Passion's Pitfalls

Chapter 23

"I'm sorry Miss but there is no name as Aurelia Henderson under this offer."

Aurelia's heart sank as the receptionist spoke.

"There's no offer for you here, and we're not hiring at the moment," the receptionist said again, her voice gentle but firm. "It sounds like you've been scammed. I'm really sorry."

Aurelia felt like the ground had been pulled out from under her. She had been so sure that the offer was real, that her life was finally going to change for the better. And now, it was all crashing down around her.

She had come all this way, given up her old job and her apartment, only to find out that the offer she had received was a scam. How could she have been so gullible? And what was she going to do now?
She felt like a fool, standing there in the reception area of a company she didn't even work for. She tried to gather her thoughts, but it was hard to think straight. Her life was in shambles, it felt like she was in the middle of a nightmare.

"Is there anything I can do?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what to do."

The receptionist shook her head, her expression sympathetic. "Well, I'm afraid there's nothing I can do to help you here," she said. "You might want to contact the police about the scam, though. It's possible that others have been affected as well."

"No....this can't be happening" she cried.

"Can I get the date you were interviewed?"

Aurelia sigh almost in tears..."I wasn't called for one"

The woman looked up from the desktop to Aurelia, her face perplexed. "This is a big, reputable company, We don't hire people without interviewing them first, and we certainly don't make job offers by email. I'm so sorry that someone took advantage of you like this."

"I don't even have anywhere to go, and I don't have a job. I feel so lost." The receptionist's expression softened. "I wish I could help more,"

Aurelia walked out of the building, the sun was shining brightly, but she barely noticed. Her eyes were blurred by tears, and her head was spinning. All she could think about was the money she had wasted, the job she had lost, and the hopelessness of her situation. Maybe she could find work at a bar, or a restaurant because going back to Seattle can't be on the list. As she entered her hotel room, she looked around at the luxurious furnishings and the breathtaking view of the city. But it all felt empty now, the beauty of the place overshadowed by the reality of her situation. She couldn't afford to stay here, and she had no idea where she would go next.
She walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, hoping to find something to eat. But it was empty, just like her future. She sank down on the floor, tears streaming down her face.

"I should have listened to you Tristan."

She cried.

~•~
The detective sat across from Mrs. Preston, trying to read her facial expressions and body language. She was obviously distraught, her eyes red and puffy from crying. She was wringing her hands, a nervous habit that the detective had noticed right away.
"Mrs. Preston, I know this is difficult," the detective said, trying to keep his voice as soothing as possible. "But we need to know what happened. Can you tell me about the last time you saw your husband?" Mrs. Preston took a deep breath, her eyes darting around the room.

Her voice shaking, as she began to tell the detective about the night. "He asked me out to dinner, to the restaurant downtown. He... he said he wanted to talk to me about something important. He said he wanted to start over, to make things right. was skeptical, but I listened to what he had to say. He told me that he had ended things with his mistress, that he was sorry for the pain he had caused me."
She paused, her eyes welling up with tears.
"And then he said... he said that he loved me, and he would do anything to make things right between us.."

The detective's eyebrows raised, his expression one of surprise. "A mistress?" he repeated. "You're telling me that your husband had been having an affair?" Mrs. Preston bit her lip, her eyes cast down at the floor. "Yes," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "For years... It was... devastating." The detective cleared his throat, trying to keep his composure. This was certainly a new development in the case. "Do you know who the woman was?" he asked, his pen poised over his notepad.

"Natasha Nicholas"

The detective jotted down the name, his brow furrowed in concentration. "And you're certain this woman was having an affair with your husband?" he asked, his voice serious. Mrs. Preston nodded, her shoulders sagging. The detective sat back in his chair, considering the new information. "Mrs. Preston, I'm going to need you to tell me everything you know about this woman,"

"I don't have any contact information for her," Mrs. Preston said, shaking her head. "I never even met her. I just know about her from my husband"

The detective nodded, his expression thoughtful. "So, Mrs. Preston," the detective said, his tone hard and accusatory. " you murdered your husband because he was having an affair?because he ruined your family?" Mrs. Preston's eyes widened in shock, her face pale. "What? No, I... I didn't..." she stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence. "I would never... I could never..." The detective leaned forward, his eyes boring into hers.

"You could never kill him so you did ask your son to right?" the detective asked, his voice incredulous. "Isn't that what happened?" Mrs. Preston's mouth dropped open, her eyes wide with shock. "No!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in disbelief. "I would never ask my son to do such a thing! How could you even suggest that?"

The detective held up his hand, cutting her off. "Mrs. Preston, I'm just trying to understand what happened," he said, his tone calmer now. "I'm just trying to get to the truth."

"And you did not meet with him since the restaurant?"

Mrs.Preston nods.

"So why was his car at your residence?"

"I have no idea how his car ended up at my house," Mrs. Preston said, her voice shaking with emotion. "I was home all night, I didn't go anywhere. I had no idea until the police."

She looked up at the detective, her eyes pleading. "Please, you have to believe me," she said. "I had nothing to do with this. I would never hurt my husband, or anyone else for that matter."
The detective studied her face, trying to gauge her sincerity. "I appreciate your candor," he said, his tone softening slightly.