It was 9 pm; Richard packed some things he and Alexandria may need. However, it took longer than expected since Alexandria was in shock. She was also overwhelmed with guilt, believing it was her fault that they were dead.
Richard let her rest as he did the packing and informed her that Detective Rose would find them a safe house they could stay in. She eventually called thirty minutes ago that a safe house was free close to the police station since law enforcement would be sent to keep watch. With everything packed, Richard then sat beside Alexandria, who sat motionless on one of the sofas.
He knew that she needed alone time to come to terms with her loss, but there wasn't much time to mourn since they were in danger. Still, it didn't mean Richard couldn't try his best to console her in her time of need. He slowly put an arm around her shoulder while gently holding one of her hands. "Alexandria..."
Alexandria's head slumped as she continuously stared on the floor. Her face was tear-stricken and pink from all the crying and wailing. She looked emotionally and physically exhausted; there was no life in her eyes. Richard felt terrible seeing her in such a state. He was about to call her again, but she interrupted him. "They're dead because of me..."
"Alexandria, you have no fault in anything. You-"
"I was the cause of...Elliot's obsession. If I switched out of his class, if I didn't defy him, Elliot wouldn't have become obsessed and-"
"You have to stop stop this, Alexandria!" Richard spoke firmly, feeling her slightly flinch. He felt slightly guilty for his tone, but Alexandria was overwhelmed with guilt. She believed it was her fault Elliot killed her friends, but it wasn't. Alexandria needed to be convinced of the reality of Elliot's insanity. "You and no one would have imagined how truly dangerous Elliot was. Everything that he has done was due to his own decisions! Elliot also had a choice not to obsess over you, but he chose his arrogance and pride! He could have divorced his wife but killed her because it was HIS choice! You did nothing to show your interest in him; he couldn't accept the fact that there is someone who would dare challenge him!" Richard forced Alexandria to look at him. "HE. IS. AT. FAULT. Not you or anyone else. Do you understand me?"
His words sounded very sincere and understanding. Alexandria knew that he was right, but her shock and trauma got the best of her. "I-I know you mean well, but I just can't help it. How will their parents react when they hear the reason why they were killed? No matter what, they will blame me."
Richard didn't think about their parents, who would be distraught about their children's deaths. Parents who lose their children will often, at times, blame others since they can't think properly. Seeing reason was complicated when one lost a loved one, especially in murder. "You are right, your friends' parents will pin the blame on you. However, when all of this is over, it would be best not to tell them the whole truth."
"Wh-What!? You're telling me to-!"
"Lie? Yes."
"How could you even think of me doing such a thing!? They deserve to know the truth!" Alexandria got away from Richard's grip.
Her reaction was justified, but Richard was a realist and accepted what could happen. "What will you gain if you tell them the truth? A sense of relief, but that is only temporary; you will live with hatred and guilt for the rest of your life. Since you seem to be prideful of not wanting to take therapy, your life will spiral out of control. Will you be able to live the rest of your life in comfort, knowing that you will be hated for the rest of your life? Judging by your past and personality, you will not be able to fathom not living with their forgiveness; you will try to prove that you are sorry for something that wasn't your fault."
"You think you know me!? You-"
"Your actions and words already told me how you are. I can read you more better than you can read yourself. Sometimes, the truth will not always set you free; it could lead to more misery. What can you live with? Telling them the truth and always living with the guilt, their hatred toward you, and what you will have for yourself? Or letting them believe that Elliot killed for revenge and that his being put behind bars can give them a sense of justice and peace?"
His questions made her think, and she couldn't help but hate how Richard could read her so well. He was upfront and didn't beat around the bush. What was admirable was that Alexandria couldn't live with her friends' parents hating her. Parents would try to find the most straightforward reason to be angry and hate. Alexandria grew up in an environment of violence and manipulation, making her want to feel appreciated, loved, and respected. Richard made sense that the truth wasn't always the wisest choice. "How-?"
A knock on the door kept them both still. Richard immediately stood up and walked toward the door. He looked through the peephole to see who it was. It was a delivery worker. "May I help you?"
"H-Hello, sir. I have a package for you for which I need a signature."
"Oh, I didn't order anything."
The delivery worker looked at the box. "It says it is from Hugh Manson."
The name was familiar to one of his friends, whom Richard visits yearly. He found it odd that his friend would send him a package. The door was unlocked, and the door was forcibly opened. Before Richard could respond, something was thrown inside that exploded; smoke was released into the air.
The smoke immediately spread. With one sniff, Richard lost consciousness. Before Alexandria could scream, she saw the delivery fall to the floor. She wasn't fast enough to prevent smelling the gas; her head got dizzy. Before fainting, she saw a tall figure entering with a gas mask covering his face. "YYYYYYOOOOUUUU....."
Alexandria fainted, making the intruder enter. The gas cleared, and he went to Alexandria and checked her pulse. "The gas worked wonders. It's time we make our leave, Alexandria." The young woman was carried out of the building.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9g7TOXY6C
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdnMibxC7W
