꧁ Cʀᴏᴏᴋs: Bᴇᴛʀᴀʏᴇᴅ ʙʏ Bʟᴏᴏᴅ ꧂

4. Aғᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ Sᴛᴏʀᴍ

Well, I did it. Somehow, my plan was executed perfectly- or, almost perfectly.

She's going to have her trial soon, and I haven't thought about how I'm going to defend myself. Even though I didn't necessarily get arrested or charged, I was still a suspect. After all, I was the second to last person to see him alive. And his mistress, Catherine, was also murdered. My fate is practically sealed if they find me guilty for not just my husband.  If they find out about her too,  I'll be charged with a double homicide.  Now I'm stuck having to dig out not just one excuse, but possibly two to defend myself. Maybe I could just run away and hope they don't find me? Then I wouldn't have to show up, but that's a risk I'm not sure I want to take.

I couldn't go back to my apartment right away, as they wanted to do some sort of investigating inside. So, I was stuck at a random hotel for a few nights, contemplating what to do in trial. As I laid down on the bed, I suddenly had an idea come to mind.

I picked up the telephone, and dialed the one person that I knew could help me.

......

Nevermind, she didn't answer. I forgot that she's most likely busy working. I have one more person I can call that I don't really want to call, but I know for sure she's  home.

"Hello?"

"Lucy, this is Michelle, I need your help again."

"What could you possibly need? You did everything you wanted to do, and I'm still waiting for my money."

"I'll give you the damn money later, can I just come over so I can talk to you?"

"Why can't you just tell me over the phone?"

"It's a party line, dumbass. I'm calling from a hotel. And I'm not risking somebody else listening to our conversation again, I know how you are.  Just let me come over."

"Fine, but you owe me another $50 for wasting my time again."

"I'll give you the money for Christ's sake, I promise I won't- Lucielle? Lucy?"

She already hung up. I didn't feel like dealing with her right now, but she's my only hope, at least for now.

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"So, you want me to defend you by lying,  and running the risk of landing myself in prison with you?"

"Please, Lucy. You're my only hope. Alice is too busy with her own life. Besides, at least I'll have one person to defend me. Cynthia has none. We'll be fine."

Lucy was very skeptical at the idea. I was hoping she could say that I was with her that entire night, so there was no way I could've committed it. But she wasn't convinced. I turned to my final resort.

"I'll give you $100. Please, I'll even give you a place to stay for free."

She perked up, pondering it for a second.

  "Fine, but if you end up being found guilty, you're dunzo Michelle."

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1971, Manhattan NY

Well, it worked. Cynthia ended up being found guilty and sentenced to 25 years in prison, while I got off free.  And as much as I don't want to admit it, I probably couldn't have done it without Lucielle.

I had my second daughter, Angela, not long after Cynthia's sentence. Something about her felt... special. She sparked a soft spot in me I didn't know I had. She was my pride and joy, and also all I had. Cynthia was gone, so without her, I would have nobody. With that, I made sure to love and treasure her at every moment. Even in my darkest moments, she would always make me smile. She was all I had, and all I needed.

Alice offered to let me live with her in an old apartment complex in Lower Manhattan. It was almost abandoned, hidden with all of the other run down buildings. I needed somewhere to go where I wouldn't be found, at least not easily, and this was the perfect place. It was also fairly peaceful, so that's a bonus, especially with having a two year old. It's hard to find peace in the big city. And, a deal was a deal, so I let Lucy stay with me as well.

I turned on the television, sitting down on the couch with a cup of coffee in my hand. I wasn't really paying too much attention to the channel at first, but a certain commercial caught my eye. It was a commercial for plastic surgery, something that would have never crossed my mind before. But, for whatever reason, this one convinced me. I've always been against things like plastic surgery, it just never appealed to me. But, I remember the things my husband used to say to me about my looks. I know he's long gone, but maybe he was right? Maybe I did look hideous, or "too old" like he'd say.

I took note of the location and number, saving it for later. I would probably check out the place or call them sometime this week to get more information. It's certainly a risk, but maybe it would be worth it in the end. If it would make me look prettier in just a day like it claims, then I might just be going through with it soon.

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I decided to get the surgery done. I had my heart set on looking more beautiful, and giving myself a prettier sight to look at in the mirror. The appointment was today, so I called a taxi to take me down to the clinic.

  I was both nervous and eager. It could either go horribly wrong, or very right. Hopefully it's the latter, because I can't risk looking worse. I didn't know if it was reversible or not, and it would also be a huge waste of money and time. The entire time leading up to the surgery, I had butterflies in my stomach, just hoping and praying that everything went right.

And, to my surprise, it did.

Mᴏʀᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ sᴏᴏɴ ☟︎ɪ'ᴍ ᴛɪʀᴇᴅ sᴏ I ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ғɪɴɪsʜɪɴɢ ɪᴛ ʟᴍᴀᴏ