Seeking SOMNUS

48.

THEO

So, she continued to narrate and I focused entirely looking in her eyes. It reflect her pain, her hurt. She has been so strong through this abyss of darkness shattered upon her life. She didn't deserve that, but love never comes with comfort or justice. She devoted herself to her love. I loved her more and more for her sacrifices.

"He was a different man. He was someone else. And I knew that, I knew him to his every action. His body language everything was different. But I let him in yet. I didn't know if it was my biggest mistake or the night when I confronted him about the truth, was. When I found out I was pregnant with Fin, I told him monotonously, in hopes for the man, I ever loved will show his strength for his family. And the scary part was, he did show his strength." She paused. And took a deep breath. I sort of understood what was coming next.

"That late night, I found him doing something his core personality would only do. He was writing something. I walked up to him. He was constantly struggling. One instance he was begging for the forgiveness, then with the blink of an eye, he changed his expression and threatening me for my life. I was petrified to my core. I was scared for the life growing inside me and I was scared for my little boy hiding upstairs. I thought I should've gave up on him. But I loved him way too much to give up on him easily. He hurt me, raised a chaos that night and left us with the money he stole from me. I was not worried about money, but about your safety and somewhere his too." She finished. And I had flashes of that terrifying night of my life, like a sick nightmare.

"The person I fell in love with, was murdered that night. And last days of his life he was constantly fighting his demons and I feel sick in my guts because I couldn't help him. I couldn't save him. I failed him. Then next thing was that news rang my ears about his cold blooded murder. It shook me inside out. Previously I was madly running everywhere in search of him, after his death, I gave myself totally into seek justice for the love of my life." She sniffled. Tears were running down her face as she put her pain into words. Though words could never measure amount of hurt she has been through.

"He was just gone. Ma they took my father away from me. I always thought he was a bad person. I never got to know him." That feeling pierced through my heart, left me bleeding inside. It hurt me so deep. I could somewhat feel what she was feeling.

"Your father, he keep on tried battling for his existence, for himself and for his family. He left me clues, about what his alter personality was up to. He left traces of the sins that demon living inside of him had committed. He hide a piece of paper in that safe from which further he stole the money that night. That paper had a name of a person and name of a drug. That's it." She explained where did she start the investigation.

"That when I took an oath to destruct everyone who was involved in his death." She said stiffly.

"I kept on my investigation along with my life towards you both. But this time I had to choose, whom should be my priority and I put my sons above." She said smiling beautifully at me and I gently kissed the back of her hands in a kind gesture.

"I found out later in the search about the name he mentioned– Vincent Gilbert. This man used to work with your dad, in the leather manufacturing factory. At the northeastern side of town, Wentworth lane. This man had huge plans of mafia illegal businesses. He didn't want to get himself entirely in some bad snooty job so he divided the share between himself and your dad. But his underhand plan was to take over. Have hundred percent share of earnings to himself but when it comes to fall under trouble he could have a partner to split his punishment in half." And that was the big revelation. I always had the miserable vibes by this name and it also turned out he was more sinful than I thought he could be. He basically destroyed my dad and his life.

"Your dad's condition was beneficial for him. His alter ego, agreed to all the felonious job Vincent offered because he had the shades of greed covering his eyes. Because of the greed his alter personality was getting stronger and stronger by every passing day, the meds stopped working because of the same reason. I've never met that guy in person but I went in that locality in search of him. Hence I knew about that old ruptured villa." She continued.

"The drug he mentioned was Fentanyl. The strongest drug existing and most illegal ones in the world. This man was smuggling it like it was just a rug doll in the market. The essence of this drug also found in your dad's system. It caused many casualties. He was completely loosing himself. I've joined the dots and solved the puzzle as much as I could. But we never got any proofs." She further explained and my mouth was hanging on the ground in shock. This was just terrible.

"These contract papers are the only thing that can prove, that Vincent Gilbert is the vulture and he is behind all these felonies in the city." She smiled but something was missing in that.

"You need the original ones right. To prove how old and rusty this business is. You need the original copy to continue the investigation and for rocky, strict proof?" I felt instant rush of guilt in my nerves.

"Yeah son. But you listen to me. It's not your fight. You won't go behind them, you will not mess yourself into illegal jobs. You promise me you will stay out it." She said with full concern.

"So Vincent Gilbert kept those papers for this long because his entire business is baseless if he has no proof who the vulture is. Those papers were his key to owe his business. Those papers are 'seriously dangerous' and 'extremely important' –both at the same time. And as dad's dead, everything now belongs to him, that motherfu-" I was so furious till then I didn't even listen what my mother just said.

"THEO." She screamed.

"You will not do anything stupid you hear me." She ordered but her voice was shaking.

"How am I supposed stay out of it! He was my dad and he was murdered." I was in sort of hurt I couldn't explain. My heart swelled to the extent that it could burst any moment in my chest.

"Because I've been trying my entire life to keep you both out of it. That is why I never corrected your thoughts about your father no matter how it hurt me. That is why I gave you both my name not his. I protected you both because you are my life and my everything now. I loved him more than anything but now I love you two more than anything. I can't see you destroying your life in this dark side of world. It's my job, I'm working on this case for this long. And I'll won't stop until I bring justice to your father. But you won't involve yourself you get that." She shut me up in one tone. I couldn't argue with her either. I didn't have the original papers. I was not really a huge of a help.

"He promised me to love me till his last breath, I never wanted him to leave this world so soon and in that brutal way. He always talked about your firsts. Your first day in school. Your first score in any sport you play. He wanted to be there for you on your graduation day. He thought the world for you. He promised to grow old with me and watch you growing up, and becoming a man. I pray everyday for his soul to rest in peace and cherish all the happiness he deserved. He was broken but he was most beautiful thing that happened to me before you two." She whispered after a small pause.

I couldn't collect my strength to say anything. I unknowingly started to miss my father whom I used to hate with all my heart.

"That night, I received the news of his death. That night I informed him about my pregnancy. That was the only night when I found your dad in his body, not that stranger. Because he was insanely scribbling on the paper. Writing something after so long. Later that night, around the dusk, I discovered what was he writing through his own troubles." She informed me with tearful eyes. "Take this, it belongs to you." She passed me a crushed, tore up page of a diary. My heart again started to hammer inside my ribcage. My stomach was squeezing insanely shot me a weird pain all over my body.

"I discovered he wrote his last letter to you. Theo."

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