The Royal Contract

1062 Not coming back alive

She could hear voices and noises around her but not as loud and chaotic as before. This time, she was aware of what was happening even if she maintained her eyes closed.

Her mind replayed the earlier events, forcing her to accept that it was a fact and not just a dream. But her heart refused the horrible idea that she would not see Gerald again. It was just too painful.

But she tried to calm herself down, reminding herself she had no right to be selfish. She might be hurting, but her child did not have to suffer the same fate. She had to think of what was best for her child and not her. She did promise to prioritize her welfare over anything else.

“Hey, Haley,” She heard his voice again, but not the man she wished to see. But having no choice, she finally opened her eyes and stared at the man who was the bearer of the horrible news.

Still, she had to face him. She had to be strong and find out what had caused Gerald’s death. Then, she would have to decide what to do with her life and their child. Somehow, she had to move on from this.

It would probably feel impossible now, but for her child, she would make it possible. Because deep in her heart, this was what Gerald would want. He would wish her to move on and take care of their unborn child.

“Mike,” Haley acknowledged his presence as she attempted to move her hands. Thankfully, her fingers easily bent, forming a fist. Then, she wiggled her toes while her hands instinctively moved to her belly, feeling if there was pain or something wrong with it.

So far, her body seemed to function normally, and she was in no physical pain except for her heart. But that was different. The doctors could not cure her broken heart even if they tried.

“Are you ok now?” He seemed alarmed by her condition. “How are you feeling?” He stayed at the side of the bed, standing, but he did not attempt to touch her again.

.....

“I am calm if that is what you are asking.” She remembered that she had been hysterical, causing her voice to be slightly hoarse.

“I am sorry if they had to sedate you, but the doctors are afraid you might hurt yourself.” He explained, but she understood her situation.

She had no plan to react that way again, not when her baby would be in danger with her carelessness. She decided that she had to focus on her baby now because he had left them.

She could not do anything about him, but she still could give their child a life and a better future than what she and Gerald had. She could still give their child a chance to be happy, even if she had to raise her child alone.

“That is ok.” She told him as she pushed herself into a sitting position. Automatically, he assisted her, putting pillows behind her back to support her.

“Tell me how else I can help you.” Mike offered as he stayed standing by her side. “Gerald was like a brother to me. And it breaks my heart to lose him in this way.” He looked down as if he did not want her to see his eyes.

Maybe he was afraid that she would read the pain in their depths, and she would break down and cry again. But that ship had sailed, and she was cruising another boat to another destination. She had to accept his death and move on.

“How did he die?” She calmly asked him. She could see him looking up, probably surprised by her tone.

She did not know that she could also sound so composed. But maybe because their child was giving her an act of additional courage to face this extraordinary ordeal.

“Do you want to know because it is not...” He paused as if he could not continue. “Maybe it would be better if you did not know.” He proposed. “I will deal with all the arrangements...”

“Please tell me how he died.” Haley stopped him from the rest of what he was saying to her because that was not what she wanted to hear. “Please.” She added when she could see his reluctance.

“Ok,” Mike finally responded with a nod and a deep breath. Then, he started talking again. “His body was found with one gunshot wound in his chest and badly burned.”

It was not what she expected to hear, but she was not completely surprised. She knew Gerald had received a few death threats from his high-profile cases.

She had warned him to take it seriously, but he always disregarded them as nuisance threats. He kept telling her that he had it under control. She had nothing to worry about, but now, look at the result. He was dead.

“Do they have a suspect?” She could not help but ask, but she doubted if she would be in danger. But she wanted the culprit to pay. Gerald did not deserve to die like that.

“Not yet. The police are still investigating the scene and all the possible angles.” Mike informed her. “Don’t worry. We will find whoever did this.”

His hand extended to her arms and tapped them gently.

“I do hope they make them pay.” She only hoped the authorities would catch the culprit and the mastermind behind his death. “Wait, you said badly burned?” She asked, suddenly realizing something.

“Yes,” He nodded in affirmation.

“How did they know it was him? Was his face still recognizable?” She badly wanted to see him and confirmed for herself. Maybe they had his identity wrong. But if the body was not him, where was he?

“I know what you are thinking, but it is him.” Mike seemed determined to assure her that they did not make a mistake. “I wish I could tell you it is not him, but I know my friend.”

“But there is the slim chance that it is not him.” She insisted, hoping against hope that they could be wrong.

He took out his phone and started scrolling through the screen while she waited anxiously. Then, he leaned forward, handing the unit to her. “That is the things they took from his body. The one they could save before it was all burned.”

She scanned the items saved on his phone and looked carefully at the images one by one. There was no doubt that it was his slightly burned wallet. His identification card, credit cards, and a picture of them that she put in his wallet.

She was surprised that he had kept it, which almost made her cry. But she swallowed hard and blinked several times, refusing the tears to come out. She had to push past the pain as she continued to look at the rest of the evidence.

She saw his favorite ring and the watch she also had given him. But that was not new since she had seen him wearing it before she left. “They could have planted all this and made it look like it was him.”

She must have seen many movies with such plots, but she could not help trying to find an excuse to declare him alive. It was easier to think that he was somewhere alive than to confirm that it was him down in the morgue.

“I wish that is the case, but the authorities are trying to confirm his identity through his dental records and other ways,” Mike told her with that solemn look in his eyes.

It seemed he had finally resolved that his friend was not coming back alive.