351: [Bonus chapter]Confession

[Bonus chapter]Confession

"I did it. I killed Heaven. It was not Manager Chu, but me. I simply called her that night to come over."2

"Wasn't she supposed to be in the building all day?"

"I told her to leave me alone because she annoys me. But after striking Heaven with the trophy, I didn't know what to do. At first, I thought I should hide her in a suitcase. However, she's too heavy for me and I know for sure that it will not end as well. So... I called Manager Chu over."

"Why?"

"To take the fall."

"You called your manager to frame her?"

"Yes, but she wouldn't voluntarily do that. When she saw Heaven, she checked her pulse. I panicked when she said Heaven got a pulse and was planning to call for help. My vision went completely dark, knowing I will be in trouble."

"What did you do when she tried to call for help, Miss Shen?"

"I struck her... using the same trophy that I used to knock Heaven out." Paula took a momentary pause, barely blinking or showing signs of hesitation. If anything, she seemed determined to rot in jail. "Before Dominic Zhu broke down the door, Manager Chu coincidentally showed signs of consciousness. So, I ran back inside my room to hide. Fortunately, when Manager Chu woke up, Dominic and everyone had already got in."

The detective interviewing Paula was a little stunned. "Why, Miss Shen? What's your motive?"

"My motive? Isn't it obvious?" the corner of Paula's lips curled up subtly. "I am living in nothing but guilt, detective. I'm scared of what Heaven would do."

"What do you think she will do?"

"Make me rot in jail?"

"Under what grounds do you think Miss Liu could put you behind bars?"

There was a moment of silence that befell the interrogation room.

"Five years ago..." Paula slowly clasped her hand over the table, eyes fixed on the detective across from her. "... I killed someone."

"Who?" the detective narrowed his eyes, surprised, but didn't show it to her. 

"Heaven's father." Paula lowered her eyes as she unhesitatingly confessed to another crime. "My dad had a heart attack that night, but since I spiked Heaven's drink that night, the hospital couldn't reach her. So I went instead. The doctors were able to settle the situation, telling me another heart attack would put his life in danger. However, under the influence of alcohol and drugs, I argued with him."

"You argued with him... and he got enraged he got another heart attack?"

"He had a heart attack while I smothered him... maybe?" she shrugged. "I don't know. We didn't ask for an autopsy, so it's really hard to tell. Everyone just assumed he had another attack that killed him."

"Miss Shen..." the detective drew a deep breath as this confession wasn't just about one crime, but two! Anyone who was listening to her detailed confession would be overwhelmed. "And this information is something Miss Liu found out tonight?"

"Yes. We had a huge fight, and I ended up telling her the truth." Paula let out a dry laugh. "She got so angry that she wanted to slap me, but she didn't. Instead, she threatened to press charges and get justice. I begged her not to, but she wouldn't listen. So I had to do something to stop her."

"And to stop her, you struck her head with a trophy?"

"Yes."

"Miss Shen, if you wanted to stop her so badly, then why are you confessing now?"

"As I said, I can't live with this guilt anymore." Paula raised her eyes at the detective and then at the camera in the corner of the room. She stayed quiet for a moment, staring directly into the camera as if she wanted the person who would see this footage to have eye contact with her.

"Killing Heaven's dad had been my living nightmare. I can barely get by every day with that nightmare haunting me, even with my eyes open. So... I want to pay for my sins like I should've five years ago."

Paula slightly clenched her jaw, keeping her gaze on the camera. "At least in this way... I can hold myself accountable for ruining many people's lives, including mine. I killed Heaven Liu and her dad."

Her last remarks were stressed with certainty, without any sign of hesitation. 

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"At least in this way... I can hold myself accountable for ruining many people's lives, including mine. I killed Heaven Liu and her dad."

Paula shook her head mildly, watching her own confession last night. Her lips quivered as she opened and closed them, but her voice was stuck in her throat. 

"I didn't…!" was the first that she managed to force out of her mouth, snapping her eyes up at the detective. "I didn't — that's not me! I'm innocent!"

The detective frowned at her denial. Just last night, Paula Shen was so determined to pay for her crimes, only to change her statement this morning. And thus, giving them a hard time.

"I swear! I didn't kill Heaven!" Paula slammed the bottom of her fist against the surface of the table, cold sweats covering her back. "It's not me! You got the wrong person — it was Manager Chu! Heaven is my friend!"

"But Miss Shen, this confession right here says otherwise."

"No!" she aggressively denied, baffled at the confession footage she just watched. "I didn't…"

Paula shook her head profusely before setting her burning eyes on the detective. "It was you! You forced me last night, didn't you?"

"Miss Shen…"

"You forced me to make a false confession!" Paula harrumphed, throwing a huge fit despite the handcuffs around her wrist. "I want a lawyer! Get me a lawyer! I'm going to sue you — no, this entire department for violating my rights!" 

"Miss Shen, calm down —"

"A lawyer! Call my lawyer!!" Paula Shen didn't stop throwing a huge fit even when the detective tried to calm her down. If not for the handcuffs, she would've surely attacked the detective present. 

The detective let out a sigh, glancing at the mirror mounted on the wall. The people in the other room that was watching everything unfold through the mirror couldn't help but sigh. 

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