I am really, really, really sorry for this delay. This chapter took a lot more time that I thought. This is where the mystery finally unfolds. So, I had to go through all my previous chapters to make sure I didn't miss explaining any point. In fact, I had to delete and rewrite this three times!
Anyway, this chapter is finally done, as is the story. I couldn't have come this far without the generous reviews of my reviewers! So I'm truly grateful to Samstar1990, FlamingIce94, Bokmal14, suzanne, Chaseha-Wing Gosalyn2007, PWN3D and NejiKoriKaze. And not only them, but I also express my gratitude to each and every reader, who have been kind enough to review my story even once, and to all the people who have added me and/or my story to their Alerts and/or Favorites.
This final chapter, I dedicate to everyone who liked my story. This one is for you guys!
Chapter 21
Day before the trial…
The phone had barely rung for a second, when Tyson grabbed it.
"Kai!" he spoke desperately. "Did you see him? Did he say—"
"Meet me at the Wong residence."
"But what about—"
"Now."
"Kai…"
"Like I said, Tyson. This is just the beginning… of the end."
That night…
The tires protested loudly as the silver vehicle screeched to a halt in front of the familiar-looking house. Tyson was the first to rush out, followed Max, Hiro and Kenny. Ducking under the yellow tapes, the four of them nearly ran all the way to the front door.
"It's open." Tyson said as he pushed the door open.
The interiors were completely in the darkness. Only the street lamp outside illuminated a small patch of the room. Hiro felt the nearby wall, with his hand, searching for the switchboard. Finally finding it, he switched on the lights. The living room was the same as before. Nothing seemed to have been taken or relocated. And there was no sign of Kai either.
"Kai!" Tyson called out. "Kai, where are—"
"Maybe he's over there," Hiro pointed towards the adjoining bedroom.
The said bedroom was also unlit, and took a while for them to turn on the lights.
"Guys! Look!" Max said, from where he stood next to the desk. The group gathered round him.
The contents of the desk were undisturbed. But this time, two additional objects—two photographs to be exact—lay on the wooden surface, between the notebook and the pen stand. One of them was a shot of Mariah lying dead in the armchair, while the other one showed a profile of Ray.
"Hey…" Tyson said. "These are—"
"What do they tell you?" a deep voice asked from behind.
All of them turned, to find a familiar figure standing in front of the window, with his back turned towards them.
"Kai! We—"
"What do they tell you?" Kai repeated.
"The photos? Well…" Tyson picked up Mariah's one. "This one shows Mariah after she had died. She was sitting in an armchair—the one in the other room—and was apparently unrestrained. She had been shot through the head with an automatic, the weapon being found in her hand. Her death would've been classified as suicide, if not for certain facts. The gun was in her right hand while the wound was above the left ear – an impossible position to shoot with the right hand. Therefore—"
"It was proclaimed that Mariah Wong's death was actually a murder, made to look like a suicide." Kai finished. "That's what happened, right?"
"Right."
"Wrong."
"…Huh?"
"What do you mean, Kai?" Max asked bemused. "I mean, back in Moscow you're the one who said that—"
"I never said that it had actually happened." Kai spoke, matter-of-factly. "I merely stated what you think had happened. What you were made to think had happened."
"'Made to think'?" Tyson frowned. "By whom? The murderer?"
"I've said it once before, Tyson — you'll never be able to prove Ray's innocence if it's the murderer you're looking for," Kai turned, "Because there is no murderer. Mariah Wong hadn't been murdered in the first place."
"What!"
"Look at those pictures again," Kai said. "Look at Kon's picture. Look at his cheek carefully."
"There's something…" Max said as he noticed faint red marks along the said cheek in the photo. "They look like… scratch marks."
"Nail marks." Kai corrected.
"Mariah's nails? You mean to say she had slapped him?"
"Exactly. Now look at the other picture," Kai continued. "Look at the victim's hand. The one holding the gun. Notice her wrist."
The others gathered round the photograph. They noted a fancy gold watch that adorned the slim wrist of the dead woman. They could also make out the fuzzy engraving of a single word, on the dial: Mariah.
"Well?" Tyson looked at Kai, still confused. "So, Mariah was wearing a watch—"
"On her right hand. And she slapped Kon on his right cheek. She could've only left those marks, if she had used her left hand for hitting him. Also, if you look at her desk you'll notice that the pen stand has been placed to the left of the note book."
Silence descended in the room. Kai continued.
"The victim wears a watch on her right hand and uses her left for writing and striking. What does it mean?"
Things had finally started to clear, but everyone still was too stunned to speak. Everyone, except one—
"Mariah Wong was left-handed. The only reason Wong was thought to have been murdered was because the angle of the shot. It is difficult for a right-hander, but completely normal for a left-hander."
"Ah!" Tyson gasped. "Th-then… t-that mean…"
"This isn't a murder disguised as suicide; but a suicide made to look like murder."
