THE COMPLETE TRUTH

Chapter 5

He stabbed Layla....He killed my sister...... I was heartbroken and angry. Dad....I remember....he has to know. I have to tell dad. He will punish Jerome. I tried carrying Layla's dead body through the staircase but it was difficult.At last,I gave up. I left Layla's dead body and went to call my dad. I will tell him how Jerome killed his daughter. I climbed the stairs but when I reached Jerome's house, Jerome was already there. I guess he used the lift. He wasn't alone though. He was carrying Layla's dead body.

I was standing quietly at the corner of the house and nobody saw me. Dad,aunt Mary and uncle John were crying while listening to Jerome. He told them how he found Alaya's dead body(Layla and I swapped our outfits). He told them he couldn't find Layla (me). I was angry at Jerome. How can he lie so bluntly. I couldn't tolerate it anymore. I walked to the living room and told dad that Jerome killed Layla.

Everyone were confused and I told them how we hid at the storeroom and I was about to tell them about the swapping outfit part when aunt Mary stopped me."Enough Layla,what is wrong with you. Your sister Alaya is dead. Enough of your nonsense!"said Aunt Mary angrily.

"No,listen to me." I said but no one was willing to listen to me. Suddenly, I felt weak.Everything started getting blurry.I couldn't see anyone clearly.Weird colourful visions started appearing in my head.Memories flashed through my mind....memories that were once precious. Memories with Layla.....Thousands of memories streamed through my mind.I tried stopping it but in vain.It felt as if those memories were pulling me towards it....... Suddenly the memories stopped......It felt as if time had stopped........

4TH JUNE (YEAR 2020)
It's been 8 years since Layla passed away.....Today is my wedding with Jerome. Yes, I'm marrying the man who killed my sister......8 years ago, when I tried explaining the truth to my family,they refused to believe me...Suddenly i fainted and when I woke up after a week,I was admitted at the hospital. Dad informed me that Alaya's dead body had been buried. He had filed a police report too and turned out that one of Jerome's servant murdered Layla and he has been hung to death. I felt really sad after hearing that news. It was Jerome who murdered Layla but he didn't get punished. It was unfair. I tried telling dad that I'm Alaya but he would always avoid me and pretend he didn't hear. The doctor said that I had psychological trauma and he sent me to a therapist. For 8 years, I went to the therapist continuously and whenever I would tell her the complete truth she would tell me that it's time I move on. Nobody believed me and at last I gave up proving that I'm Alaya....

Jerome never came in front of me in the past 8 years because the therapist forbade him from meeting me. She said that he should give me some time and let me calm down and understand things at my own phase. Time passed and I lived as Layla.....

Everything was going fine until one day Jerome visited us. He arrived at our house during Thanksgiving. Seeing him there reminded me of Layla's death. I still remember Layla was really scared and she was expecting me to save her but I couldn't. I failed....... But I will make sure she gets justice. I will make sure her culprit gets his punishment. I will make sure Jerome confesses his crime. I have to do this. I have to prove to dad that Jerome was the one who killed Layla. I know he wouldn't believe me if I tell him, but if I prove it to him,he will surely believe me.......I asked Jerome if he would marry me and he agreed. And here I am, in my room, getting ready to marry Jerome. One thing that bothered me the most was that Jake never visited me...... Unfortunately I can't meet him now because I know he will be upset once he finds out that I'm getting married to someone else. I'll meet you when this is over Jake....I promise.......

5th JUNE 2020
We shifted here at Houghton right after our wedding. Jerome asked me if I would like to live somewhere else but I insisted on staying here because this house,Happy Manor is the same place where Layla was stabbed..... When we arrived here, I changed my identity. Only Jerome and I knew my true identity. Everyone else here thinks that my name is Aria. I still remember what Jerome told me when we first shifted here." Layla, I know it isn't easy for you to stay here especially after what happened with Alaya.I won't force you to be the old Layla you were.Take your time.I'll be waiting for the old Layla to return."said Jerome. I was disgusted to hear what Jerome said.After stabbing my sister,here he is,pretending to be innocent.He's not a saint,he's a sinner.I will never forgive him and revenge will surely be taken.

