Hans rolled up the sleeves of his black shirt until his elbows as he just arrived in Edward’s room. He immediately took a casual seat on the guest sofa.
Before the conversation could continue, there was a knock on the door. A moment later, Ariana entered with a tray carrying two cups of coffee. She politely served them and then left.
“Nic…” Edward called firmly to his loyal assistant, who stood not far away. “Please leave us for a moment. I have something important to discuss with Hans.”
Nicholas nodded in understanding. “Alright, Mister.” The young man promptly left, leaving Edward and Hans alone in the room.
“So, what’s the topic of our discussion this time?” Hans asked impatiently. “I was actually planning to meet you this weekend to give you a report about Chloe’s birth mother.”
Edward loosened his tie, which was tightly wrapped around his neck. He took off his jacket and placed it haphazardly somewhere. He looked visibly agitated now.
“If I tell you, you might be shocked,” Edward said in a low voice.
Hans squinted his eyes, showing a curious expression. “Come on, tell me quickly. Or is there some work I need to finish?”
“I want you to investigate something, Hans.”
“What is it this time?”
Edward took a moment to take out his smartphone from his pants pocket. He accessed the device seriously and eventually spoke up softly.
“Check your phone now. I’m sending you something.”
Hans nodded, grabbing his phone to see what Edward had sent him.
“A photo?” He furrowed his brows in confusion. “Isn’t this your wife’s sister?”
Edward nodded briefly.
“Yes, that’s Nathalie, Chloe’s biological sister. I want you to investigate her death.”
Edward’s words left Hans wondering why his friend suddenly wanted to investigate the death of his sister-in-law.
“But wasn’t this woman’s death ruled as a car accident?”
Edward shook his head repeatedly.
“You’re wrong, Hans. Chloe’s sister didn’t die in a car accident.”
“What do you mean? So, everything reported in the media was just a cover-up? Is that it?”
This time, Edward nodded. He shifted his position, leaning back on the sofa. Folding his hands in front of his chest, he continued.
“Nathalie’s death was suspected to be the result of violence, but the perpetrator remains unknown.”
Hans was quite shocked by this revelation. He straightened his posture and moved closer to Edward.
“Okay, you’re saying Nathalie’s death remains a big mystery,” he said. “But what does this have to do with you? Did Chloe ask you to investigate this case?”
“No!” There was a hint of anguish in Edward’s words. “Believe it or not, Chloe actually thinks I am the one responsible for her sister’s death.”
“What?!” Hans looked even more shocked now. How could his friend be accused of someone’s death? Let alone hurting someone emotionally.
“What’s the story behind this? Am I missing some information?”
Edward shook his head.
“I only found out a few hours ago, Hans,” he said. “Earlier, Chloe’s assistant deliberately met me to tell me all of this.”
“Wait a minute,” interrupted Hans. “Why did Chloe’s assistant suddenly meet you and tell you all of this?”
This excerpt seems to be a continuation of the previous conversation. Here’s the translation into American English:
Edward took a deep breath. It was actually quite confusing to start telling the story. His mind was in turmoil now. But, once again, he had to force himself to handle this mess promptly to prevent it from getting worse. Above all, he wanted to clear his name from Chloe’s baseless accusations.
“Let me give you the main outline,” Edward said.
Hans nodded, encouraging Edward to start the narrative. He thought this must be interesting since Edward seemed so anxious.
“A few years ago, Nathalie was found in critical condition at a hospital. The doctors diagnosed that she had suffered fatal violence, which led to her deteriorating condition. Even the baby she was carrying became a victim.”
Hans stayed silent, paying close attention to the information Edward was sharing.
“Unfortunately, she couldn’t hold on, and that night Nathalie took her last breath. But before she passed away, she told Chloe to find a man, for some unknown reason. All Chloe assumed was that this man was responsible for her sister’s death.”
“Then, who is this man?” Hans asked.
Edward laughed bitterly, wanting to curse but restraining himself. “It’s me.”
“Ugh…” Hans groaned out loud. “You’re kidding while I’m seriously listening to your story!” he protested, feeling frustrated.
“I’m not joking. It’s true. Chloe thinks I’m the one behind her sister’s death. I just realized now that maybe all this time, the man she’s been dreaming about every night is me.”
Hans furrowed his brows even more. “What do you mean?”
“Yes, a few times I caught Chloe murmuring in her sleep about wanting to kill someone. Even when she was drunk yesterday, she mentioned being afraid of falling in love with a murderer. And now I realize, she was referring to me.”
“Oh my God!” Hans exclaimed in panic. On one hand, he felt sorry for Edward and what he was going through. “How can Chloe accuse you of all this? Even though you have had multiple partners, I know for sure you’re not the type of guy to resort to violence, especially against a woman.”
Edward closed his eyes dramatically. His face showed visible tension, hinting at the burden of thoughts he was carrying.
“I would never and could never harm a woman. But somehow, my business card and handkerchief ended up in Nathalie’s bag. These two things made Chloe conclude that I’m the one behind her sister’s death.”
“Dear Lord,” Hans panicked. While feeling pity for Edward, he also felt angry about the situation. “During Nathalie’s critical condition, who took her to the hospital? And why didn’t they investigate this matter properly instead of jumping to conclusions?”
Edward shrugged both shoulders. “I don’t know. According to Samuel, a man called the ambulance, reporting that Nathalie was dying in her apartment. But when the paramedics arrived, they couldn’t find the man there. Even the apartment’s CCTV couldn’t identify the person,” Edward explained. “And, based on Samuel’s story, Chloe is blinded by revenge. She firmly believes that I am the culprit. That’s why instead of investigating Nathalie’s case, she’s been looking into my background.”
There was a moment of silence before Hans responded. “What a fool!” Hans cursed again, this time louder. “So, is that why you called me?”
“More than that, I want you to help me find Nathalie’s diary.”
Once again, Hans was surprised by what he heard. “A diary?” he repeated to confirm.
“Yes,” Edward nodded briefly. “Samuel told me that Nathalie had a tendency to write everything that happened to her in a diary. So, he speculates that there might be clues about the man who was close to Nathalie before her death.”
“But, Ed…” Hans interrupted, “I’m really curious why Chloe’s assistant suddenly told you about this issue. I’m worried this might be part of their scheme.”