The Urban Abyss

Lost Souls

Vivienne turned towards Liam, "Manager Liam, I've checked your phone records. You've been making a lot of calls recently, mostly to one person, haven't you? And don't glare at me; I'm not talking about your lover Ariadne. I'm referring to the deputy mayor's secretary, Theodore."

Liam shrugged, "That's normal. We needed the city leaders' support for a land deal. Frequent communication was to be expected."

Vivienne's gaze sharpened, "On the day the chairman had his accident, you were with him all day, reporting to him about a serious quality issue at the construction site. Maximilian couldn't sit still; he immediately wanted to inspect the site. You should have accompanied him but found an excuse to stay away. 

After Maximilian left, you immediately notified Theodore, who was waiting in Wellington city for the opportunity. You both waited at the construction site, out of sight, and then attacked Maximilian with an anesthetic. You secretly took him off-site, placed him in the back seat of car, and drove to the lake. There, in a secluded spot, you pushed the car into the water, knowing that Maximilian's death would look like an accidental drowning to the police."

Liam's face turned ashen, "Your imagination is quite rich. Why would I kill Maximilian? He was a benefactor to me; I owed him too much to even think of repaying him. What motive would I have?"

Vivienne responded, "Perhaps it's because Maximilian was too wealthy, and his wife kept a tight leash on you. Aside from your salary, you didn't really gain any substantial wealth from their family. This must have seemed unfair to you, given your significant sacrifices. So, when Theodore approached you, you were quick to strike a deal."

Liam scoffed coldly, "What evidence do you have? I could sue you for defamation!"

Vivienne stated, "Of course, there's evidence, provided by the victim himself."

The room gasped in surprise as Vivienne continued, "As the car gradually filled with lake water, the cold shock woke Maximilian. He had only thirty seconds of clarity, but it was enough for him to record a message on his phone: 'Liam and Theodore killed me!' He repeated it several times until he drowned."

Liam's face went pale, sweat breaking out on his forehead. Rebecca tried to lunge at him but was held back by Gregory, "Becca, he will receive the punishment he deserves."

Vivienne nodded, "Yes, he will get what he deserves, for Maximilian and for Ariadne."

The room erupted in gasps.

Vivienne turned to Jennifer, "Minister Jennifer, over the past three years, you were Liam's real lover, weren't you? I wonder how it felt, working with your lover and his wife every day."

Jennifer looked at her coldly without responding. Vivienne continued, "What I found strange upon arriving here was the close relationship between you and Rebecca. Everyone knows Maximilian liked you too, but some felt quite the opposite: Gregory chose exile over marriage to you, and Minister Aurelia, despite the risk of offending Rebecca, couldn't hide her disdain for you. Both must know something damning about you, yet for some reason, they chose to keep your secret."

"What could that reason be? They discovered your affair with Liam but didn't want to hurt Rebecca. Aurelia warned you, agreeing to keep your secret under the condition that you end the affair. You agreed, crying your eyes out, didn't you?"

Jennifer glanced at Aurelia, who returned her look with a cold gaze.

"Liam never truly cared for Ariadne. If he could abandon her once, he could do it again, especially after meeting Jennifer, who was scheming and capable enough to help him. To Liam, Ariadne was just a pawn, one that could be blamed on his wife."

"You planned it all along, didn't you? With Maximilian gone and if Rebecca was imprisoned, there would be no one left in their family. Even if Gregory returned, he'd be overwhelmed, especially since he lacked business acumen. Wouldn't Max Real Estate then fall into your hands?"

"To frame Rebecca, you went to great lengths. Under Jennifer's guidance, Rebecca discovered Ariadne. Then Jennifer led Rebecca to confront Liam and Ariadne, acting as if she was fighting for her close friend's justice, making sure the neighbors knew. Then, coinciding with Maximilian's accident, you killed Ariadne, dismembered her, and to ensure the body was found quickly, placed the remains in a water tank and buried the head at the construction site. You were eager for the police to suspect Rebecca, weren't you?"

"The police have been unable to locate the first crime scene where Ariadne was killed and dismembered. I believe it was in Jennifer's house, a place the police would least suspect. Unfortunately for you, Minister Jennifer, I received a notification from the police ten minutes ago. They're at your house right now, confirming this fact. You're inescapable."

Suddenly, Liam laughed bitterly, "Jen, I never imagined it would end like this. Is this fate?"

He sighed, "When I married Becca, I truly wanted to have a good life with her. But she wasn't devoted to me, and Maximilian seemed to guard me from the company's secrets. Yet, after being by his side for so long, what secrets didn't I know? Maximilian opened a private account for Nicholas ten years ago, something the finance minister should be aware of."

Aurelia nodded, "I've already provided the account details to the police."

Liam continued, "Nicholas used his privileges to grant land approvals to Maximilian, who in turn deposited 30% of the real estate profits into Nicholas's account. They collaborated for years. But as land lease controls tightened, Nicholas couldn't offer much help, yet still demanded payments. This led to a falling out with Maximilian. During a critical land development bid, Nicholas was already overstretched. In a desperate move, Maximilian threatened to expose the private account if Nicholas didn't secure the land. Theodore told me all of this. Knowing my dissatisfaction with the family, he approached me, offering to help me acquire Max Real Estate after Maximilian's death..."

"As for Ariadne, Ari, I didn't want to kill her. It was Jen's idea. She said it was the only way to ruin them completely..."

Vivienne looked at Jennifer, "You must have loved Liam deeply, to plot the murder of his former lover and frame his wife."

Jennifer laughed too, "Love him? No, I only loved myself. Gregory wouldn't listen to me, so I turned to Liam. All I wanted was Rebecca's status and position. How am I inferior to her? Why should I cater to her every whim? Lost souls, yes, I've truly lost my soul. Or perhaps, I never had one..."

Knocking sounded at the door. It was Captain Nathan. Unbeknownst to them, the office had been filled with police officers listening in through a bug placed in the room.