Façade

Chapter 24

The couple had been in Switzerland for little over twelve hours. They'd been to the bank, and gotten the evidence from the safe deposit box. Daniel was cold and distant. Emily hadn't expected him to take the news so poorly, especially because all the time she'd known him, she'd been absolutely certain about three things: 1. Daniel loved poetry 2. Daniel had some serious party boy/alcohol issues 3. Daniel blamed his parents for his problems, and rightly so. Emily concluded that only now did he notice that his parents also instilled a great many good things in him; a love of art, a cutthroat business mindset, and a need to protect family, and loved ones at any cost. She thought he must be feeling guilty, for shunning his mother and father all these years. At least, he could still speak to his mother, his fathers death being the reason they were there.

Emily had not been afforded such a welcome luxury, her father, dead, and mother had gone MIA years ago. She was left, with unresolved feelings and opinions, that she'd never be able to get off her chest. She couldn't say anything to her father, obviously, but it was the fact that her mother was gone too that really got to her. The fact that she was out there, somewhere, living her life, and Emily couldn't be a part of it. It was painful to say the least. It was painful that her father was never there to walk her down the aisle at her wedding, she had no family but Daniel, and he was mad at her.

At the hotel, Emily edged closer to Daniel on the bed, and laid her head on his shoulder. 'I'm sorry Daniel. I just thought that after all he'd put you through, you wouldn't be upset when he was gone. I should've realised that he still meant something to you' she was clearly sorry, so Daniel forgave her, and ran his fingers over her cheek, and through her hair. 'It's okay' he whispered 'it's okay.'

He turned to face her, and their eyes locked, before engaging in a long, passionate kiss. Still locked in their passionate embrace, the two made their way under the covers.

In the security camera room, Aiden sat, surrounded by screens, eating an apple with a knife. He gouged out a piece, stabbed it, and bit it off. His legs, crossed, and propped up on the table confidently. The security guard was lying on the floor. He was bound and gagged, and was writhing around, in an attempt to get free. Sweat fell from his face like sparks from a grindstone, and a look of pure, unadulterated terror swept what was visible of his face. A menacing laugh escaped Aiden's lips, as he removed one of Daniel and Emily's wedding photos from his pocket. He laughed again 'They would've made such a lovely couple...'

Daniel lay, one arm behind his head, the other cradling a sleeping Emily's shoulders as she snuggled into his chest. Many thoughts raced through his mind, what would happen once he'd handed in the evidence? His mother couldn't get the death penalty, not in New York. He also thought that it was somewhat cowardly of his father to throw his mother to the dogs, and leave her to bear the brunt of the blame for crimes for which he was largely responsible. But as per usual, his moral compass told him that regardless of whatever cowardess his father was guilty of, he needed to hand in the evidence. What's more, he needed to do it himself.

© Sarah Egan 2013 - 2014 This story is subject to copyright and may not be copied or reproduced without the express permission of the author.