I hate you I love you

Chapter 7: Shadows of Guilt

I needed to talk to Natasha about this, but I had to be careful. We quietly left the basement, leaving everything undisturbed, and returned to Kim's room. I expressed my desire to talk to Natasha privately, feeling that it was crucial to understand what she was going through. Kim agreed to stay close by but urged me to stay calm, emphasizing that we didn't know what was happening inside Natasha's mind.

I sent Natasha a message, asking if we could talk the next day. I suggested meeting at my workplace, a café, for a private conversation. The following morning, Natasha arrived at the café, and I informed my colleagues that I would be taking a break. Sitting down with Natasha, I approached the conversation carefully, seeking answers but also aiming to build trust.

I shared with Natasha what I had discovered, linking it to Isabel's actions and the impact on her life. Natasha took a deep breath and revealed that the person I was talking about was her brother. Isabel had broken his heart, leading to a tragic sequence of events. Natasha explained that her brother, after confessing he was gay, faced rejection from Isabel, who spread false rumors about him. This eventually led to him getting into a car accident and becoming paralyzed.

In disbelief, I asked Natasha what Isabel had done to break her brother's heart. Natasha explained that Isabel couldn't accept him for who he was, despite his efforts to be normal. When Natasha confronted Isabel about the rumors, she denied everything. Natasha's brother's life took a devastating turn, and their family struggled to cope with the financial burden of his care.

To my surprise, Natasha shared that Isabel had sent money to help with her brother's care, which only fueled Natasha's anger. She confessed that she had stayed close to Isabel, hoping to find something to get back at her, but she never intended harm.

I questioned Natasha about sending threatening letters to Isabel, but she denied it, stating that it would make her look like the harasser. She vehemently asserted that she had nothing to do with Isabel's death and expressed the emotional toll she had endured.

Natasha's revelation left me overwhelmed with empathy. The intricate web of secrets surrounding Isabel began to unravel, and Natasha's guilt weighed heavily on her. I assured her that I wouldn't judge her and thanked her for her honesty.

Returning to Kim, we shared what we had learned. The pool party, once a symbol of carefree moments, now harbored hidden truths. Our investigation led us to confront the mysterious figure in the video and revisit the hidden room beneath the basement. Determined to unveil the truth, we delved into tapes and documents, uncovering more about Isabel's past.

As we played the tapes, the room echoed with past conversations, exposing strained friendships and hidden secrets. One tape revealed a conversation between Isabel and the mysterious figure, hinting at a shared history and a connection to the hidden room. Isabel's desperate quest for the truth became evident.

The conversation turned inappropriate, and I couldn't believe the actions Isabel took. I asked Kim about Isabel's fiancé, realizing we knew little about him. Kim admitted he hadn't met him much and that Isabel kept their relationship private. Concerns arose about the fiancé's possible connection to the mysteries.

While exploring tapes and documents, we stumbled upon an old photobook from Isabel's high school days. Flipping through the pages, we discovered a familiar face – Isabel's fiancé, whose name was Alex.

"Alex's secret surprised me. How could someone so closely connected to their group remain hidden for so long? I could only think, 'Ooh, Isabel, what have you done?' Seeing the videos, I could clearly see what she was like on the outside, but inside, she was so cruel. Why? Staring at Alex's photo in Isabel's high school photobook, a wave of mixed emotions washed over me. How had Isabel managed to keep such a significant aspect of her life hidden from her closest friends? And with the disturbing revelations from the tapes, the possibility of Alex being the mysterious figure in the video became more plausible.