THE CULPRIT'S VERDICT

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Life begets Life. 0000000

The wind chimed through my body, pulling the edge of my midnight dress as it escaped on the verge of space.

Ryle hurriedly took off his coat and covered my jiggling body. He held me on my shoulders and tugged me back with him into the hotel.

My eyes met Valmier's as we crossed paths, his gaze was stocked on me, I couldn't read the expression on his face.

I didn't understand the feeling I had in my chest, nor how to react as he slowly disappeared from my shoulder.

"He made a fool out of us and so he had to die tonight."

The assailant's voice whispered back in my head. Made a fool of 'us'. It meant that there were two or more people behind my family's murder. I had to figure out the people behind this and why they had to do such a horrible thing to my family. What does she mean by 'us'? Who are the people behind my family's death? What are they after and what rules did my parents break to be murdered by them?

Then I remembered uncle's last words, "The Serdents are after you."

Serdents. I need to know more about them. The lady, she's knows the answer. I need to find her!

"Hey, are you with me?" Ryle snapped his fingers in front of my face to get my attention. I didn't notice we had already reached my room. He let me sat on my bedside and stroked his hands up and down on my arms.

My eyes traveled from his hands to his face, it was full of worries.

"Why are you here?" I asked, trying to get any suspicious answer from him. With what happened to my uncle, I didn't know who I should trust and who I should not.

"I was worried about you. The incident happened in front of your room and when I checked for you, you weren't there. They said you left, so I searched for you, that's when we heard gunshots and it led us on the rooftop. Why the hell are you-?"

"Where's unc-, where is the man who was killed earlier?" I cut his words as I remembered my uncle. "Was he dead?" I asked, my voice almost broke into a sob.

"Nam, are you okay?" Ryle asked and rubbed my back. I could tell he was troubled by the tone of my voice.

I nodded, "Do you know where they brought him?"

"You mean, Mr. Danny Vista?" he asked, looking dejected. "He didn't have a pulse when I last checked him. I presumed he's dead." I bit the inside of my lower lip to halt the emotion on my chest from coming out. I didn't know how long I could hold back my tears.

"As far as I know, he doesn't have any family members so I would probably ask someone to cremate him tomorrow and bring his urn back to our place. I planned to place him to where his other relatives are, that's the least I can do for a loyal member of our company."

The pain I felt was reduced when I heard what he said. I appreciated the fact that he showed concern about my uncle. "Who could have done such thing to Mr. Danny? Do you have any idea who's behind this?" I inquired, yearning for an

answer.

There was a sudden lapse in time as he failed to respond instantly.

"I-I don't have any idea." He shifted his head away as he answered my question.

I opened my mouth in suspicion.

"Are you sure? He is also a stakeholder in your company, you don't know anyone who could be behind this? I heard his family was also killed in a car planted with a bomb? Don't you think the same person is behind this?"

He turned his face back at me. His gaze was a little deep as if he was thinking of something.

"Whoever it is, we shouldn't involve ourselves. The Culprit must be someone big and dangerous to bump into," he said. His tone was a bit defensive. "I wonder what the Vista did to be eliminated." He whispered to himself as he rubbed his chin with his hand, thinking of a possible answer to his query.

I examined him. He seemed too innocent to be involved in this mess, or was he just a good actor?

He sighed as he stood and said, "It's still too early for a morning. You should go to sleep. The police will invite you to the precint tomorrow to get your statements, so you better rest now."

"I don't know if I can sleep, " I shifted my gaze away from him.

"Yeah, especially with your clothe wrapped with bloodstain."

I looked down on my midnight dress as I realized the blood scattered on it- uncle's blood. I took a deep breath as I prevent a whimper from coming out.

"I'll leave so you can change your clothing just knock on my door if you need something or someone. It must be very frustrating to witness a murder in front of you, but don't worry the police guard are on every corner of this hotel. You'll be safe." he said and started walking to the door.