"It's incredible!" Max whispered in awe.
"Unbelievable!" Kenny exclaimed.
"But… But why?" Hiro asked. "Why attempt to disguise a suicide? Was all this set up just to frame Ray? To get revenge for something?"
"And what about the attack on Mariam and Gary's death?" Tyson added.
"You remember our first interview with the Yans?" Kai asked.
"Yes."
"Remember Lee's outburst when I asked him if his fiancée was aware of his relationship with Wong; and how Mariam had defended him?"
Tyson nodded.
"What did you conclude from their interaction?"
"Um… Mariam seemed rather protective of her fiancé… And Lee seemed to be devoted to her…"
"In short, you noticed a devoted fiancé and his protective wife-to-be?"
"Uh, yeah…?"
"That's funny, because all I noticed was a surprised man and a defensive actress."
"Actress?"
"Mariam had no trouble portraying an affectionate and trusting partner. However, it was Lee's reaction that interested me. He had been genuinely surprised, if not confused when Mariam came to his defense. Think back carefully. Try to remember Lee's expression when Mariam had kissed him. All his arrogance towards us momentarily faded away after that act of adoration. He had been completely unprepared for it. Why? Because he was not used to it. All that protectiveness and faith had been nothing but a façade. Mariam hadn't been interested in Lee in the first place. She only used him to get what she wanted."
"Throughout our meeting, she had been putting up quite an impressive act. However, she slipped up at certain points, which gave away her intentions."
"First. When I had interviewed Kon, he told me that Lee had been devoted to Mariam. And the feeling seemed mutual. But if that were the case, then why would Mariam hesitate on being addressed as 'Ms Yan'? Women usually do not mind being called by their beloved fiancé's last name. But during our meeting, when Hiro had addressed her by Lee's surname, she had immediately corrected him, saying that she preferred to be addressed as 'Ms Shane'."
"The next day, if you remember, I went to Osaka, where the Saint Shields Head Quarters has recently been shifted to… Ever heard of the Vaults?"
"The Vaults?" Max asked.
"The Saint Shields Private Vaults," Kenny explained, "It's like a personal chamber where the Shanes have been keeping all their private family documents and trade secrets, for generations. It's a highly secured facility, with all the latest state-of–the-art technologies. Only true-blooded members of the Shane family and a handful of other chosen people have access to it. No one else actually knows what's being protected in the Vaults; and the President—that is Ozuma Shane— keeps track of all those who have gone in there."
"So you went inside the Vaults?" Tyson asked.
Kai nodded.
"I found what I was looking for. I also had an encounter with Shane's personal secretary, whose account only strengthened my theories. When Lee Yan first joined the Saint Shields some years ago, he was appointed to a simple post under Mariam. He didn't have any special talents, but he was industrious, and to a certain extent, desperate. He was, I quote: '…too desperate to prove himself to someone.'"
"Now the question is— who is this someone? And why does Yan have to prove himself? To impress this someone? Or to outdo him? His relationship with Mariam wasn't existent at that time. So it's safe to strike her out. That leaves us with his friends. It's highly unlike for Yan to give so much effort against Kevin Cheng or Gary Tan, so that rules them out too. Next comes Wong. It is already known that he used to have feelings for her, though he claims to have gotten over it. But from what I have learnt, Yan was very much talkative about his previous crush. So there is a possibility that he didn't completely get over her, even though she was with someone else."
"So Lee did it for Mariah?" Tyson asked, "To impress her, in front of Ray?"
"That could've been the answer, but it does not satisfy all the conditions. Why would Yan want to impress Wong, when she was already accepted by the person she had always craved? So that she would leave Kon and want him instead? If that were so, then why would he try to develop his financial status? Mariah wasn't the type of woman who opted for one's money. And she had been in love with Kon, even before he had joined the BBA. So, clearly, Yan's strategy of making more money wasn't intended for Mariah, even if he did still feel for her."
"So if it wasn't Mariah," Max said, "Who was Lee trying to impress?"
"That brings us to the next person on the list—Ray Kon. Kon and Yan had arrived in Japan near about the same time. Both belonged to the ancient Asian tribe of neko-jins, but were from different villages. They lodged at the same place, received the same schooling and dreamt the same dreams of success. But that's where the similarity ends. Despite the parallel lifestyle, Kon was way ahead of Yan. His nature, way of thinking, behavior and talents had always been more appreciated than Yan's. Take Mariah Wong for example."
"She was too deeply attracted to Kon to notice Yan's feelings. On the other hand, Kon got the attention without even trying. In fact, he had been oblivious to her feelings the whole time. Even after Kon left them, Mariah still craved for him and him only. Then a year ago, he returned as a successful student of an international organization. His 'betrayal' quickly forgotten, Kon regained their trust."
