‘Calm down.’ Sia whispered under her breath as her heart resorts to a hard thumping rhythm. Michelle egged her on for them not to cower when they get there. So, right now Sia is trying hard to get a handle on her emotions.
‘Why am I scared? Not like I did anything wrong?’ She murmured inwardly. A means of knifing the growing fear inside her.
They hurtle to the living room and her eyes made a brave tour to the faces of the elders whose faces are wiped of all traces of expression and of course, Silas.
He shot her a smirk and in an attempt to control herself, Sia smushed her fists together.
Holding her head high, she stabbed elder James with a sharp glare, and his lips quirked in an answering grin as he paces the room,
Back
And forth.
No, Sia so much hates this behavior. It tells her this discussion or broach or approach, whatever it is, is going to be a shocking one or a long one.
She already had a long day and having a long conversation now is not what she’s looking forward to.
At that moment, she remembered Mrs. Monson. Relief blossomed inside Sia remembering her death. So, she drew a mental conclusion that they’re here to discuss about her burial.
Definitely, that’s their reason for showing up here.
Blowing out a relief-filled breath, Sia hightailed over to the couch and slumped her bum on it, crossing her legs at the knees.
Her over confidence had Silas smirking. Yikes, Sia hates that grin plucking at his lips. She hasn’t forgotten what he did to her the last time he came to this place.
Barreling over to the couch across from hers, Silas plunged into it, not breaking his stare from Sia.
James cleared his throat and waved his hand. Maybe to his bouncers, Sia can’t quite tell. She just settled down, waiting to hear their reason for shoveling into her house without an invitation.
When Sia’s eyes hobbled to the door she sighted officers walking into the living room and their footfall echoed in the room.
She rose to her feet when she spotted the inspector of the police department among the lieutenants that trooped into the living room.
She swallowed thickly and traded glances with Michelle who looked as worried and curious as she is.
Silas savored the look of confusion dripping from her face. He ran his fingers across his chin, smirking.
The officers settled four feet away from Sia. While one of them set a computer on the coffee table and inserted something like a flash drive into it.
Clearing his throat again, James’ voice cut through the silent filled room.
Tension is already rising inside Sia. Though she knows she did absolutely nothing wrong but she can’t shake off the worry blooming inside her chest.
“I believe you don’t have any idea why we are here, Sia Monson,” James uttered. “Since you claimed Monson demised the family’s legacy to you, doubt tugged at the backs of our throats.” He began pacing around.
Sia got drenched in anger, knowing whatever that’s happening is Silas’s plan.
He has got the perfect timing to strike, however, Sia isn’t prepared to receive the hard punches thrown at her.
‘Son of bitch…’ She mused.
“We the family elders have dug deep to find out if in reality your husband willingly signed off the property to you…”
“He did. You’ve no reason to doubt it. I do not know which other way to clear your mind about that. I guess you’re having a hard time accepting the fact I’m the ruler now.” Sia cut in, roving her eyes around on everyone’s faces.
Angered by her actions, James raised his hand up, a clue to Sia he doesn’t wish for her to interrupt his words.
“Silence is what I demand of you, Sia Monson.” He roared, making Sia jerk her head back. “A few weeks ago, we got the news about Rose Monson’s death. I believe you’ve heard that. She was defenestrated. Something that has never happened in this family before. A death of shame.”
Sia rolled her eyes inwardly, wondering what the death of Rose Monson got to do with her.
“And from what transpired between you and her during the centennial party of the Monson Group, we point our suspicious fingers at you.” James shot her a hard glare.
“At me!?” Sia gushed, sharply, pointing at her chest.
Silas smirked again, loving the brewing confusion.
‘So fucking good.’ He mused.
“Yes, you. Sia Monson.” James reiterated gauging Sia’s reaction.
Michelle is as puzzled as Sia. Out of reflex, she snapped. “Mrs. Monson can never do that. She’s not as evil as he…” She pointed at Silas who sent daggers at her. “Is.”
Silas had the urge to hurtle over to Michelle and cage her neck with the palm of his hands and squeezed every ounce of breath from her.
Balling his fist to rein on his annoyance, he blurted. “Servants are not allowed to blurt in discussions like this.” His nose flared. “Now leave, old woman.” He sprinkled his orders, making a look of shock to shroud Sia.
All the while she has been hearing the whispers about how Silas treats them whenever he comes around is just as bad as Sia imagined.
She looked over at Michelle and got a read of the fear in her.
Michelle grind her teeth and turned to leave but Sia’s command brought her to a halt.
“Stay!” Sia commanded and moved her sharp, loathsome glare at Silas. He tilted the corner of his lips up and wagged his brows.
