Chapter 73

"She found a bunch of guys, drugged them, and tricked Anna into lying naked on the bed. Anna thought it was Laura who had come, but instead, the guys swarmed her. By the time Tony showed up, Anna was already ruined. She could never have kids again, and she even lost her normal menstrual cycle."

"And all of this happened just because Laura watched a movie and thought it was interesting, so she went ahead and did it."

Frank closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "It was from that moment I realized her desires weren't just about primal urges anymore; it was about power... The Entertainment Club murder case is still being hushed up, and I'm sure you've heard the rumors."

"She's got beauty and money. What man in the world couldn't she conquer, especially those middle-aged guys buried under piles of paperwork? She pleases others in bed, constantly trading money and her body for power... You see her as a theater actress, but who knows, she might be sleeping with some big shot in Silverlight City any night."

"Impressive, right? Making a seventy-year-old man feel vigorous all night long. No wonder everyone loves her."

Frank's eyes were filled with venom, completely forgetting his own identity and dignity. Dirty words and obscene descriptions kept pouring out of his mouth. His hatred for Laura seemed to make him lose all decorum, leading him to curse her openly.

I suddenly understood why this case had been suppressed for so long; it was because of this connection.

Frank added, "Tell me, should I let her die? She appears so perfect in public, almost flawless. Even dirty deals are packaged as romantic affairs. This world won't get better. We couldn't find evidence in the past, but now, with Alan's incident, it serves as the consequence of her betrayal of friendship and original intentions."

Although his mental state had slightly improved, Frank's body remained incredibly frail. The constant talking made his breathing grow increasingly labored.

Yeah, it seemed that up to now, all the information I had had been effectively pieced together, like fragments of cloth sewn into a map.

And the path on the map was clear, pointing directly to Laura as the epitome of evil.

"And what about you? What did Laura do to you?" I said calmly, "I believe what you just said is true, but not entirely."

Frank's coughing slowly subsided, and a look of confusion flashed in his eyes. He sat quietly in his wheelchair. I noticed his back was straighter than before. But it was hard for a weak person to sit up straight.

This meant he was starting to get nervous.

Then I continued, "Frank, what you just said sounded like it was specially designed. You must know my whereabouts because Tony, Lally, and Tom would tell you my whereabouts and what information they gave me. It's like pre-set broken bottles that I just need to piece together to see the whole picture."

"That's the truth," Frank said calmly. "Back then, the two main actors in the Silverlight University drama club were you and Laura. Alan was the screenwriter, a behind-the-scenes person, not as famous as you two. You and Laura were a talented and beautiful couple, not an ordinary pair in college. At that time, I started to get close to Alan. Alan accompanied me to watch many of your performances and explained your and Laura's acting styles in detail, your performance, your expressions..."

Frank's face twisted, and I caught every bit of it. I smirked and started pushing his wheelchair like we were just out for a stroll, talking casually. "Frank, you've gotten rusty over the years. At least Laura's performance in court was better than yours. She clearly recognized Lally and Tom but acted like she didn't."

"You thought your plan was airtight, but there were still holes. Before Lally disappeared, she wrote me a letter and hid it in her room, which I found. It had some photos. Lally was violated when she was very young, and you didn't mention a word about it. You just focused on Laura's crimes, trying to make me hate Laura by using Tony and Lally's tragic experiences, leading me to think Laura deserved to die."

"Tom lying in court can be seen as him wanting revenge for his brother, wanting Laura dead. But what about Tammy? As a mother, she'd naturally feel sorry for her son, but would she really want Laura dead, even to the point of lying herself? And Lally, her letter didn't mention Laura. Oh, and the text message Tony sent me before he disappeared, saying you all had gone mad."

"Let me think, why did he say you were mad, or you all...? Who are you all? You, and... Bob and Mike, whom I've never met? Laura is already in prison, which means you've avenged yourselves. If you still want to continue, it means you must have other plans, even something crazy."

Frank's body started shaking uncontrollably, shaking his head over and over, muttering, "Stop it."

But I kept going, "I have three questions for you. First, where exactly were you held captive? Lally left photos, so don't make me ask one by one. Second, what exactly are you planning? Are Bob and Mike involved too? Is your hatred for Laura just about this? Or did Laura not directly harm you, and you're just seeking justice? This is a society governed by law."

Seeing that I had seen through his act, Frank didn't say anything more, just a cold smile on his lips.

I pushed Frank, who was sitting in the wheelchair, slowly to the end of the overpass. The railing beside us was broken. If he fell, he would be shattered to pieces.

After a long time, I slowly said, "Third, was Alan's death directly related to you?"

Frank stayed silent, staring quietly at the nearly 300-foot drop below, where people looked as small as ants. He murmured, "Back then, I wanted to jump from here. Alan stopped me. I should thank him."

He turned to look at me and smiled. "You're different from him. You're more decisive. He saved me from here back then. Now, it's your turn."

"I won't kill anyone." I pulled the wheelchair back, pushed it to the railing, and turned to leave. There was no need to stay any longer; it was pointless.

"Nancy!" Frank called out to me.

"What?" I asked.

"Stop investigating!"