"All this time, Yan had been overshadowed. And unconsciously he began to develop feelings of jealousy. With every success Kon met, his jealousy increased. But Yan's pride would not allow him to admit that, even to himself. So forced himself to be happy at his best friend's achievements. However, his final defeat came, when Mariah proposed. His dormant anger took him to the Saint Shields, to prove himself to the one person who had unintentionally stripped him of everything."
"There, things took a turn. Yan gained an admirer, who happened to be his boss, Mariam Shane; and was promoted to the Managing Director's post. Finally, getting a long-awaited opportunity, he took it, without giving it much of a thought. His engagement was not out of love for his fiancée. Neither was his devotion. It was all just an illusion he had created for everyone, including himself, to show that he had a successful post and a happy love life. Whereas, in reality, all this was done just to outdo Kon. But, it wasn't enough. Simply surpassing Kon wasn't enough, for Yan. He wanted to get revenge. He wanted Kon to feel."
"So, that's why…" Hiro spoke gravely. "That's the reason Lee turned against Ray. He had been grudging against Ray all this time… And after Mariah's death…"
"He got an excuse to release his suppressed hatred." Tyson finished.
"But then, what about Mariah? Did Lee…? Was he the one…?" Max asked.
"No," Kai shook his head slightly. "As much as he wanted to get revenge, he wouldn't go that far. Yan's innocent. And that's the reason I had accused him back at the hospital."
"Huh? Why?"
"To distract the murderer."
"Murderer?" Tyson frowned. "But Mariah committed suicide… Or are you talking about the person who killed Gary? Or the one who poisoned Mariam?"
Kai did not answer. Moving towards the bed, he picked up a thick folder—that the others hadn't noticed before— and took out a couple documents, which he handed over to Tyson. Frowning a bit, Tyson looked down at the papers in his hands… and gasped.
"What! No- no way…"
"What is it?" Hiro asked looking over his shoulder.
"It's a… marriage certificate." Tyson spoke, shocked.
"Whose marriage? Mariam's?" Max asked bemused.
"It's Mariam's all right," Hiro said slowly, "But not with Lee. It's with… Ozuma."
"Huh? But Ozuma is her cousin!" Kenny exclaimed, struggling to peer into the papers, over the others' shoulders. "How could she marry a relation…?"
"The answer lies before you, Kenny." Kai said simply, "Look at Mariam's maiden name."
Max eased the poor boy's difficulties, by reading aloud: "'… hereby certifies the matrimonial alliance between Mr. Ozuma Shane and Ms Mariam… Wong…' Wong? Her last name's Wong?"
"Mariam Wong—step-daughter to Shin Wong," Kai explained. "She got married to Ozuma Shane five years ago. Their marriage had been deliberately concealed, and Mariam Wong was proclaimed Ozuma's cousin. It was a plot to increase Ozuma's share of inheritance."
"Who's this Shin Wong?"
"Father of Mariah Wong, the deceased."
"But she—"
"Lost her parents in a flood, at the age of twelve. Yes. But it was only her mother who had died. Her father survived. He was rescued several miles away from their village, with a severe case of amnesia. After a couple of years, he left for Japan, where he married Mariam's widowed mother. Though there weren't any documents in the Vaults, stating whether he ever regained his memory or not, but I have reasons to believe that he did. And that Mariam found out she had a step-sister."
"So then… what role does that play in this case?" Tyson asked. "And how can you be so sure that Mariam knew who Mariah really was to her?"
"Mariah's watch. Not only was it designed for a left-hander, but it also her name engraved on it. Therefore, we can say that it was made specifically for her. And judging by its appearance and condition, it's probably not more than a few months old. It's unlikely that someone as simple as Mariah would be willing spend money on expensive ornamentation; meaning that it was probably gifted to her. Combining all there points we can say— Mariah Wong was gifted an expensive wristwatch, a few months ago, by someone who knew that she was a left-hander. Since it was a gift, there must've been an occasion for gifting it—a special occasion that took place, say, about a couple of months ago?"
"Of course!" Tyson exclaimed picking up the hint, "June 12th. Mariah's birthday. That's also when Mariah first proposed to Ray and… Ah! So, that's why! That's the reason you questioned Ray about the presents. Because you wanted to know who had gifted her that watch… So, it was Mariam, wasn't it?"
Kai nodded. "Mariam had been orphaned in her teens. Despite her public appearance, she was not a member of the Shane family. She had a husband, who wouldn't publicly accept her; and had spent a good part of her life, pretending to be someone else. In spite of the property she possessed, it's impossible for a woman in her position to be completely satisfied with life. Then, an ordinary employ, suddenly turns up with the whereabouts of the only living member of her true family. Yan had been quite talkative about Mariah, as you know; and he even carried her picture with him. So it couldn't have much difficult for Mariam to recognize her step-sister, who's bound to share some traits with Shin Wong."
