Chapter 7: The Monster Within

Thomas stepped into the dimly lit room, his expression unreadable as he faced Steve. The air was heavy with an unspoken weight, the kind that only came after a storm of destruction.

"Your plan was a success," Thomas said, breaking the silence.

Steve gestured toward the chair across from him. "Sit. Let's talk."

Thomas took his seat, studying Steve carefully before asking, "Now that your wife is dead, how do you feel? Aren't you having any second thoughts? Any regrets? After all, you were with her for almost a year."

Steve's face remained emotionless. "She's dead, and her property is mine to inherit. That's all that matters." He leaned forward, his eyes dark and void of anything human. "As for my feelings? My soul died a long time ago. The person you see now is just a vessel filled with vengeance and regret. Other than my goals, I feel nothing. Her suffering ended with her death, but look at me—I'm still alive, still suffering, and with every passing day, it only gets worse."

Thomas hesitated before speaking again. "Now that she has committed suicide, let's move to the next phase."

A slow smirk crept onto Steve's face. "She didn't commit suicide."

Thomas frowned. "What? Then what happened?"

Flashback: The Final Night 

Steve walked up to the house, his mind filled with dark scenarios. Did she slit her wrists? Drown in the bathtub? He had meticulously orchestrated her downfall, but even now, he wondered how she had chosen to end it all.

He pushed open the door, expecting silence. Instead, Olivia greeted him with an uncharacteristic brightness. "You're home! Go freshen up, I'll serve dinner."

Steve's brow furrowed. "Olivia… What's going on? You're acting strange. I mean, I'm glad you seem better, but are you truly okay, or just pretending?"

She smiled softly, but her eyes carried a weight he couldn't decipher. "I may never be happy again, but I won't let my grief hold you back. I've realized something, Steve. Time won't heal my wounds, but it will teach me how to live with them."

Steve's lips curled into a deceptive smile. "That's an interesting way to look at things. Wait here, I have something for you for a time like this. Close your eyes. It will shock you when you see it."

Olivia chuckled. "Alright, alright. I can't wait."

As she closed her eyes, Steve silently looped the rope in his hands, his movements deliberate. His voice was eerily calm as he murmured, "It's a necklace… When you wear it, your soul will be freed from your body."

She laughed softly. "Don't be so dramatic. Is it really that beautiful?"

"Yes," Steve whispered, and in one swift motion, he tightened the rope around her neck.

Her laughter turned to choked gasps. She struggled, her hands clawing at the rope, her feet kicking against the ground. But Steve held firm, his expression unchanging as he watched the life drain from her eyes.

When it was done, he carefully arranged her body, hanging her from the ceiling to mimic a suicide. Not a single trace of evidence was left behind. He stepped back, surveying his work before calmly calling the police.

Present Day: The Weight of Silence 

Thomas sat in stunned silence, his mind racing. When did this man—this child I once knew—who is always cheerful and think about other before himself become such a monster? When did he trade his humanity for something so cruel, that incident must have left much deep scars than we have imagined ? He had always known Steve was innocent and kind person, but this… this was something else entirely.

Finally, Thomas spoke. "So, your plan failed."

Steve exhaled sharply. "Not entirely. The only thing that changed is that instead of her committing suicide, I killed her myself and I killed her by tightening the rope around her neck in such a way that it form U-mark instead of O-mark. So don't care about any proof."

Then after taking a short pause. Thomas narrowed his eyes. "You seem… unsettled."

Steve's fingers drummed against the table. "My plan was flawless. Before I left, she was in the deepest pit of depression. There was no way she could recover overnight. And yet, when I came back, she had completely changed. That's what bothers me. Something happened in my absence—something that gave her the strength to fight back."

Thomas smirked, a hint of mockery in his voice. "Maybe your sweet talk actually worked."

"No," Steve said firmly. "It wasn't me. She spoke to someone. Someone else changed her mind. But who? There was no one close enough for her to confide in. No one except me."

The air in the room shifted, thickening with tension. A creeping realization slithered into their minds. Steve's fists clenched, his expression darkening.

Thomas cleared his throat, attempting to break the moment. "I think you're overthinking it."