Here In Rosefalls | √

Twenty Three: Why Nathaniel?

The audacity of that fool.

He only sobered up during interrogations, which was a week ago, and the day he drove Dominic to the airport. To think that he could've endangered both of their lives made my heart skipped a beat; not in a good way.

After finding out he had been drowning himself with liquors, Bronte told that she couldn't come across Nate at that time. He rarely joined dinners, nor luncheon but only leaves his room at night. Wearing a suspicious pair of dark hoodie, only to return home the next day, with a runny nose and tired eyes. It was no wonder he had been absent, after countlessly blaming himself over the alleged chip inside her purse. Nate was the one who proposed the idea of tracking the file we stole from Falkov's room, and he had been dreading with remorse since the day we saw the clip.

And to think that tommorow is Gwen's burial.

The whole post-mortem autopsy were taking time, the Purdoms' had to delay her funeral after weeks of her death. During interrogations, we confided all of the possible leads, the Kigazette account, the tracker and the clip. Keiran Beaumont — we had his photograph when we located the chip,  was currently under suspection after numerous allegations. Last I heard, he already confirmed his alibi at the ball during period of murder. Possibilities were, he could have hired a hitman to keep his hands clean.

Bastard.

The day after today was highly anticipated, as sickening as it sounded, Jasmine Beaumont was coming home. Gwyneth's biological mother. And the whole society were agitated to witness the Purdoms' reaction of the homecoming after the years she spent abroad, creating scandals.

I wasn't certain if I could witness her pale and limp body inside her casket, after spending weeks inside a morgue.

Before I could tolerate any forthcoming tears, hysteric cries erupted out of nowhere, I was convinced it was from the juxtaposed room where Mrs. Denovo charged inside before. In a matter of seconds, two male nurses carried the crying woman out of the room, followed with a calm looking doctor behind her. A wave of frantic surged in both Bronte and me, when we realized the woman was no other than the defiant mother of Bronte and Nate's.

"Not again, no, no, no!"

Bronte sprung from her seat, helplessly searching for a reason behind her mother's sorrowful wails. Impatient, as I trailed behind Bronte, I urged the doctor regardless of how the other families were watching the unfolding scene.

"What the hell happened, doc?" I sounded harsher than I intend to be, but the man in his mid forties remained calm, as if he had been dealing with this the whole time.

If something bad happens to Nate, he must've put off a grim expression, yes?

Glancing momentarily at the sobbing woman, he gestured to Bronte and me to follow him through the door, holding the door for us. It was a long corridor, the one that complement the sign 'EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT' at the front well. It was hectic, nurses scurrying, wheeling trays that held varities of medical appliances. There were even seats, probably for the family of a crucial patient, sending their loved ones off to a new world.

Bronte's eyes met mine, as if we were comprehending the same thing.

No way.

"You are both family, yes?" Bormann, I galnced at his tag, addressed us. His eyes looked weary, and restless. We both nodded — eventhough I wasn't.