The Lies I Believed

Like Father, Like Son

Asher

I walked into the basement, ready to finish Ryder off in style. It had only been a couple of days since anyone last saw him and people were getting suspicious. I had to keep up appearances and showed up at the station once more. I asked for Ryder, pretending we had other plans. It's funny how people believe what they want to hear.

As long as a certain someone didn't get involved, I was going to get away with this, too. It's only a matter of time before someone realizes I never changed. When they do, it'll be too late. Those who die by my hands will never be avenged.

"You see, I wanted to let you go, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. You've been the bane of my existence since you found out about my double life."

"You wouldn't kill me."

"No, that's where you're wrong. I will kill you. I've been fighting the urge to kill you after I learned about your abuse towards Lexi."

"Abuse? What abuse?"

"There's not much that can be hidden from me, Ryder. Just because you didn't physically beat on her, doesn't mean the abuse never existed." I snapped on a pair of latex gloves and sighed. "Ryder, I thought you were a good person. You cared for Lexi when she was working for you. Did you think she was going to find it in her heart to forgive you, once she found out who you really were?"

"What?"

"Everyone knows you're the only one who knew who Lexi actually was. I knew who she was. It isn't easy to forget the mother of your child. It is easy to act naïve."

"What is wrong with you? I haven't done anything to you. I don't know what you're talking about. What double life?"

"Ryder, you're the reason Brad went to jail. If you hadn't caused that to happen, who would Lexi have married instead of Luca?"

"...Who?"

"Me! The man who cared for her since all of that happened. Luca would have been off with some other bimbo who only cared for money and looking beautiful."

"You're sick."

"No, you're sick. I'm here to relieve you of your pain." I picked up a saw. "I want to tell you a little story. It's one that stuck with me since it happened. I like to think of it as my villain origin story."

"I don't care!" Ryder screamed. "You're a complete psycho!"

"It was a fairly calm day. I can't quite remember where we were, but we weren't in Lyon anymore. We settled in this hotel fit for a king. I was young. I thought it was magnificent. My parents always used to speak in hushed tones around me. I trained my ears to hear every single word they spoke in secret. My mother decided to go downstairs for breakfast. I had been cooped up in that hotel room for days. I wanted out.

My mother was already a bit fidgety. When she smiled at me to assure me she was fine, I knew something was about to happen. We made it down to the dining area and I knew what I wanted. I was a sucker for anything sweet. Pancakes coated in maple syrup was what I wanted.

I had noticed a man watching my mother. He had his eyes on her since we entered the area. I couldn't do anything about it. I was just a child. He probably would have laughed at me and pretended everything was normal. We got our food and took a seat far from prying eyes. My mother hated being near people without my father. She was like that."

I walked over to Ryder, pulled his head back and put the saw to this throat. I felt him swallow in fear. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"He was going to rape her, if my father hadn't come in at that exact moment. He was going to walk her out of the dining area without me. What could I have done? Nothing. She could have told me she was going to the bathroom and I would have believed her. She was a pushover. I hated that about her. But, Ryder...this isn't about my mother."