For Real? ✅

Chapter 30

LEAH

Ben's death was very unexpected.

He was literally the healthiest and happiest guy I had ever seen. He would light up every room that he entered, filling it with laughter and joy.

That's why it was hard for me to believe that he had killed himself.

The funeral dawned on a cold, windy day, as though Ben was unhappy that he had died so soon. As soon as his coffin was lowered, it had started to drizzle.

By the time the after-party was shifted inside, it was a full-blown hailstorm, with ice pellets pelting on his grave.

Ever since Ben had left for college, I lost touch with him. I mean, it's not like we were best buddies before, but now I seldom called him. It became such that we got to meet only at family dinners.

The past year, he's been really focused towards the company, DSC, and he was determined to take over it.

"My sweet little sister," He'd say, ruffling my hair, like he would do when we were kids.
And I'd whack his hand away like it were a fly.
Oh, we used to have so much fun!

And now he's suddenly dead.

I find my mom consoling a very distraught Aunt Ingrid, who was Ben's mom.

"My poor Benjamin passed away, I shouldn't have forced him to take over the company. It gave him too much stress." She says defeatedly.

"He was a fine businessman though. Don't know if Leah can be as good as him." My mom says, her eyes full of doubt as she looks at me.

WHAT! Do I have to take over the company?

I do the math and realise that I am indeed next in line. However, it doesn't stop me from gaping at my mom.

"Mom, I don't...", I start, but she shakes her head violently, looking towards my oblivious aunt.

"He killed himself in a car crash. Oh how much he wanted to die!" Aunt Ingrid wails again. "I've been such an ignorant mother!"

I shake my head at her, as my mom speaks to her softly. My aunt glances up and only then realises that I'm there.
"Leah, did you know he was going through depression? He had the tablets in his drawers", she says, breaking into fresh sobs.

"I'm truly sorry Aunt Ingrid. I really am." I say, before leaving the place.

I love my mom, but she's really getting on my nerves by telling everyone that I'm going to head the company.

In the next two hours, everyone manages to paint a picture of a stressed, depressed Ben who was forced to take over DSC. The stories get wilder as time passes, some people concluding that Ben had hired people to kill him.

I'm tired of everyone telling me that Ben had suicided when I clearly know that he hasn't.
He wasn't depressed, at least he didn't seem that way.

I'm about done when I hear two people speaking out my opinions aloud.

"Exactly! He told me that he was just going to the bookstore. That's not your typical suicide story." I hear a guy talking in muffled whispers.

"Yeah, that's so true. I guess they're hiding the real cause, but I'm not sure why..." Another guy whispers.

I survey my surroundings and find the source of the voices. It's Josh, who's Ben's younger brother in high school. The other guy is Cedric, who is Ben's best friend.

They see me and start talking about the weather.
"Nice storm out there, right Leah?", asks Josh innocently.

"It's okay guys. I don't think Ben killed himself too." I say coolly.

They stare at me for a second, pondering over trusting me, before finally nodding to me.

"We better be silent about this, because everyone wants to think that Ben was in depression," Cedric says seriously.

"Okay." I nod. "So what happened?"

They tell me how Ben had told Cedric that he had to drive to the bookstore, to buy the new novel by his favourite author. He had actually been excited about it.

The accident had occurred when Ben was driving to the store. He'd crashed his car into a truck. While Ben had died on spot, the truck driver sustained hardly any injuries.

"It definitely looks like a murder. A murder disguised to look like an accident", Cedric says, looking puzzled.

Three off us remain silent, thinking of the possible murder suspects of Ben.

"I have an idea of who it might be", Josh says suddenly.

"Who?" Cedric and I ask in unison.

"I think it might be the head of YBC. Dad told me that he looked really annoyed after the Tokyo meeting." Josh explains.

"So you're saying that he would have murdered Ben?" Cedric asks.

"He is a little crazy, that's what my dad says", I answer. "I don't know if he's crazy enough to kill."

Josh nods affirmatively. "Yeah, I've heard that too."

A sudden thought about me being next in line for DSC strikes me.

"Guys, does that mean that they will target me next? As I'm supposed to be next in line", I ask, genuinely worried.

Josh shakes his head. "No Leah. I want to take over the company."

"You're like what, fifteen?" Cedric asks.

"I'm seventeen", Josh replies, "I've always wanted to head DSC."

"It's no use, Josh. My parents have already decided that I'm going to take over, once I finish college. Even if I don't want to." I shrug sadly.

"I don't know which one of you is next in line. It doesn't matter anyway, not to the murderer. " Cedric says gravely.

He looks directly at me and adds. "You guys need to be extra careful, okay? I don't want to be attending your funerals next."

That one statement was enough to dampen the rest of my day.