DENISE
I left east the moment I hang up from a call with my manager. I need a plan, but first, I need to talk to her. Maybe we can still fix this, right? I’m sure the Article is out of her knowledge.
I’m positive that she’s not going to do something damaging to me. Maybe she kept all of the evidence and maybe she knows that I killed Ocean but she was never going to tell anyone about it.
We can still fix this, Jess.
I entered her apartment using the spare key she gave me. Went straight to the bathroom to get my phone.
What if I left it inside the medicine cabinet and she was telling the truth when she told me that my phone is not there, right? Of course, Jess never lie.
Bit by bit, the article’s occupying my mind. I need alcohol for this. Luckily, looks like Jax displayed his collection on his girlfriend’s kitchen.
I dialed her number. “Hey, Jess.”
“Hey, Denise. What’s up?” Gosh, her voice sounds so calm. Sounds like she’s okay and that she doesn’t have anything to do with that Article.
“Where are you right now? Are you okay?”
“Uhm…” she paused. “I’m—I’m at Trio, meeting in a few minutes with trainees.” She’s at Trio, away from Alex. That’s good.
“You meet with trainees now?”
“Oh… yeah. Boss wants me to do it for the day. Oh, they are here already. Will you be okay? I need to go.”
“Of course, of course. Do your thing.” She hangs up. I’m so relief to know that she doesn’t have anything to do with the Article. She didn’t ask me how I am meaning that she doesn’t know about the article yet.
What’s my plan with Mira? I don’t know. I’m sure that the recording came from her. I should’ve expected this. That b*tch always have a comeback. Maybe I didn’t think this through, and now, I must clean my name.
Scrolling on the Internet, people are already saying that there is a possibility that I killed Ocean or that I hired someone to kill Ocean. They are right, also, I have a motive now. Thanks to that recording.
I’m sure that the Police are on me now. Of course, they need my statement about the recording. Mira’s famous too so they’re going to prioritize her side too. Does this mean I’m not allowed to see Jax or else he’s the one who’s going to bring me to the station?
“Denise?” He’s standing in front of me. He’s surprised to see me sitting on the floor with his bottle of expensive alcohol on my hand. “What are you doing here?” He sits in front of me. “You don’t need this right now, okay?” He took the bottle away from me.
I scoff. “Why? Because you guys are into me?”
He took a second before answering my question. “We just want to talk to you, Denise. I mean, you should help us, right? Ocean’s your fiancee.”
I know what he’s doing to me but okay, I’ll bite.
Don’t need to act suspicious right now so I need to play as a victim. “Can I talk to you guys tomorrow? I just really need this time, okay?”
He sighs. “I understand. Just promise that you’ll come down to the station tomorrow, okay?”
“You have my word.” I assure him.
“Okay. I’ll text her that you’re here. Gotta go.” Then he left.
Well, that was smooth. The only reason Jax let me stay here is because he knows that I need Jess right now because we’re ‘friends’.
The only thing that makes me hope for me and Jess is that even if she knows that I killed— I hired someone to kill Ocean, she’s not scared of me. We just really need to talk.
JESS
I lied when I said that I’m meeting with the trainees. I just need time for myself, the Article’s too much pressure for me.
When Jax texted me that Denise is in my apartment, my heart wants to shut down. I’m sure she’s not in her right mind now that the Article wrote her up as a possible suspect.
Hour after the article was posted, the International media is already airing the news in their countries. Mostly, theories about Ocean’s killer are circulating over the Internet.
The center of it is ‘Denise is the suspect but she framed Mira.’ and my article is linked to it.
She’s in front of me. I can’t describe her face right now, it’s like she wants to tell me something. I already ask her if she’s feeling okay about the Article but all she did was to nod at me.
“Do you want to say something?” I don’t really feel like comforting her. I’m tired and my mind is smashed.
“So you’ve read the Article?” Here we go.
“Yes. It’s my company.”
“You write it too?” She’s biting her finger nails while tapping her foot on the floor. She looks so nervous.
“No, of course not. The Article says that Alex wrote it.”
She sighs. “Maybe you know about it, but didn’t bother to stop them, huh?” Now, she’s being sarcastic.
I can’t be honest right now. She’s not in her right mind to bear the truth. “Are you kidding me, Denise? I will never lie to you!”
“Do not lie to me, Jess!” She stands up, pointing finger at me. I can smell the alcohol every time she opens her mouth. “Don’t you understand that this—“ she points at her phone where the recording is displayed. “— this will ruin my career, and my life!”
“Why would it, huh!? Why would it ruin your career? Did you do anything bad?” We’re facing each other, shouting at each other, and pointing at each other. “You tell me, Denise. Is what Mira told us true?”
She paused. “You’re talking with Mira?”
Sh*t. Why did I say that? Gosh, Jess. This is why I don’t want to speak when I’m angry, truth always slips.
“She called us, with the recording—“
“And now, you’re lying to me! You’re lying to me about everything!” The redness of her face and the anger in her eyes made me step back a little.
“I’m not lying—“
She smashed the alcohol bottle on the ground. It made me flinch, made my whole body stop. She’s losing herself and I can feel that it’s about to go down real bad. The rain starts pouring, this time, there’s thunder.
“You lied to me, you helped them hurt me.” Her tears blew the fire in her eyes. There’s no redness in her face anymore but even without the fire in her eyes, the anger’s looking straight at me. “I thought we can fix this, Jess. I really hope we still could because—“
I cut her off. “What, huh? Because you will hire someone to kill me just like what you did with Ocean? Is that what you’re going to do?”
“Oh, so you’re going to turn me over? Huh? To who? Your idiot Detective boyfriend?” her anger towards Jax made me shiver.
I want her out my apartment. She’s losing her self completely and I’m afraid that she might hurt me or Jax.
“Get out.” the authority in my voice doesn’t even affect her. She’s just staring at me blank, only anger in her eyes. “I said get out. I just booked you an uber. Let’s talk tomorrow when you’re okay.”
She scoffs. Slowly her mouth forms a smirk, her eyes still blank. “We’re not talking anymore, Jess. It’s over between us.” In a snap, her whole face is completely blank. How can a person do this?
“You’re over.” Then she left.
My knee lost its power, causing me to fall. I crawled to the sofa where I cried.
The love she made me feel those few moments we’re normal together, vanished. The only thing I can think of right now is my survival. She loved Ocean, but still, there’s a reason for her to kill him instead of turning her back to go on with her life.
Do you know what old people say about love? Everyone comes with baggage and if you truly love someone, you must help them unpack.
This is not the kind of baggage I can help her with.
I am not the kind of partner that will help you drag a dead body across the living room. Though I’m not clean either—— I am the witness who turns a blind eye.
First time, I hoped that she will not turn out like Kathy, but now? I want that for myself because she’s not the woman I love anymore.