'You bastard! I'm going to kill you', I advanced on him, punching my way, my fists connecting with his body with a force that will surely leave bruises. My vision narrowed to hurt him as badly as he hurt me. 'You coward! What kind of sick person are you to play such tricks!'
'Erica-', Raphael tried to speak, but I landed another blow to his face. He was in defence, trying to block my punches, but not attacking me. Yet I don't care. Given the chance he would fight back, was my belief about him.
'Stop it', but I was long gone hearing his excuses.
'Did you enjoy making a fool out of me? Did it make you feel better mocking me? Had a good laugh at how gullible I'm?', I taunted him.
'Erica! stop', by now we are in his living room. All that pristine, sterile environment gone with the mess we were making. Books were thrown, glasses were broken, chairs overturned, nothing remained safe in our wake. I tackled him to the ground and started scratching like a wild cat or punching whatever place I could find, all the time screaming, 'how could you be so cruel!' All that training with Kade learning how to fight gone out of the window. My punches came from a baser instinct to draw blood. To show no mercy. To go for the kill.
He covered his face with his hands up like a boxer. I don't give a fig if my fighting hurts him. 
'I'm going to kill you, you murderer! How could you kill her with such brutality?', I screamed, mad beyond belief to choke him, given the chance. I no longer believed in the law, trusting the police to handle this matter. I want justice, I want my revenge... I want his blood on my hands. KILL KILL KILL, a mad chant circulated in my mind.
My accusation must have triggered him into action, as he flipped me and successfully trapped my hands and legs with his own.
'Stop. I let you hit me because you need it. But not when you accuse me of such a hideous crime. I didn't kill her. I didn't kill Sophie', hearing her name from his mouth is like a punch to my gut. Suddenly it became all real. His denial leaves the fight within me. It's a simple lock any amateur fighter could come out of. But I was drained after my emotional outburst. I lay dead there, staring into the ceiling like a rag doll, crumbled after vigorous usage.
'Erica, are you hearing what I'm saying? I did not kill Sophie', he shakes my shoulder to get his attention.
'Release me', I croaked void of any emotion.
Once he gave me some space, I scooted to a corner, putting as much distance as I could. Hurt passed on his face at the distance. Tough luck. I wrapped my knees with my hands, still sitting on the floor, tracking his movements when he went to bring ice from the kitchen for the black eye, I gave him. I was proud of it.
Once he sat opposite me, with some distance, of course, I asked the million-dollar question, 'Why?'
'Do you really think I could kill a person?', he sidestepped my question. I was having nothing of it. Some fire came back into me, when I said, 'answer me dammit! Why all this charade? If you didn't kill her, why hide it? Because I know it was you who greased the police's hands. It was you who cremated her. Hell, I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. Because of what you have done. I deserve these answers, don't you think?'
'Found about it, don't you? I know you are smart', he said, indirectly admitting to the things I accused him of doing.
'Stop your bullshit and answer my questions. I won't be so nice next time I ask. Who knows, I could just stab you and end this!', I ranted.
'You could. But you won't. Because deep down, you know that I'm not a murderer'
'Don't. Just don't'
He sighed and maybe deduced there is no way out, as he answered, 'Yes. I hide the evidence. I made it possible to clear the evidence and close the case without any media fuss. It was... for the sake of my father', he grudgingly admitted.
'What does this have anything to do with your father?'
'The day she was murdered, my father had a heart attack after hearing it. Because he thought our family would be accused of it, though we have nothing to do with it. He feared it would affect the company. A scandal had nearly cost him his inheritance when he was young. It took him years to come out of it. He... abhors scandal, and murder is like waving a red flag to the bull. I couldn't let him suffer. Stress was not good for him at that stage. So, I did what a son has to do'
'You expect an award? how could you be so selfish to hide a murderer? From letting police to do a proper investigation. This measly excuse doesn't give you a right to take the law into your hands and play with it!'
'Are you sure about that?', he tried to cut in, and I was having nothing of it.
'I'm not done speaking. Because of you, an innocent doesn't get justice. Because of you, a murderer is running loose'.
'You don't know anything about it?'
'Yes, no thanks to you'
'You really believe I would let a killer go?'
'Evidence suggests nothing else other than that'
'Police are under instructions that no one should hear about the investigations that are taking place. No media, nothing. But the case is still open, with only a select few involved. And according to the reports we are close to finding the killer'
'Spew all the venom you want. I won't have to believe it. You were just...not the man I thought you were'.
That's an understatement, my inner diva said making an appearance.
'You will believe me. The Erica I know would have agreed with what I said'
'News flash buddy, you just killed her. She is lost to you forever'
'You are in shock. It takes time. Once your mind accepts my reasoning, you will agree too', he said. Wow... just wow. Does he still believe I would accept him after what I learned? Which planet is he living on? Just because I used to placate him before, he thought he could dump his reasoning and I would happily lap it up? Dream on. Though outwardly I said nothing about it. Why bother? 
Then something else registered in my battered mind. He is Jack. Though Jack the murderer may not be the case Jack the lover is still true. The jury is still out on him being a killer but...my gut says...he is not. I may not have seen the signs of his deception but I'm not that bad of a character assessor to date a killer.
The way he said her name-'You loved her, don't you?', I asked numbly all over.