TITLE CHANGED: PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS FORCED
In the realm of love, there are the tales of love at first sight and the slow burn of affection after getting to know someone. However, our hero found himself caught in the midst of a unique journey - he fel...
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This chapter is relatively short (at least compared to the previous ones). See end of Chapter for Notes.
In a whirlwind of sorrow, her heart did bleed, From the weight of her past, she longed to be freed.
Mohsin's eyes darted around the living room, searching for any subtle details that might hold a clue to the mysterious death. The room, however, revealed nothing out of the ordinary. It was an unassuming, typical living space. Except he couldn't help but notice the absence of family or couple portraits around the house. Instead, there were faint marks on the walls, indicating that something had once hung there, recently removed, leaving behind a ghostly trace of what was.
James settled next to a woman, his gaze probing for any signs of distress or unusual behaviour. "Did your husband mention anything unusual or out of the ordinary recently?" he enquired gently.
The woman, appearing younger than her years, possessed fine brunette hair styled in a recent A-line Lob cut. Her voice held a quiet confidence as she responded, "My husband was a private man. He never shared anything with me."
James probed further, curiosity dancing in his eyes. "May I ask why?" he pressed.
Her response held a touch of reservation. "Well... he was a bit conservative and believed women shouldn't know men's business. We come from a very traditional family, so this is quite normal," she explained.
James delved further, "Can you tell us about your relationship with him?"
A barely contained snort escaped her lips. "Now that he's gone, I suppose I can be honest. He was controlling, dictating every aspect of my life. What to do, what to wear, what to eat," she confessed, her composure slipping momentarily. "To be honest, I felt a sense of relief when I heard of his passing. It's like I can finally breathe without this suffocating cage."
Mohsin joined James, taking a seat beside him. He continued their questioning, "When was the last time you saw or spoke to him?"
"A week or so ago," she answered. " He often travelled for business and wasn't one to keep in touch."
Their enquiry pressed on, "What were you doing on the 10th?"
"With my husband frequently away, the kids and I fill our days. We went on a three-day trip up north with a family we're close to. Drove up on the 9th, spent the 10th hiking, and returned early on the 11th."
James raised an eyebrow, "And the kids? Don't they attend school?"
"They're home-schooled," she clarified.
"Did your husband have any known enemies or recent conflicts that you believe might be related to this?" James probed further.
"I don't have much information, but I overheard him arguing with someone on the phone not long ago. All I could hear were his angry words, 'I will destroy you.' I have no idea who it was or what it was about."