"Being dissatisfied with her 'family', an opportunity to finally meet someone sharing her father's blood was something Mariam wouldn't miss. But how would Mariah react if she suddenly discovered that she had a stepsister she never knew of? Therefore, a direct approach was out of question…"
"So Mariam decided to get to her through Lee," Hiro concluded. "She got engaged to Lee so that she could meet Mariah… and perhaps get back at Ozuma as well."
"Now, that you've mentioned it…" Tyson said reflectively, "Mariam did seem really close to Mariah… protective even. We all thought that it was Lee who wanted to visit her so frequently, but in reality, it was Mariam. Heck! That's why it slipped from our minds that Mariah was left handed. Because, despite spending so much time with her, neither Lee nor Ray had paid that much attention to her. And Mariam… she studied her every move… paid attention to every single detail… I think I just found out her second slip up, Kai. The way she spoke about Mariah. It had held so much feeling… so much pain… She wasn't acting when she said that she could never forgive Ray for what he had done to Mariah… Because she really meant it. And… she wanted revenge… didn't she, Kai?"
"She did," Kai agreed. "Miguel wasn't the first person to discover Mariah's body. Someone else got there before him… Mariam had probably suspected from beforehand, that Mariah's love was one-sided. Kon's behavior, earlier that day, must've also hinted at his intention to put an end to that relationship. That's the reason she decided to visit Mariah, later that night… just in case she needed comforting or defending. The front door did not show any signs of being tampered with, so my guess is that it had been left unlocked ever since Kon's departure. Therefore, Mariam did not have any problem getting inside. But by then, it was already too late."
Kai slowly moved outside into the living room, the others following him.
"Mariam entered through that door, and stumbled upon the sight of her sister… gun in hand and shot dead. The strands of hair curled around her fingers could've only belonged to one person. And it was further confirmed, by the letter, tucked underneath a picture on the mantle piece—the very same one that's lying shattered on the ground, right now. The only person that Mariam really cared for was dead… and the person responsible for it, was none other than Raymond Kon. As you've already said, she wanted to avenge Mariah's death. In her eyes, Kon was a murderer, and she wanted him to be punished as a murderer. She burnt Mariah's suicide note, and moved the gun from her left hand to the right. The next part was just a matter of time and patience… And it worked. Mariah's suicide was proclaimed as murder, and circumstances put Kon under suspicion…"
After a short silence, Max spoke up. "But then who attacked Mariam? And what about Gary?"
"That day, during our interview, I had dropped sufficient hints, to let Mariam know that I suspected her. However, she wasn't sure about the extent of my suspicion or knowledge. She was determined to find out, and throw the spotlight off from her, if possible. So, she staged a simple, but dramatic act for us. Having already created a killer, she decided to create a victim."
"The moment we heard Yan's car approaching, she excused herself, by saying that she needed to get the door and prepare the meal. But, if she had indeed gone to open the door, then why did we hear Yan calling out for her, from the hallway? And why was he the one to discover the parcel lying on the doorstep, and not her? It could've been that Mariam was in a hurry to 'prepare the meal', and left for the kitchen straight away without even greeting him. But, with four uninvited and unwanted investigators in the house—three of whom sided with Kon— was the meal really that important? Was she so bent up against letting her 'beloved' fiancé starve, that she would leave him unaware of our presence, and unprepared to deal with us?"
"So, you're saying that she never really went to the door, in the first place…" Hiro said. "Then what did she do, within those few minutes, while we were waiting? Surely, she couldn't have been busy in the kitchen…"
"She was busy in the kitchen alright," Kai said surprising the others, "But she wasn't exactly 'cooking' the meal… she was dropping it."
"What?"
"Dropping it on the doorstep, for Yan to find it. When Yan finally reaches the door, he discovers his 'meal' awaiting him—slightly crushed, packed in brown paper and smelling of vanilla… I don't think I'll have to explain what was on the menu."
"Ah! No way!" Tyson shouted, "That parcel! The poisoned pancakes! It was Mariam all along! She made it up! Of course! She could've bought it earlier that very day when she went grocery shopping. And her kitchen window was probably above the entrance."
"But then…" Max said, "That means that she poisoned herself!"
"She had to," Kai said. "In order to get rid of me. The self-attack was her last resort, though. She wouldn't have done it, if not for my warning."
"Warning?"
"While we were leaving, she caught up with me, remember?"
"And she told you in private that she had seen Ray acting suspiciously near her house… And she feared that Lee might be in danger."
"Exactly. The first part was true. Kon had been present near the lake that morning, and he did leave abruptly. But not because of her, because of Miguel."
"Miguel…" Tyson said slowly. "Of course! He was there. He was the one who informed her about us. And Kai already told us that there was some sort of… er… disturbance between him and Ray So, Ray ran away to avoid talking to Miguel."
"And she tried to use Kon's strange behavior to persuade me into thinking that he was a danger to Yan. Had I agreed with her flatly, she wouldn't have gone through all that effort."
