Hongjoong lifted from his seat and smoothed out his tie. The agitated whispers about the suspicion towards Seonghwa being real and investigated shushed at the call of the judge. The man motioned Hongjoong to speak.

"That would be me, My Lord. Hongjoong Kim from the detective bureau of Whitechapel."

Hongjoong didn't dare look at Seonghwa. Couldn't guess his thoughts.

"Mister Kim, what results did your investigation come to? The defendant is suspected of the murder of Albert May and prior spouses for this very inheritance."

"The defendant is guilty as charged in the incident," Hongjoong announced, and his voice was steady.

Silence fell across the room. Everyone had their suspicions, so no one gasped in indignation about the revelation. Only a few old men looked displeased, glancing at Seonghwa's glistening tears as if demanding Hongjoong took back those words.

Confident, Hongjoong kept his eyes locked on the judge.

"Can you supply evidence?"

This time, Hongjoong peered over at Seonghwa's reaction. Caught his stare from icy eyes as he awaited Hongjoong's next move.

Hongjoong shuddered. He knew the danger that loomed. Knew this was his last warning. Seonghwa and he shared so much, it posed a risk to Hongjoong as well. If his having an affair came to light, it might backfire on his grandiose reveal.

But he couldn't let Seonghwa lam off.

"I do," Hongjoong affirmed.

Seonghwa's tears abruptly dried.

Gulping, Hongjoong reached into his bag. He brought forth the brown envelope he had gathered all their evidence in. From the moment Yunho set his eyes on Seonghwa, up to his hand-written statement about the affair and pressure put on the detective.

Seonghwa couldn't do anything to him. Wooyoung waited with the shackles in his hands and his grin was already victorious.

A monster like Seonghwa needed to be apprehended. Even as he gracefully lowered his hands to glower at Hongjoong across the room.

"We have gathered our evidence here. We appeal for another trial on murder." Hongjoong stood from his seat. That stare gave him the heebie-jeebies, but Seonghwa didn't attempt anything hasty. Before the court, he was forced to be honest.

The judge's assistant accepted the envelope and handed it to the judge politely. He nodded down at it.

"This envelope is received in evidence."

Relieved, Hongjoong returned to his seat. Yunho gave him an uplifting smile and this time, Hongjoong felt lighter. He did the right thing. Even if the sinister beauty might plot his murder right now, Hongjoong couldn't be fooled by his charms and the tempting scent. As soon as Seonghwa moved in to the hoosegow, Hongjoong could sleep at night.

The judge studied Seonghwa's icy expression. He was still composed, but his plea for attention and pity had evaporated.

"Would you like to say anything on your own behalf, Mister Park?"

Slowly, Seonghwa shook his head. He tucked his hair behind his ear and once he exhaled, his indifferent pan returned.

"No... I was unaware someone had shadowed me." He made it sound as if he was disappointed. As if Hongjoong was the one in the wrong.

And that was what he expected. That beguiling Hongjoong would seal his lips. That he would never speak up because Seonghwa showed him his innermost parts.

If Hongjoong wanted to keep his job, he needed to do this. And he couldn't allow Seonghwa to find another victim.

Hongjoong lowered his eyes. He did the right thing. The beauty of Seonghwa above him, below him, smiling in the darkness; it couldn't be what Hongjoong lived for. He would be deluded, like many others before him. Ending a floater in the Thames.

The judge hammered down on the wooden plate.

"Based on the evidence at hand, the trial for inheritance is hereby declined. We will proceed with a trial on murder at a later date. Court dismissed."

As soon as the tension dispersed, life came back into the stunned people. Their gossiping was shocked by the twist, and everyone shared the theories they barely held back before. Slander quickly found its way to a full-blown series of hollered insults, and Wooyoung hastened over to shoo them away.

"Please carry on! The court is not the place for these vulgarities!" He yelled over the crowd. Displeasure met him.

"Have him punished for what he did!"

"Take that cabbage away!"

"A vile core behind a beautiful visage!"

While Wooyoung did damage control and his tall officer fumbled to his side to support him, Yunho caught up with Hongjoong. Forcing himself not to take another peek at Seonghwa and his icy ire, Hongjoong ducked under the hand that patted his back.

"Good job. You spoke well. Park will be examined now and we can end this nightmare," he praised and Hongjoong tucked his lid onto his head to shadow his eyes. His fingers trembled, but it was nothing a coffin nail wouldn't fix.

While Yunho chirped about celebrating at a joint with the bureau to commemorate his first successful case, Hongjoong near sprinted out of the courtroom. He needed to get away from these eyes on him, needed to find somewhere warm and safe.

After setting up their meeting, he parted with Yunho. Though Hongjoong watched him leave with unsure eyes, the detective waved him off easily.

"Go home and rest. We got the documents covered," he cheered.

Somehow, Hongjoong wanted to beg him to stay. Not to leave him alone in his harrowing room.

But Seonghwa was with the coppers, and Hongjoong's job was done. There was nothing else to do than to go home.

After locking his door and checking his closet and below his bed, Hongjoong took a shower to get rid of the clammy feeling of his skin. Brushing his teeth couldn't get rid of the lingering foul taste on his tongue. After he was done, he checked his surroundings once more, suddenly paranoid.

Should he run to the call box down the street and call Yunho? Surely, being nervous after condemning someone to imprisonment wasn't uncommon.

That night, Hongjoong felt like a rookie more than ever.

After downing his dread in a few drinks, Hongjoong found some rest. His room seemed too dark, and every noise had him jerk up in his bed to peer around, but the alcohol finally knocked him out and reminded him of a beauty with red lips and a wine bottle in hands.

Numb by the alcohol, he didn't hear anyone coming in. The next time he woke, was to a weight dropping onto his body.

Hongjoong thrashed. He hadn't learned to fight, didn't know the proper grips to ward off an intruder. Not that it would have mattered. The sleek thighs pressing to his hips pinned his arms and legs, not leaving him room to wriggle away.

Terrified, Hongjoong stared up at the glint of silver earrings and red lips pulling into a smile over him in the dim room.

"What a frivolous mistake to sleep with your suspect," Seonghwa whispered. "We could have had so much fun, you and I."

A clean sneak through his nightly flight once he got rid of his witness, Seonghwa leaned in. Trapped under his steely grip and the fright in his veins, the detective lay frozen.

Hongjoong wasn't sure what would happen until he saw the glint of the heavy letter opener slipping from Seonghwa's sleeve.

His gargle suffocated in the blood pouring from his throat as he bled out in his room, alone and with the last vision of his ravishing murderer wiping the blood on his black skirt.

Ending 3/7