he left forever, I would never forget what he was about to do for me. He would save my parents.
I sat on the bed. Waiting for the doctor to pick up the call, I let a tear leave my eye. Hopefully, in the future, everything would be fine again, I thought.
I missed my Ryan. How I wished I hadn’t been stupid enough to lose him. It hurt.
***