"But you didn't," Hiro said, "You purposefully let your ambiguity put her on guard, against you."
"I told her to be careful. But it wasn't an advice; it was a warning. Lee wasn't the one in danger, she was."
"But not from a killer… from you," Tyson inserted.
"She was confident about her plan. She had studied medicine for a couple of years. So she knew the extent of fatality of a certain dosage of arsenic. She poisoned herself, but the dosage wasn't deadly. It was just enough to knock her unconscious for a while, and be hospitalized. It's true that she had been weakened physically, but she was fully aware of her actions. She took advantage of her weakness, and put up an act of deliriousness in front of me. Instead of going against me, she planned to use my own words against me. She feigned innocence, and made it look like she had taken my warning as an advice after all… and that she believed me."
"I wanted her reaction, and she gave it just as I expected. As a favor, I put up a little show for her, as well. I accused Lee Yan of poisoning her, and it effectively satisfied both her and her 'real' husband. McGregor's turning up came in handy, as well. He investigated—"
"Sniffed around." Tyson corrected.
"— the wrong people, at the wrong times, without even realizing. I flared him up a bit, and it gave him the confidence to keep going round in circles, conveniently distracting everyone from my motives. I went to Osaka, and collected all the necessary evidences to prove my theories. However, that's when Gary Tan came in. Before I go any further, listen to this carefully…"
Kai took out an audio recorder from his pocket, and pressed the play button.
The disgusting sound of munching followed by the thunderous 'burp', made Hiro raise an eyebrow.
"Gary's interview with Michael?"
Without answering, Kai fast-forwarded the recording for a few seconds, before pressing play again.
"Mariah like Ray! Ray no like Mariah! Good sister Mariah tell Gary. A TRAITOR LIKE RAY DESERVES TO BE PUNISHED! Gary want Mariah! Mariah want Ray! Ray hurt good sister Mariah! Ray hurt Gary! Gary want Ray punish!"
Here, Kai paused. He rewound, and played that certain part once again.
"Does anything about Tan's vocabulary strike you as odd?" he asked when he was done.
"Yeah…" Tyson said matter-of-factly, "Everything."
"That's not what I mean. Throughout the conversation, Tan had been struggling with his broken English. Yet he suddenly managed to say a sentence that's grammatically correct—'A traitor like Ray deserves to be punished.' "
"You're right …" Kenny said, "I don't think Gary was able to come up such a sentence on his own… So he must've picked it up from someone… who was it Kai?"
"Tan had said that as well. Here, listen again—" Kai switched on the recorder once again.
"… Good sister Mariah tell Gary. A TRA—"
"'Good sister Mariah?' " Hiro frowned, before realization hit him, "Of course! Sister Mariah… He didn't mean Mariah as a sister. He meant Mariah's sister!"
"Mariam?" Tyson asked, "So that means Gary knew …"
"It was Mariam herself who had told him," Kai explained, "She had not only studied Mariah's response to others, but also others' response to Mariah. She knew that there was only one other person who could've rivaled her caring for her sister. And it was Gary Tan. He knew Mariah longer than the others did, and was more attached to her. He might not have been clever enough to see through Mariam's plans, but he might've given away useful information to someone who could. That's why she didn't take any chances. She confided everything in Tan, and persuaded him to see from her point of view. That's the reason he refused to entertain Parker."
"However, his coincidental meeting with Kon changed everything. After talking with Kon, he realized he didn't break up with Mariah for his own benefit, but for hers. He understood Kon's reason, and it made him think. Soon after Kon left, he went to Yan's house. He told Mariam everything, and had probably hinted that he wanted to forgive and protect Kon. But it was inacceptable for Mariam. She was dead set on getting her revenge, was prepared to go any length to get it… Even if it meant giving life to the killer, she had created in everyone's mind."
"She followed Tan back to the lake. He had probably stopped to see if Kon was still there, or not. Tyson's mobile—Kon must've dropped it during the struggle— caught his eye. And he bent down to pick it up. But at that moment, received a fatal blow to his skull, from his own hammer. Committing a true murder, scared Mariam. She didn't have the strength to wipe out the fingerprints, so she simply dropped the weapon into the lake and ran."
"However, getting rid of Tan wasn't enough. His possessions were still a threat to her plans. She tried to get rid of all the evidences, but she failed, when we barged in on her, back at the White Tigers' old lodge."
"That bag we found— Lee's present!" Max said, "She became really tensed when Tyson picked it up."
"Yet another act, Max," Kai said, "She did that to diverge your attention from the real thing. Mariah's toy launcher—it was a left-hander's launcher. And she wanted to get rid of it."
"She even tried to put the blame on Lee," Tyson said solemnly, "Who would've guessed? All this time, we thought that there had been two murders and one lucky escape… But in reality, there was one suicide, one false act and only one true murder."
"Wrong," Kai said quietly, "There had been two murders."