“Silas is right, servants are not to meddle in this discussion.” One of the elders said in favor of Silas.
“She stays! Else I’m done with this meeting.” Sia snipped, her nose flaring.
James pulled his hand up and silence cocooned the room once again.
One of the lieutenants played a recorder which one monotone statement blared from. “And I’ll end you before you make me a loser.”
As the words play from the recorder, Sia remembered where and when she said that. She shook her head as the realization hits her. Someone recorded her banter with Rose Monson.
“Close to seven weeks after you said this…Rose was defenestrated.” James uttered.
“She’s the one that killed my mother!” Silas shouted, startling Sia.
“What!?” She hooted in shock. “Nonsense! Absolute nonsense. I never had a hand in your mother’s death.” She said defiantly, boring her eyes at Silas. “She died weeks ago and that was when I was in Yevpatoriya. So tell me, how could I have done that while I was away?”
“Your words alone are enough proof, you had a hand in snuffing her out. That aside.” James gestured for the lieutenant to play a video on their computer.
Sia was silenced by the brutal accusation they laid on her. Of course, she doesn’t have a hand in her death so they’re practically judging her by her words?
So unfair.
Nothing about the Monson family is fair.
A video started playing on the computer screen and she watched it intently.
It’s a bit black but sure enough, you can still make out the surroundings and the people going about it.
And from the looks of it. It’s a hospital as she spotted nurses wheeling someone to the ER. But the lieutenant played the video in a particular ward where a man lay on the bed with an IV fixed into his hand. An oxygen nose mask on his face.
Sia can’t hear the blaring of the electrocardiogram but she could see the lines moving across the screen. And a woman sat beside the sick man, her back to the security camera.
After taking in the surroundings and people, Sia knew instantly that is Monson’s ward. That’s Monson lying sick on the bed and the woman beside him is her.
She pulled her gaze back at James. Questions coiled the back of her throat but James gestured for her to look back at the screen.
And she did.
She watched as she stayed for hours, her head resting on Monson’s arms. For about two hours, she didn’t move. But later she did. She stood up and clamped on her bag.
She walked off and the video stayed for about thirty minutes without anyone walking into the camera’s view.
Thirty minutes went by before someone barreled into the room again. Dressed exactly like her. Same clothes, height, shoes, back, and hair. Nothing different. And the resemblance made Sia wonder whether it was still her.
The person sat exactly the same way she did before, resting her head on Monson’s hand for about twenty minutes.
And like she did, she stood up, clamped on her bag like Sia. Only this time she smoothed her hair with her fingers. Instead of leaving instantly, the lady moved to the IV and pulled out a syringe from her bag then injected the contents from the syringe into the IV.
Afterward, she left. Hell, she walks a lot like Sia.
Sia’s brain pretzeled as she tried to think back to what happened this particular day. But she can’t remember much. It’s been long.
All she knows is that she didn’t kill him.
“A few days to being discharged from the hospital, Monson died.” James finishes.
“I didn’t kill him I couldn’t have killed my husband.” She said defiantly.
“Is it true? But the evidence just spoke itself.” Silas said, standing up. He scooched closer to Sia and looked into her eyes.
‘Poor thing.’ He said to himself.
“You killed Monson so you can take over the family’s wealth.” He accused, his breath fanning her cheeks.
“I did no such thing…”
“Yes, you did. Told you I’d get evidence sooner or later. Thankfully I did.” He said.
Tears prickled at the corners of Sia’s eyes but she held it back. This is not the time to shed tears.
“Officers, take her away!” Silas barked his orders and on a whim, Sia felt the metal cuff her wrist.
“No, you can’t take me away!” She yelled. “I didn’t kill my husband!” She gushed as they tugged her towards the door.
“No! Mrs. Monson!” Michelle called tottering behind the police as they pushed Sia outside.
Another wave of pain and suffering just winds its ways inside her. For the first time in her life, she’s going to suffer for the sins of another person. For the first time in her life, she’s going to be put behind bars.
‘What has my life turned into?’ She cried inwardly.
She veered back at Michelle who struggled to etch through the crowd.
“Please, call Lucas.” She gushed in between tears.
Coming outside the compound flashes of cameras greeted her. The reporters struggled to inch close to her so they can fire questions at her.
“Is it true you killed Mr. Monson?”
“Is it true you had a hand in Rose Monson’s death?”
“Is it true Mr. Monson never demised his property to you?”
She heard the questions they showered her with but only tears could she sprinkle. She was shoved into the paddy wagon and was taken away.
Headlines: The widow has been accused of killing her husband Mr. Monson and defenestrating Rose Monson.
The news has spread and everyone awaits her court trials.