Edge Of Innocence

CHAPTER 5 ( Beneath The Surface)

Lucas stands alone, replaying Lea’s recent anger and cryptic behavior. He senses the danger Lea could pose, realizing that her involvement is far more complex and threatening than he first assumed. His mind races as he considers that Lea might be capable of extreme measures to protect herself, even if it means implicating him. The thought of the buried body nags at him, stirring doubts about how secure his secrets really are.

Lucas felt the weight of his situation growing heavier with every passing moment. Lea’s sudden volatility and the lingering threat of exposure made him realize that every loose end was a potential danger. He had to protect himself—and fast. The need to hide the evidence as thoroughly as possible gripped him, and he knew that simply burying it wasn’t enough.

His gaze shifted to the small garage at the side of his house. The garage floor, a patchy layer of compacted mud, would never stand up to scrutiny if someone decided to dig deeper—literally or figuratively. A permanent solution would be to cover it with a concrete floor, something that would bury any secrets beneath a hard, unbreakable surface. He had no time to waste.

But before the concrete could be poured, he’d need to clear out the space. His old car, a relic of his past, sat in the cramped garage, taking up precious room. Lucas knew he’d have to remove it temporarily to make way for the work.

After considering his options, Lucas picked up his phone and called his friend Mark, who owned a garage just outside the city. Mark was reliable and discreet, a quality Lucas valued right now more than ever. “Mark, it’s Lucas. I need a favor,” he said, his voice steady but urgent. “Can you come by in a 3 to 4 hours to take my old car off my hands for a bit? Just for a couple of weeks.”

Once Mark agreed to pick up the car, Lucas immediately reached out to a local construction crew. After a brief conversation about the job, he requested them to start work after 4-5 hours giving him enough time to prepare everything.

After leaving Lucas’s house in a surge of frustration, Lea returned directly to her hotel. She entered her room, locked the door, and paused to stare at her reflection in the mirror. Her mind drifted back to memories of her husband. His name was Marcus. She recalled the night they met at her friend’s party. Marcus, a well-dressed and successful businessman, had an aura that immediately captivated her. Despite the undeniable differences between them—her free spirit contrasting with his meticulous nature—she found herself drawn to his confidence and composure. It felt thrilling, like stepping into a world far different from her own. Soon after, they were married.

Yet, the spark didn’t last. Their relationship grew strained as Marcus’s controlling tendencies emerged, stifling the independence Lea so valued. Each attempt to discuss separation turned into an argument, with Marcus refusing to entertain the thought of divorce. This resistance only fueled Lea’s frustration, her desire for freedom clashing against Marcus’s unyielding refusal to let go.

In this turbulent period of Lea’s life, she met Mike, a colleague who quickly became more than just a friend. Their connection was undeniable, a much-needed escape from the control and rigidity Marcus imposed. Lea and Mike fell deeply in love, yet their happiness was overshadowed by Marcus’s refusal to grant a divorce. After countless pleas and sleepless nights, Lea grew increasingly frustrated, and the couple felt cornered.

Determined to be together, they reached a breaking point. After exhaustive planning and dark deliberations, Lea and Mike decided to remove Marcus from their lives entirely. They orchestrated a scheme that would not only eliminate Marcus but also pin the blame on an unsuspecting third party. They needed a perfect scapegoat—someone they assumed wouldn’t suspect a thing and couldn’t fight back.

Their plan seemed flawless until it intersected with Lucas’s path. Unlike anyone they’d ever encountered, Lucas was intuitive and sharp, unwilling to act predictably. Instead of reporting the crime, he buried the body on his own, unraveling Lea and Mike’s carefully laid plans. Suddenly, what they thought would be a clean break spiraled into a dangerous game of cat and mouse, and they found themselves entangled in a battle of wits with a formidable opponent.