Chapter 6

Author's Note: Hi Girls! Thanks for the guessing, your fantasy is amazing. lol. My fav was Martin, Joe and Clarisse. I wanted to choose Clarisse or Joe, but that would be too brutal. lol.

Hey, I forgot to announce, that we have a WINNER! YEEES! CONGRATULATION URSA! clapping I knew you will find it out sooner or later. And now, let's start to think on your story. wink You can ask anything. lol.

Ok and now, let's see who the mysterious maniac is, but I'm sure you already took a peep of it…

"CHARLOTTE?" asked Joseph in shock "YOU?... I can't believe it's you!"

"I'm sorry Joe. I… I didn't want it." cried Charlotte and tried to step closer.

"Stop! Stay where you are." said Joseph in a firm voice.

"I'm so sorry Joe. I… I thought it's Clarisse. I would never hurt you I swear. Clarisse is the one I wanted to shoot down."

"…" Joseph tried to pull himself together. "But why?... Why do you hate her so much?"

"'Cos she is a bitch. A spoilt bitch." cried Charlotte. "She has everything… and I have nothing."

"Don't say that! You have a good life too. You have everything what a girl wants."

"No. I have nothing. I'm ugly, I have to work day and night, while I have to watch her wishes… And she?… She is beautiful, she has a comfortable life, and what is more, she had a good husband, but that wasn't enough for her. No. She had to seduce you. You're her lapdog."

"She loves me." answered Joseph.

"Haha." laughed Charlotte "Yes, she loves that you're always there if she just whistles. Poor Joe. You deserve a better woman. Much better, who loves you. I mean who REALLY loves you."

"Like you?" asked Joseph.

"Yes. Like me… I would really love you if you would let me… I'll just kill Clarisse, and we will be happy together." said Charlotte thoughtfully.

"You're ill."

"No. I just want the best for you. She doesn't deserve you, don't you see?… But now, she has to pay for everything…"

"Wait a minute!" cried Joseph as the realization hit him like a brick. "So that was why you said 'damn it'!"

"Damn it?"

"Yes, when I told you I found that letter on her bed."

"Yes, she should have found that letter instead of you. I wanted to see her terrified."

"And poor Maurice… What harm did he commit against you?" asked Joseph, but the breathing was more and more painful for him.

"Nothing. I just simply hate that dog. Those bloody walks in the garden every day. I was sick to death with him. The poison was a good idea, but that damn dog survived it."

"It's unbelievable." said Joseph. "I still can't believe it's you. You could poison a dog and kill someone with a bomb…"

"Hey, that was your idea." laughed Charlotte from frustration.

"MY IDEA?" asked Joseph shocked.

"Yes, I mean you gave me the idea, when you wanted to check the car." She was shaking now. "But I was too gammy."

"Yes, but now you do wanna finish what you've started, don't you?" whispered Joseph from pain. "But you know what? I won't let it happen. No. I won't let it happen." said Joseph and started getting up. "I finally have her, and no-one can take this away from me. Not even you."

As the last words slipped out of his mouth, he pointed his gun to Charlotte…

But then in a flash, everything was dark…

OOOOOOOOOOO

In the hospital…

"Joseph… Please wake up." whispered Clarisse desperately and started crying as she squeezed his hand again.

But Joseph didn't move… His eyes were closed and he laid there like a living corps. Yes, the blood lost was big, but fortunately, he was out of danger…

"Joseph… Darling please." tried Clarisse again. "You have to wake up. I can't lose you… You promised me. Damn it. You promised me." She cried even harder from helplessness. "If … If you don't wake up. I won't wanna live on. Please…"

"Clarisse?" asked Joseph in a weak voice and slowly opened his eyes.

"Oh, thanks God." cried Clarisse. "Joseph! How do you feel darling?"

"…Fine." lied Joseph simply.

"Did you see who shoot you?"

"…Charlotte." whispered Joseph.

"Charlotte? Do you wanna see her?" asked Clarisse, 'cos she didn't understand what he wanted to say with that name.

"Charlotte…" tried Joseph again.

"Darling. Do you wanna see her?... Yes? If you do, I'll call her immediately. She is outside." said Clarisse and wanted to get up, but Joseph grabbed her hand.

"She is the maniac." said Joseph finally.

"WHAT?!" cried Clarisse then ran out with shock and anger… but Charlotte has already disappeared…

OOOOOOOOOO

Two months had passed since that nightmare, and now Clarisse was standing in a secret place in the palace's garden with Joseph, who gently put his arms around her…

"I still can't believe it." sighed Clarisse. "Charlotte was such a nice girl. She was like a daughter to me."

"Yeah, I know." answered Joseph softly.

"And she tried to kill me… but now she is the one who is dead. Life is strange, isn't it? She tried to kill me, but I…"

"You?..."

"I feel sorry for her. She was so young with full of possibilities, and she killed herself… She felt her life is meaningless. Yes, meaningless, 'cos she was in love with you and you didn't return her feelings. Poor girl. I know what she felt. I know exactly that feeling… being in love with you, desperately. But I was lucky… Not as poor Charlotte… Do you remember her suicide note?"

"I can't forget it." said Joseph and took a deep breath.

"… I can't stand this any longer. I did a terrible thing… Please forgive me if you can, but I was so desperate and jealous. You have everything, and I have nothing. You've got the love what I'm just longing for. Your life is perfect… But not because of the money or the power. No. Your life is perfect 'cos you've got the love. And love is everything. Believe me, love is everything… Joseph is everything… Please love him, as I do never have the chance.

And always remember, love is everything...

Charlotte."

"And she was right." sighed Joseph.

"Yes…" nodded Clarisse. "She was right…Love is everything."

The End

Author's Note: Well, girls I know the end was sad. I cried while I was writing this last chapter. Poor Charlotte. But she was perfect for the role of the maniac.  Isn't she?

And that line is so heart-rending. I heard that in a Poirot episode. Poirot was shipping in Egypt. It was night, and he was standing on the board with a young girl who was hopelessly in love with someone. He tried to comfort her, he says: 'Don't bother with him. Love is not so important...' Then the girl says with such empathy: 'No. Love is EVERYTHING.'

Then Poirot just stared at the river, and he knew she was right. There was a painful grin on his face… And we knew why… 'Cos he was thinking of Countess Vera Rossakoff. The only woman he has ever really loved. And he let her go…