Impostor

Epilogue

"I feel strange." Harry said as we drove out of the gates in the direction of Emma and Michael's apartment. I held his hand in comfort as Sam slowly picked up speed. Something in the air felt odd and it made me feel a little queasy. "It's going to be alright." I said as I tried to comfort him and convince myself. The car pulled to a stop outside the large apartment building. It continued to buzz with life as people came and went. The building was alive with lights illuminating every window, save for a few. It looked so ordinary. Sam turned in his seat before opening our door. "Sir, your father would like to speak with you." He said as he held a black Samsung towards Harry. "I'll be right up." He said as he took the phone and greeted his father. "I'm at his apartment. I couldn't reach him either. Yes, I'll wait outside for you..." Harry spoke and I got out to go see where Emma might be.

The lift felt empty as I waited to reach the penthouse. The elevator music calmed me a little and I thought about how silly I was. They were probably at home, getting ready for their dinner date where Emma would spill the beans about her pregnancy. I sighed and calmed my mind further as the elevator silently slid open to reveal the all-too-familiar foyer of their home. I silently walked forward and opened my mouth to call out for Emma. My voice stuck in my throat and I stood just out of view. I was helplessly frozen as I watched Emma. She was bent over Michael, taking his cards from his pocket. I watched as she moved a short garrote from his neck and bile rose in my throat.

She moved to the TV cabinet and removed a long rope from one of the drawers. She got onto the coffee table and tied it to their chandelier. She hung from the rope until the metal on the chandelier bent before starting to clear the mess that was clearly made by a struggle. She then sat next to him and spit on her fingers before smearing her makeup. She took a small tub of Vicks from the table and dabbed a little on her eyes. Her eyes immediately started to water and she practiced a sob before nodding, satisfied with her performance.

"Emma?" I could only manage a whisper, but I knew she heard me due to her shoulders rising in shock. She turned and started to cry. I didn't know if it was real or fake. She was a really good actor. I was frozen in shock. I looked at Michael for the first time and bile threatened to spill again. I swallowed hard. He was lying on his back. There was an angry red mark around his neck where he had been strangled. His eyes were a milky white as they stared lifelessly at the ceiling. He had shock frozen on his face. "Oh, Jane. He took the news of our new baby badly. I couldn't wait until dinner to tell him. He was more upset when he received Harry's text. The last thing he wanted was to lose you to his brother. He was so scared that you would quit and work for Harry instead." She said and got up to come give me a hug I assumed, but as she took a step forward, I took one back.

"How long have you been standing there?" she asked and all sadness evaporated as she took another step towards me with suspicion clouding her face. She was the kindest person I knew and I struggled to come to terms with what I have just witnessed. "Long enough." I said and didn't recognize my own voice. It sounded a lot like hate, the one feeling that I thought would never be felt towards the woman in front of me. I can't believe she betrayed us. I can't believe she killed Michael, her new husband and the father of her unborn child. "Are you even pregnant?" I asked as the thought of her deceit entered my mind. "Yes, I didn't lie about that. Jane, I really consider you my friend. I never lied about our friendship. I just needed to get revenge." She said as if I would magically look over her committing murder and suggest we stay friends.

"Revenge for what and why Michael?" I asked as she sighed and sat down on the couch across from Michael's body. "My parents died in a fire when I was 18. Did they tell you about it?" she asked as she looked down at Michael with hate in her eyes. I just nodded, unable to speak. "It was ruled as faulty wires, but I know the truth. John, Michael's father..." I cut her off while rolling my eyes in annoyance. "I know who John is." She shot me a glare before continuing. "Anyway, as I was saying. John was planning on expanding his business by buying international hotel groups. My father's family business was doing the best and John wanted to have it. My father wasn't selling and sent John packing, but John didn't like to be told no. He hired men to break into our house and planted a bomb. I was staying over at a friend's house the night it happened. I remember finding what was left of the bomb. The police turned a blind eye because John paid them enough to keep their mouths shut. I was devastated and vengeful. The only way that John could get his hands on my father's hotel group, was to arrange a marriage between me and his gigolo son. I saw my opportunity to get revenge on the entire Wulf family and happily agreed. I even became a billionaire while exacting my revenge." She smiled proudly and held her hands out around her.

She made me sick to my stomach. "Murder can't be justified by murder." I said as she stood up. "The only problem with my revenge is that I can't really have witnesses." She said as she took steps towards me. I weighed my options and realized that the elevator would take too long to open. I had to fight her or get to a room with a lock on. I glanced at the stairs and took a breath before rushing upstairs in the hopes of getting to my old room. I could hear her running after me and I was horribly surprised that she was quite fast. I made it to my room and swung the door shut behind me. Her foot pushed into the gap just before it closed and I pushed against the door with all my might while fishing in my pocket for my phone.

I dialed Harry's number and waited impatiently as it rang. "Jane? Did you find them? My father and I are on our way up." He said and I started crying when I heard his voice. "Harry, Emma killed Michael and now she's trying to kill me. We're upstairs. She's just outside my bedroom door." I whispered through my tears. I could hear him cry out over the phone about the loss of his twin. The phone made bumping noises before John's voice filled the speaker. "We'll be there in a second." he said coldly and hung up the phone. Emma suddenly pulled away from the door and I heard her rush downstairs. I stayed frozen for a moment before nearly jumping out of my skin when I heard a knock at the door.

"Jane, it's me." Harry's voice carried so much sorrow and I ripped the door open. I cried harder when I saw the broken look on his face. I crushed him to me and felt sobs shake his body. I put my hand in his hair as he hid his face in the crook of my neck. "I'm so sorry." I said as I held him tighter and I could feel him hanging on to me like I was the last bubble of oxygen and he was drowning. We stood frozen in grief for at least half an hour before John joined us. I couldn't look at him the same way anymore. I wanted to lash out at him and scream at him that this was his fault, but I couldn't worsen Harry's grief with the thought that his father was a murderer.

"She's gone." John said with regret. He looked down at the ground in shame before pulling his phone out of his pocket and calling the police. I still couldn't believe that the kind and loving woman I befriended could kill Michael. She didn't seem like the type to be so brutal. I was deceived and only one thought crossed my mind. Months ago I thought that Michael and Harry were each in turn an impostor, but I now know who the real impostor was all along. Emma was the impostor.

THE END