"How?" Tyson asked bewildered, "Only one among the two deaths had been a murder. Mariah had committed suicide."
"There weren't two deaths to begin with. There was a third victim… Matilda Alster."
"Who?"
"Matilda Alster worked at the roadside café opposite to the hotel where Mariah worked," Kenny explained, switching on his laptop. "I did some research on her, as Kai told me. It seems that she was murdered—poisoned to be exact—a couple of years ago. And the people she had been seen with, on the final day of her life, included Ray Kon and Mariah Wong."
"What?"
"Relax, Ty," Kenny said, "Neither of them were suspected."
"But still what connection does she have with this case? Kai?"
"Come."
They followed Kai back into the bedroom. Once inside, Kai indicated towards the rummaged cupboard.
"That was Mariah's doing, while searching for the gun. She was usually neat, but her mentality at that moment wasn't stable enough maintain her neatness. And missing that point, Mariam failed to remove an important evidence."
Kai walked over to the desk and picked up the memo pad.
"The page where the suicide confession was written came from this. When a person writes, the letters often leave impression on the next page. Mariah never skipped pages, while writing. That's why Mariam tore away the very first blank page, because it might've contained the impression of the suicide note. However, that night, circumstances were different. Mariah was not in her right mind, and didn't bother to maintain her organized schedule. She opened the pad, and wrote her confession on whichever page turned up first."
"And it left impression on the next page…" Tyson said, "Mariam tore the wrong page… so…"
Kai handed him over the pad, opening a blank page. The engraved letters, although shaky and faint, could be clearly read…
Ray,
I decided my fate on my own; you don't have to blame yourself for anything. I know how much guilt and sorrow you're holding within you. You're probably whishing that you could've apologized. But that wouldn't be fair because you've nothing to apologize for. You'll understand what I mean, once you've reached the end of this letter. You might even hate then.
You were never a sinner, Ray. If there ever was a true sinner in your life, then that was me. I was selfish. I wanted you so much. I was ready to cross all limits just to be with you, even if it meant foiling myself. That night, I got so jealous, when Matilda showed me your mother's ring. It was your most cherished possession and it was with her. Then she told me that you had agreed to go on a date with her. I couldn't bear it. I was so jealous, that I couldn't even think. I don't what came over me. I didn't wait to consider any other option. It never occurred to me that you might've lost your ring at the café and were just being polite. I wasn't myself any more, when I opened that bottle. Something possessed me. It made me turn my hand over her water carrier. It made my legs run away into the safety of my house. It made me a sinner.
Even after that, when I thought I had you all to myself, I kept consoling myself, shamelessly. I told myself that you belonged to me. And I had acted out of precaution, because she tried to take you away from me. But then, you opened my eyes.
I realized that you were never mine in the first place. I had no right to own you, Ray Kon. You are far to great for that. You were ready to sacrifice your own happiness and pride for my sake. I don't think I deserve so much from you. But I will always be selfish. I will always want you. And that will hurt the both of us.
I don't want you get hurt, Ray. And this is the only way to stop you from hurting. You think you are a curse, but you're not. You're an angel. My angel. If you think you can forgive me, and pay a little tribute to our cherished past, then follow your dreams, Ray. You have nothing to be afraid of. You are a good person, and you will get someone who will return your feelings.
I don't deserve to be forgiven. But I know you will forgive someday. Maybe we can be together somewhere else…
No matter where I am, I will always love you.
Mariah.
The narrow alley lit up momentarily; as yet another lightening hit the sky. The rain drummed wildly on the glistening black surface, of the car. Its already tinted windows were further clouded by a layer of fog, making it impossible to see outside.
Ray finally tore his gaze away from the foggy windshield, to look at the person next to him.
The long lashes were yet to reveal the amethyst depths hidden behind them. It was hard to say if Kai had even once moved anything else, apart from his lips, for the last forty minutes.
Ray parted his own lips, but was yet to form a single word. Finally, he managed to whisper…
"I… I never knew…"
Kai, being a gifted mind reader, needed no further explanation. The engines hummed to life, as the car fluidly backed out of its temporary den.
He didn't want to think about it. He didn't even know what to think anymore. Yet his mind refused to get rid of the thoughts…
Love. It was treacherous thing. Mariah had craved for him throughout her life. Was it love that had possessed her to take an innocent life? Did it make her give away her own life as well? Was it love that told her to protect him from herself? And what about Mariam? Was it the love for her sister, which made her hate him with every fiber in her body? Love is said to make people happy… Then why was this love so bent up on making his life miserable?"
"You're going against her wishes."
"What?"
"If you truly respect her wishes, then you should try to use a descent proportion of your mind and think rationally."
"I know… I know that Mariah doesn't hold me responsible for her… fate. And she would've never wanted Mariam to do this to me. But still… I can't help feel that Mariam's actions were justified! That night, if I hadn't said anything to Mariah… then…"
"You think that would've changed anything?"
