Chapter 30
Chapter 30
The syringe never actually contained HIV–infected blood, at that secret would remain forever hidden. Duncan wanted Heather to live in constant fear, anxious and on edge, until her mind finally collapsed, driving her to a point where she’d end her own life out of despair.
And that’s exactly what happened. Heather began losing her grip on reality, growing paranoid and delusional, convinced that everyone around her was plotting against her. Even the slightest noise would send her Into a panic.
On the tenth day, unable to endure the torment any longer leather jumped from the rooftop of the nightclub and ended her life.
No one came to claim her body. There wasn’t a single person to mourn her passing.
When Duncan heard about her death, a faint sunile tugged at his lips, but an undeniable sadness lingered in his
eyes.
“Audrey, I avenged you. Heather is dead. Even her family didn’t care enough to give her a proper burial–she died with no place to rest, Audrey, are you happy now? The one who hurt you is gone, her end as pitiful as her actions deserved.” Duncan lit a cigarette and took a long drag, his silver hair making him look even more weathered and isolated in the haze of smoke.
His phone buzzed persistently in his pocket, the caller clearly unwilling to give up until he answered.
Reluctantly, Duncan answered, his voice heavy. “Hello?”
On the other end was Josh’s voice. “There are some things of Audrey’s from when she was alive. I think you might want them.”
Duncan’s grip on the phone tightened for a moment. “I’ll come and get them.”
That very afternoon, Duncan took his private jet to Josh’s villa in France.
Josh’s villa was modest yet elegant, situated in a prime location. As Josh led Duncan inside, he spoke softly.” Audrey used to stand by the door, staring off into the distance for hours. Sometimes she’d sit on that swing, holding your picture, quietly crying. She never shed a tear during her painful dialysis or chemotherapy treatments, but she cried when she looked at your photo.
At that time, I wished I were you–able to soothe her pain, able to give her what she needed…”
Josh paused, his eyes falling on a small peach tree in the corner of the garden.
Duncan’s gaze followed his, and his voice broke with sorrow. “She planted that. She loved peach blossoms. We planted a whole hill full of trees like this together. Now, they’ve grown and bloomed, but she’ll never see them again.”
Josh felt a pang of jealousy, but he also felt a sense of peace for Audrey. She had loved deeply, and the man she loved had truly loved her back. Her love had been worth it.
As for himself, the memories of the year he spent with her would be enough to last him a lifetime.
But for Duncan, the rest of his days would be consumed by pain and regret. His suffering wouldn’t be any less than Audrey’s–his torment would only stretch out longer than hers.
Josh led Duncan into the living room, which was furnished in the style Audrey loved. Duncan noticed the attention to detail. Josh had clearly gone to great lengths to make the house feel like home for Audrey, khowing she missed her homeland.
Josh invited Duncan to sit on the rosewood sofa before heading upstairs to retrieve a USB drive. He handed it to
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Chapter 30
Duncan, saying, “This contains all the little moments of her life here. I know watching these will likely make you hate yourself even more, but I also know that no matter how painful it is, you’ll watch them. You want to know more than anyone else how Audrey spent her last year in France, what kind of life she lived.”
Duncan reached out to take the USB, but his hands trembled, refusing to obey him. He did want to know–more than anyone. But he also feared seeing the pain she went through in those videos. It would hurt more than any wound he could inflict on himself.
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Chapter 31