"Mr. Ryle, "I called him before he even made his way out. "Thank you."

"Anything for you, Nam." He let out a comforting smile before closing the door between us.

The lady I encountered earlier had a big debt on me. She will suffer real pain, I swear it to all gods!

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3 days later.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow at my office." Ryle broke the silence as we were about to part ways after uncle's funeral.

I stared at him not sure how to respond. My stubbornness probably caused my uncle's life. He warned me of my decision, yet I didn't follow. Part of me was guilty. But there was nothing I could do to turn back time. I had nothing to lose now, so why should I stop?

"Will it be okay if I file a leave?" I asked. Ryle's face marveled, but he gave in.

"Yeah, I can allow a two-day leave if you really need it."

"Thanks. That's enough time for me. I'll see you then, Mr. Ryle" I said and turned my back on him.

"Wait, can I bring you home?" he offered.

"No, thank you, "I declined. "Someone is here to fetch me."

"Your boyfriend?" he asked.

I shook my head, "No. I have to go now." I waved at him and drifted my way to the car where Lexter was waiting.

"Condolence, Max. Please know that my heart goes out to you." As soon as I stepped into his car, he held my hands and delivered the words that made my heart melt in pain. The pain that I had been keeping inside had started to come out. I badly needed to release it, and I was so lucky to have Lexter when I needed him the most. When I couldn't contain the liquid in my eyes, I wrapped my hands on his shoulders and burst out crying.

He patted my back and showered me with his comforting words. "I'm still here for you, and so Juliet. Life goes on, Max. Be strong."

I sobbed to my heart's content and stayed in his arms for god knows how long, yet he didn't complain. When I had finally released a quarter of the pain in my chest, I pulled my back and started wiping the tears in my eyes.

My uncle knew his murderer. I might find information in his house.

"I'll have a visit at my uncle's residence, will you go with me?" I asked. I was determined to look for any information I could get from his house and I'll go with or without him.

He didn't answer back, instead, he pressed the clutch pedal and started the engine. I took that as a yes.

As soon as we made our way to the front door of uncle's house, I click some number combinations on the security keypad system hanging on the side of his door. I tried several times, but I failed.

"How are we suppose to enter if it's secured with a password we don't even know about?" Lex rested his shoulder on the wall and waited for my next move.

"I have to try, we need to trespass. My family was involved in an organization and I wanted to check some of his files for a possible clue," I said while pressing another number combination, his birthday. My heart was pumping loud as I pressed the last digit. It should open, or else we will have to deal with a penalty lockout.

I let out my frustration when it didn't.

"Last try Max, be very sharp with your next combination," Lex reminded me.

One last try, if it doesn't work, I will break in through one of the glass windows.

3 6 8 4.. My eyes widened when I heard a click on the door, it indicated that I got the password correct.

"What did you put? How did you do it?" Lex asked with an incredible voice.

"I tried his age and birth year."

Lex's eyes grew bigger, unable to believe what had just happened.

I slid the metallic sliding door open and made my way in. His house was as huge as our house when he didn't have anyone here but himself only. The interior was coated with vanilla and crimson color on the sides. He only had minimal stuff and furniture in his guest room, which made his house looked a bit deserted.

Lex started to ran his fingers on some papers hoarded on the mini table, while I directly headed to the second floor where my uncle's room was. I skipped some stairways to make it to his room quickly. As I approached closer, I noticed that the door of his room was slightly ajar. A sudden wind blew from his room. My heart thumped fast.

I pushed the door open. My knees suddenly weakened and my jaw dropped as I saw something I wasn't expecting to see.

Dripping on the walls of my uncle's room was a freshly written warning.

a verdict is a verdict

what comes to them, coMes to you.

prepAre yourself, you're the next.

It was tinted in crimson ink. Someone had entered the room before us, and he/she probably anticipated my arrival in this place. The message was meant for me as my name was encrypted through capital letters.