"Mariah wouldn't have died! I… I don't blame Mariam. She only wanted her sister's death to be justified…"
"Then what about Matilda Alster's death? Would that have been justified, if her killer got to live happily ever after?"
"Mariah's sacrifice is not going to bring her back!"
"And you getting imprisoned would bring back Mariah?"
"It's not the same case!"
"It's exactly the same case, Ray. If you think Mariam's decision to get you framed for something you didn't commit was fair; then so is Mariah's decision to end her life for a crime she did commit. Do you think, Alster's family would've forgiven her, if they were to find out? And what about Gary Tan? Who would justify his death?"
"… But…"
"You cannot bring justice to everyone. Someway or the other someone will get hurt."
"But if I hadn't—"
"I told you, it wouldn't have changed a thing. If you think, that time would've changed your feelings for Mariah, then you're dead wrong. Sooner or later, she would've found out about your sexuality and then it would've been even more drastic."
A short silence settled in the car, as neither of them spoke for a while… Then…
"Ah!"
Kai turned to find himself staring into a pair of golden eyes… horrified golden eyes. Ray's face looked hauntingly pale, and his chest heaved up and down rapidly.
"What?"
Ray swallowed, the look of horror still etched on his face.
"You knew…" he whispered.
"Knew wha—"
'Sooner or later, she would've found out about your sexuality… your sexuality…'
Kai growled silently, before turning back towards the road, mentally cursing himself for the slip up.
"H-how long?" Ray asked, heart pounding against his ribs.
Kai did not respond.
"Answer me, Kai! How long have you known about my… about me?"
"…"
"Kai…"
"Ever since the day we met."
The silence that followed was suffocating. Ray wanted to get out. Get as far away from that person, as possible.
'All this time… he knew… Even now… he knows who I am…what I am…'
"But I still don't see how Kai could've investigated the Vaults without issuing a legal search warrant," Max said exasperatedly, as he took a sip from his cappuccino.
The team had left the court about twenty minutes ago. After saying goodbyes to the Russians, Tyson and Max decided to stop by the local café, while the rest of the team left for the BBA head quarters.
"There's a lot about Kai that can't be seen, Maxie," Tyson grinned from over his cup.
"C'mon Ty, you know something… And I think McGregor does too. That's why he looked so angry when Ozuma mentioned the search warrant… It's got something to do with Kai, doesn't it? About how he got inside the Vaults?"
"Kai did not do anything against the law. His actions were perfectly legal."
"But then what about the search warrant?"
"He doesn't need one."
"Why not? He didn't break in, did he?"
"Max," Tyson put down the cup, and smirked, "Why would someone want to 'break in' his own company?"
"Huh?"
"Think back, Max. Remember a couple of years ago, when the Saint Shields had a severe bankruptcy?"
"Yeah… the company nearly fell apart. I don't remember the exact details. But it was mentioned that Ozuma had to sell nearly all his shares, in order to overcome the crisis."
"And do you remember the enterprise that bought all his shares?"
"Yeah, the Hiwatari Enter…prise…"
Tyson's smirk widened, at Max's expression. "So? Does anything strike about that name ring a bell somewhere?"
"Kai!" Max exclaimed, "Kai Hiwatari! He's actually related to the Hiwataris? To the real ones? To multi-billionaire Voltaire Hiwatari?"
"Unfortunately for him, yes. Kai's the sole heir to his grandfather's property."
"Grandfather! Voltaire is his—?"
"He's not proud of it. His relationship with Voltaire is nothing like mine and Gramps. In fact, if Kai hadn't been the sole descendant to his blood, that old coot wouldn't have been so 'generous'. But since that's not the case, Kai inherited everything after Voltaire passed away."
"So, he's now the President?"
"Sounds weird, doesn't it? BBA's top agent heading the world's largest conglomerate? I don't know how he manages to play both roles together, but he's been doing great so far. As a matter of fact, even I—his roommate for three years—couldn't have guessed his real identity, if he hadn't told me in the first place. So I suppose, you can't blame Ozuma for not realizing that he was actually up against his boss."
"Man…" Max leant back in his chair, "It sounds unbelievable… But I actually shook hands with the President of the Hiwatari Enterprise this morning!"
"Sounds grand, eh?" Tyson chuckled, "Kai makes a good president; but he's not at all fond of his riches. He would've donated everything to the BBA, if it weren't for Mr. D. It's only because of Mr. Dickenson, that Kai still keeps that title… Even then, a few billion dollars can't affect Old Sourpuss. He's way too stubborn for that!"
The car came to a stand still, in front of Ray's apartment. Ray didn't even look up. With a shaking hand, he reached out to open the door...
'I have to get out of here…'
The handle clicked, but the door did not budge. He tried again, but no luck. The door was auto-locked. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he spoke as flatly as he could.
