Dying Embers || BeckFreen [Completed]

Chapter 24: Confrontation

"What the hell was that, Freen? Why did he suddenly slap you? Non wouldn't such a thing if you didn't trigger him," Becky scolded me the moment we entered our room.

I was only glaring at her until she realized that I was mad at her. I couldn't pretend anymore that I didn't know anything. I couldn't hide her secret anymore.

I turned around and saw my notebook inside my drawer, causing me to close my eyes. A tear fell from my eye. This is the only evidence that Becky won't betray me but now it's here. I picked up the notebook and opened it. My plan wasn't there anymore. It was ripped.

"How can you betray me after all the trust I put in you?" I asked her as my tears well.

"What do you mean?" she asked back cluelessly.

"Why did you spy on me and become an accomplice of my father's murderer?"

Becky immediately shook her head and tried to reach my hand but I stepped back. Her tears started to stream down her face but I ignored her.

Don't use your tears on me, because I am tired of everything.

"I wasn't an accomplice," she said.

"Then why does my father call you the night of the murder? Why does the killer use your car there?" I started asking her questions but she lowered her head. "Feeling guilty? That's not all. The day you hang out with Non, he said that he didn't see that day and there was someone following the girl who surrendered evidence to us. When you've been kidnapped, why does the kidnapper didn't untie you and you looked calm after all of those? In this notebook, you were the only person who knew about this. My plan was ripped already and it only came back, when I left you here a while ago. And you didn't tell me that you were the first placer in last year's craft workshop competition." I bombarded her with questions but she only looked at the floor. "ANSWER ME!"

"I was protecting you!"

I scoffed at her answer. "Protecting me or hurting me? Damn, it. I trusted you, Becky! I give myself to you! I let you enter my life because I thought I could trust you. I thought I had you for a moment, Becky." I couldn't prevent my tears from falling endlessly and shook my head in disappointment as I wiped my tears. "I thought I had you, but I was wrong again. You ruined me!"

"I was protecting you because I know that one of my family members killed your father but I don't know who," she said. "Years ago your father saw me crying on the swing. He went to me and asked what my problem was and I told him that my parents fight a lot because of something. I couldn't understand the files I have in my hands, and your father told me that it was evidence that my father needed to ease the stress. I didn't know that it was a financial statement of the company and I forgot where I saw it. Your father took it from me and told me he would keep it for the time being."

Becky swallowed the lump in her throat but still didn't look at me.

"Months passed and they found out that it was missing. My uncles were worried that if my father saw it, they would fire them. They were so afraid of my father at that time. I went to your father and asked him to give it back to me and he agreed. I was about to go there that night but my car wasn't in our garage anymore, so I decided to take a taxi and filmed everything because I wasn't good in direction."

I gaped but I didn't show her.

"I saw you. You were walking that street. It wasn't my intention to film you and I was starstruck for a moment, and then I remembered that I was here for the files I needed to get. I recorded your father and I was shocked when I saw a man in front of him. He shot your father and got inside my car. I didn't know what to do, back then. I wanted to help you but I had to chase the killer.

I called a taxi and ran after him. I saw him stop and stopped the ambulance that was on the way. I asked the taxi driver to stop the guy in front of us so the ambulance can get through. I didn't know that we were too late, your father died because they were late."

I couldn't process all the information in my head. I sat on the edge of my bed.

"I was the one who gave the recorder to your mother, someone was following me that time. Back then I found out someone spying on you. The time I was kidnapped, I wore a wig like your hair. I also wear shades. What I told you back then was all a lie to protect you. They abducted me inside the room, Freen. They covered my head. I destroyed my reading glasses and left them somewhere so if ever you came back, you would find me. I knew you liked my glasses because every time I was wearing them, you were staring at me." Becky bitterly smiled. "And you're asking why I looked calm? It's because I didn't want you to worry. I want to act strong in front of you so you won't get tired of me."

"Why are you telling me this now?" I asked in a shallow voice.

"I'm not done answering all your questions. About your notebook? I saw it. I ripped the plan you made and hid it somewhere. I knew there was someone who kept entering our dorm so I couldn't trust the way you hide things. I didn't know who took it after I ripped it, but I was relieved that the accomplice didn't see it." Becky heaved a sigh.

"Lastly, I wasn't the one who killed that motherfucker. The headmaster told my family about it. And one day, during the obstacle race I saw him dead. I saw the rock underneath and the hole in the trampoline. I couldn't kill someone, but after that, every faculty member was afraid of me. Because they knew that I was the only one who had the motive to kill him. And that very moment I considered myself a killer, and had nightmares every night. I made my family kill him," she said.

Becky walked in my direction. "Can I let down my guard now?" she asked.

I slowly nodded my head.

Becky knelt and started to weep like a baby. "I'm tired of acting strong to protect you, Freenky. I'm tired of acting as if it doesn't scare me."

I immediately hugged Becky to comfort her. I didn't know that she was carrying too much.

"I'm sorry, baby," I said in a soothing voice. "It's fine. You don't have to be strong all the time."

Becky sobbed and hugged me back. "I tried to find him, I tried to help you, but I'm sorry, Freenky. I'm sorry." She cried again.

I rubbed her back and nodded my head.

"Don't worry, we'll find him soon," I assured her. "But now, I want you to act normal. You don't have to pretend strong. I'm here and I'll protect you."