Twisted

Chapter 33: Murder

Clara's pov

My breath hitched in my throat and a ringing sound erupted in my ears from the silence and the revelations. Never did I imagine this night could go down like this. 

Killing? 

Murder?

No one deserves to die. No one deserves murder. Even though that guy  might've bend his morals and gave into the bribery and leaked some crucial information. Maybe he had a family, a family that depends on him. Maybe, just maybe, he used that extra money for his mother's health or his children's school fees. Guess we'll never know.

Harry has been staring at me for a while to respond something but no words left my mouth and we were sinking in an uncomfortable silence looming over us.

But how does any of this relate to Harry or Max?

"Clara. I'm sorry for springing all this new information, all of a sudden but I have to get it out of my chest. I know it sounds selfish but I want to tell you the truth." He stated, rubbing my knuckles gently.

"I don't know what to say, Harry" I whispered.

"I know. It's okay." 

"What does this have to do with you?...Or us?" I asked, my mind racing with all the unimaginable theories. All at once.

"Max's dad, he saw it. He saw my father shooting that man. He and a very few other employees were present in the office. So, they were the only ones that heard the gunshot. My father...he couldn't believe he shot that man. He desperately tried to somehow bring him alive by shaking him and yelling his name. But it was too late to call ambulance. He was dead. Because of my father."

He continued, "Mr. Collin, Max's dad, came running into the office and asked my father to keep quiet about this and he would handle the situation. All the other employees were given money to keep their mouth shut about this. He made up a story on how mentally unstable the victim was and how he was always on drugs. He cleaned up my father's mess and didn't even let my father's name slip into police investigation."

 "Luckily the man didn't have any close family and the only closest member was his grandmother who lived on the other side of the state. And all time we thought Mr. Collins was helping us, but he had different plans. He was making up an agreement in which he would never say the 'truth' to anyone until my father made him co-owner of the company."

"Where do you fit into all this?" I asked, getting frustrated by the second. I couldn't help it.

"I'm getting to it. Max had the biggest crush on me but I wasn't a least bit interested in her. And being the  'greatest dad' he is, he fit that into the agreement. I know it sounds silly. But it is what it is. I should date her, at first I thought I could give it a try and if it doesn't work out it doesn't matter. But, there was loophole in the contract. There was no time period for 'our' relationship. So, I had to date her as long as she wishes. Which doesn't seem to have an end."

"My head is exploding Harry, I can't even say anything. This is....this is too much. I'm sorry." I said, not able to hold it together anymore. His father is a criminal. I can't wrap my head around it. Everything's just so...twisted.

"Hey, hey. It's okay. You don't say anything. Really. Take as long as you want." He reassured me, but it didn't work.  "But there you go. This is it. I told you everything. wow, that was exhausting." 

Well, no kidding.

"Harry, what will happen now?"

"I don't know and I don't care. For all I know, my father's already behind the bars by now. And frankly, he deserves it. I don't even feel bad. I kind of feel like I'm free. Like I'm out of jail or something."