"It's locked."
Ray mentally screamed, when he did not get any response.
'Is this some kind of a joke? What is he playing at! Why's he doing this to—'
"I lied."
"…What?"
"Back, when I said that you're no different… I lied."
"I'm different, aren't I?" Ray growled through gritted teeth, "After all, I'm just a—"
"I can't understand you… can't figure you out."
Unable to take it anymore, Ray looked up slowly. Kai was staring fixedly, at the steering wheel. For the first time ever, he looked… frustrated? Confused?
"What are you talking about?" Ray asked cautiously. "You've been reading me like an open book."
"You don't get it… Neither do I for that matter…" Kai have a hollow laugh, "An open book you say? Well, maybe… But it's like reading a book and not understanding a single word… And yet, I can't stop reading… I can't let go of it. I keep on turning the pages hoping to see something that might make sense to me… but still I can't make out anything… I can't stop reading…"
The drumming of raindrops picked up, as Kai continued…
"I could've just let everyone keep on suspecting you. It would've served as a good distraction and I could've done my work without any interference. But I didn't. I took the attention off you, and used others as the distraction. I even went out of my way, to keep Miguel a secret from the others. And today… even after I was all prepared to take my leave, I couldn't. I just had to come back. I had to answer every single one of your questions… Not even Tyson could've got so much out of me; in such a short time…I had to try to figure you out… I need to figure you out…"
"…why?"
"I… don't know." Even uttering those three words seemed to take a lot of effort from Kai. "I just can't let go… It's frustrating. But I can't… I don't want to…"
Kai looked up. The intense flame that burned within his hypnotizing eyes, made Ray's heart stop. He could feel himself falling… drowning within the endless depths…
"I want to find out… to understand… I want an answer…"
The sky could've fallen, and Ray wouldn't have noticed a thing. All he could think of… all he could feel… was that intoxicating scent… that electrifying heat… those fathomless orbs… the flawless lips… and the thin blanket of space, that was gradually decreasing between him and…
Ray gasped, as soft moist lips captured his own, trapping him into a heated kiss. A strong arm wrapped itself around him, pulling him closer towards a solid chest. Gentle fingers caressed his neck, leaving the skin on fire. His eyes closed on their own, as the kiss intensified. He reached out into the darkness, gripping a pair of smooth shoulders. A deep-throated moan escaped him, when Kai's tongue parted his lips. Ray's fingers entangled themselves in the damp silky hair, while his other hand roamed Kai's torso, feeling the slender, but hard muscles flex under the thin fabric of the shirt… He forgot who he was, where he was…He just couldn't get enough of the feeling… he wanted more… he wanted…
"Kai," Ray gasped breathlessly, as Kai finally pulled away. Heart racing and breathing heavily, he opened his eyes. Somehow, during the kiss, his backrest had reclined backwards… Pulling him down… and Kai along with him… on top of him.
Fiery orbs bore into glazed golden pools, for several minutes, before closing with a soft sigh. Ray resisted the urge to groan, when the arms let go of him… slowly. Pulling himself up, Kai leant back in his own seat, draping an arm over his eyes. Next to him, he heard Ray getting up as well. Neither of them anything for a while. The drumming of the rain was the only sound that filled the car.
"Kai?"
"Hn?"
"Your answer …Did you find it?"
"Felt it."
"Oh…"
Ray slowly and unsurely turned to face, Kai, who still hadn't changed his posture. It was impossible to say what was going on inside his head. Ray watched the smoothly heaving chest for a few minutes, before speaking again.
"And… you want to… say anything? To me?"
"I suppose so."
"... So… aren't you going to… say it?"
Removing his arm, Kai regarded the rather neko-jin with a rather serious look. Then, much to Ray's surprise, he leaned forward and captured his lips once again, in a chaste, but breathtaking kiss. Pulling away a bit, Kai traced the other's slightly bruised lips with his finger. Ray stared, as a rare, mystifying smile adorned the sharp features. Removing the fingers, Kai whispered against his lips…
"I don't have to. You already know what I want to say."
Finally! My very first fanfic is completed. It's nearly been a year since I started writing this. It might sound unbelievable, but Ordeal of Innocence was initially meant to be a three-shot! My original plot simply consisted of Mariah's death and Kai solving the mystery to save Ray. But once I started updating, new ideas just kept on coming! In fact, I decided to kill Gary (you know what I mean! ^_^") just seconds before typing Johnny's conversation with Tyson!
So, I hope my last chapter wasn't disappointing. I've already gone through it. But still, if there's any part you think I've missed or failed to explain properly, then please let me know. I'll do my best to clear away any doubt you might have.
I once again thank all of you for supporting me. Feel free to review any chapter any time!
And as for now, please leave one last review for Ordeal of Innocence…
I hope I can entertain you with more stories!
With lots of love,
Yours truly,
Kai Phoenix Rebirth.