Dear Honey | HeeJayke

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 5: ᴍᴇɴᴛɪʀᴏꜱᴏ

Jake's POV

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, adjusting my tie with trembling hands. The suit felt like a costume, a mockery of everything I once stood for. A bitter laugh escaped my lips. Here I was, dressing up to go to work at the courthouse, to uphold the very laws I had so grotesquely violated.

A tear slid down my cheek, and I wiped it away angrily. I was disgusted with myself. I worked for justice, but now I was a killer. The irony wasn't lost on me.

For a moment, I considered running. Just packing a bag and disappearing into the night. But reality quickly set in. Where would I go? And wouldn't vanishing right after Robert's disappearance just scream guilt?

No, I had to keep up appearances. I had to go to work, act normal, pretend that my world hadn't been shattered into a million pieces.

The walk to the courthouse was a blur. I walked into the building, nodding mechanically at the security guard. My footsteps echoed in the marble hallway, each step feeling like it was bringing me closer to my own judgment.

I closed the door to my office and sank into my chair, staring blankly at the computer screen. The cursor blinked at me, waiting for input, but my mind was elsewhere.

"What have you done, Jake?"

I spun around, heart racing. Robert stood in the corner of my office, missing an arm.

"You're not real," I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut. "You're not here."

When I opened them, Robert was gone, but Heeseung had taken his place. My husband smiled at me, but it wasn't the warm smile I remembered. This was cold, predatory.

"It was all for you, Jake," Heeseung said, his voice echoing strangely. "Everything I did, it was for you."

I shook my head violently. "No, no, no. This isn't happening."

Heeseung's laughter filled the room. "Oh, but it is, my love. You're one of us now."

I pressed my palms against my eyes, trying to block out the visions. When I looked up again, both Robert and Heeseung were there, staring at me.

"Murderer." Robert hissed.

"Monster." Heeseung added.

"Killer."

"Butcher."

"Monster."

"Killer."

"Murderer!"

"Murderer!"

"MURDERER!"

"YOU'RE A FUCKING MURDERER-"

"Stop!" I yelled, not caring if anyone outside heard me. "Just stop!"

Silence fell suddenly. I looked up, and they were gone. But the damage was done. I could feel myself unraveling, my grip on reality slipping away.

A knock at the door made me jump. I quickly straightened my tie and tried to compose myself.

"Come in," I called, hoping my voice didn't betray my inner panic.

The door opened, and Jay sauntered in, a grin on his face. "Mornin', Jake," he drawled, tipping his hat. "Thought I might find you here."

I forced a smile, trying to ignore the way my heart raced at the sight of him. "Morning, Sheriff. What can I do for you?"

Jay leaned against my desk, his eyes twinkling. "Oh, I can think of a few things," he said.