Butterfly

Chapter Three: Duke Of Burgundy

Suddenly, Sophia spotted something. It was a little piece of paper, stuck on one of the rose's thorns. As she looked closer, she saw Ashleigh's name on it. With a trembling hand, she took it off the thorn and started to read it. Her eyes widened in shock.  This is what the piece of paper said:

Dear Sophia,
Whatver happens, I just want you to know that I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry. I truly didn't mean for it to happen like this.
The thing is... I had to die. Or you would have been killed. I am so unbelievably sorry.
I'm going to tell you what happened as soon as you come and visit me in Heaven. But honestly I think I might be in Hell because of how awfully I've worked this out. I am so ashamed. Because now you know my secret... I'll never mend. I hate myself for doing this to you. Even if I had stayed on Earth, even if I hadn't died, you never would have spoken to me again.
I am the most sorry person.
Sophia, I love you.
I always have done.
But still not in a married way.
Ashleigh x

Ashleigh had known he was going to die. This was impossible. To be honest, Sophia thought, I am so upset right now that I might choose to go and live with Ashleigh. In the angels' house. Where God lives.

But then, surely if you killed yourself, God wouldn't want you to be in Heaven. Maybe you would go straight back down to haunt the Earth, or worse... Go to Hell. Sophia didn't want to think about that though. She wanted to think about why Ashleigh knew he would die. Surely... Not...

Oh my God, Sophia thought. Ashleigh would have... Arranged for that silver car to kill him and... Oh, don't be silly, she told herself. It couldn't have been...

It must have been.

Who else could it have been?

In that instant, Sophia knew had killed Ashleigh. She knew who had owned the silver car. She knew everything. It all made sense. It was just... There was no other way. Sophia couldn't quite believe it. But she had to.

Ashleigh had been killed by his own brother.

Robert.