By admin A Romance In Passing Chapter 22
At 3:00 am, William was jolted awake by the shrill ring of his phone. Irritated, he frowned, ready to curse whoever dared disturb his sleep. But when he checked the screen, he saw over 20 missed calls.
Outside, thunder cracked across the sky, lighting flashing violently as rain poured in sheets. It felt like a night destined for disaster.
His phone rang again. This time, it was Rosie. William answered with a grim expression, only to be met with frantic shouting at the other end.
“Mr. Silverstein! Something’s happened. Someone found Aria’s body out in the fishing village. The news is everywhere!”
Rosie’s voice trembled with panic. A cold jolt shot through William’s chest as he grabbed the remote and flipped on the news.
Sure enough, the anchor’s face was grave as she delivered the breaking news.
“Mr. Silverstein, someone in the village said they saw you with her that night. People are starting to suspect you.”
On screen, footage showed his suitcase dredged from the lake. Aria’s body, curled up inside, was bloated and disfigured by the water. Her eyes were wide open, frozen in a final look of desperate fury.
William’s breath hitched. His fingers clenched involuntarily.
The news cut to interviews with local villagers. Aria had grown up without parents, lived alone–no one to miss her, no one to notice when she disappeared.
But that night, it turned out, someone had seen something. “I went to use the bathroom and saw a tall man dragging a suitcase to the lake,” said one man in a
sleeveless shirt.
Excited reporters showed him several photos. “Do you recognize anyone here?”
“That guy looks familiar,” the man said, pointing at one. “I think she was with him that night.”
Other villagers gathered around, murmuring in agreement. “Yes, that was the car that came to the village. Aria went home with that man.‘
The screen zoomed in on a grainy surveillance image–clear enough to confirm it was William.
A bolt of lighting lit up the bedroom, searing across the sky. His temples throbbed violently, and a chill crept up his spine.
And then the doorbell rang. William instantly turned off the lights, trying to fake that no one was home.
But whoever was outside had come prepared. A pounding knock followed, each blow shaking the door like it might burst off its hinges.
“This is the police! William Silverstein, you’re under arrest for murder! Open the door immediately!”
“1
Cold sweat broke out over his entire body. He scrambled out of bed, peering through the peephole. A group of police officers stood outside.
The thunder roared again. His blood ran cold. There was no way he could escape now.
But he had covered everything. How did they trace it back to him? How could he–of all people–be caught? How could he be taken down before spending a lifetime with the woman she loved?
His mind raced. The thunder cracked again. He yanked open the curtain. Down below, the police cars were parked, empty.
Without thinking, he jumped from the second–story window, crashing hard onto the roof of a police car. The sound of impact was drowned out by the storm.
No one saw.
Groaning in pain, William dragged his injured body away, limping. His broken leg flared up again, but he gritted his teeth and pressed forward into the downpour.
Then, blinding headlights struck him straight in the face. He recoiled, squinting through the glare.
“William! You’re under arrest!”
Dozens of police officers emerged from the shadows. A police cruiser blocked the road ahead. He was caged in, completely and utterly. There was nowhere to run.
“Come with us.”
The cruiser sped through the storm, sirens wailing. Rain beat hard against the windows. William sat motionless in the back seat, eyes empty.
Then suddenly, he burst into laughter. A sharp, crazed sound that echoed through the car. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a torn magazine cover–the one with Emily’s smile.
He traced that beautiful face on the cover and stared at it silently. Then, slowly, his laughter gave way to sobs.
The officers didn’t say a word. Maybe they saw his regret. But it was too late. Everything was far, far too late. Emily’s radiant smile, printed on the paper, seemed to be the last bit of light in his darkened world.