04th AUGUST 2020
It's been 2 months to my wedding with Jerome. In this 2 months, I tried my best to collect proofs against Jerome but to no avail. I barely talk to Jerome but he never forced me. He was always polite to me and always brought flowers for me. I tried my best at ignoring him and was successful until that one night where he told me a poem.It was a rainy night and Jerome made pasta. Jerome insisted that we have dinner together because he wanted to make sure that I eat properly.

That night we were having a quiet dinner when Jerome told me a poem." You know today a friend of mine told me a really good poem by Rumi(the famous poet). I didn't understand the meaning though. "Your task is not to find love,but merely to seek......um what was next. I forgot"said Jerome while drinking a glass of water."Your task is not to find love,but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.This means that we all crave love yet we have build barriers within ourselves. It's time we end this barriers and embrace love completely and selflessly. Love can never be found, it's always within us hidden behind those barriers...." I said calmly.

"Woah,how do you know all this?"said Jerome in a surprised tone. "I've always been fond of poems. I have a collection of books about poetry. I'm a huge fan of Rumi and Kabir. They're poems are amazing." I said happily. "You don't seem like the type who would read books. Well I'm glad at least I know something about you."said Jerome with a smile. The whole night,Jerome and I talked about poems and quotes. He too had been fond of poems since childhood.

That day,I was genuinely happy after years. Since childhood I always wanted a husband who love reading poems. That night was one of the best. After that night,Jerome never brought me flowers. He would bring me books and I would return the kind gesture by cooking his favourite food. Jerome is a huge foodie. He can eat anything except chicken. He's allergic to chicken.

16tn September 2020
Today is Jerome's mum's death anniversary. She died when he was a kid. Every year on this day, Jerome donates food to the poor. He would also visit the orphanage and spend time with the kids. He would play with them and buy them their favourite toys. It felt really good knowing this side of him. He would spend his day with the kids and at night he would get drunk. I was sleeping when I heard a noise. It was coming from the living room. When I reached the living room, Jerome was crying while holding his mum's picture. "Why did you leave me mum? I can't live without you. I'm sorry for being a bad child. Nobody loves me."said Jerome while crying. I felt bad for him. I walked towards him and sat beside him. "Jerome,are you okay?" I asked politely. He kept his head on my lap and started telling me how his mum died.

"I was 8 when mum died in an accident. Dad was heartbroken after her death. He would barely talk to me. He spent most of his time at the office and I would be home alone. Mum was my everything.... She was always there for me whenever I needed her......Mum's death affected me badly Layla. I miss her so much........ Layla...Layla.... I'm sorry. I'm sorry for behaving rudely with Alaya. It's just that I'm scared of losing you.

I've had a crush on you ever since I saw you dancing at the cafe.You were dancing with your sister and you looked so beautiful. You were so graceful while dancing and the way you made everyone join the dance. My heart started beating rapidly the day I saw you. I've fallen in love with you since then. I was too shy to confess my feelings to you but when you said that you love me,I was really happy. I was on cloud nine. It felt like a dream. When Alaya said that I can't marry you,I was scared to lose you and that is why I behaved that way. After some time,when I realized my mistake,I was looking for you guys but I couldn't find you."said Jerome in a drunken state. I was surprised to hear what Jerome just said. The dancing part,it was me who was dancing.

That day Layla won a prize for participating in the fashion contest held at school. I was really happy for her. In excitement,I started dancing and while dancing I gave my specs to Layla. She wore it for fun and at that time I didn't care much.....So Jerome fell for me?He loved me? Why am I feeling so happy? Argh!This is wrong! You can't love him Alaya. He loves Layla,not you..... But is Jerome being honest when he said that he was finding us to apologize? A person is always honest when in drunken state,this means Jerome is telling the truth. Did his servant actually kill Layla? Thousands of questions were running in my mind.

"Jerome,did the servant actually killed Layla...I mean Alaya...?" I asked in a worried tone. "I don't know actually. I didn't see him. My friend told me about the servant killing Alaya." replied Jerome. "Which friend?"I asked. "You don't know him. You've never met him. He's name is Ja......(TO BE CONTINUED)