My life had been perfect until the day Rosalind walked up to me and told me she was pregnant. I knew immediately it was not my child as we were spending most of our time talking and being there for each other. So, without uttering a single words, I walked away from the love of my life. My action and my silence was more painful for Rosalinf because she knew that this kid would bring problems in our relationship and for once she expected me to be there for her selflessly like she had in the past.

I failed reciprocating the same love and affection I received from her. When Valerie and Brianna attacked me for not being there for their friend, I defended myself giving pathetic excuses and blaming Rosalind for even expecting something in return because expectations did not define her. Had I really stooped that low? Every morning I woke up it was really difficult for me to look at myself in the mirror because Lenny Grande had turned into a monster.

Getting out of the car, I tossed the keys to the skinny man waiting to get my car in it's place. I never pegged Derek to have valet parking but there's a first for everything, right?

As the noises of chatter and gossip grew louder, I knew I was approaching the Town Hall. As much as us townies loved our peace and quite, we also loved a good occasion to get dressed up and share nonsensical information with each other.

For some reason, I felt a knot in my stomach when I stood by the door. This was my first event after a really long time to attend without Rosalind.

Upon entering the hall, I was immediate to spot Derek and his family. Everybody knew the pain they hid under the charming smiles, but Derek and I were the only ones who harboured a deeper secret. A secret that had the power to break them until they felt nothing.

I walked up to them and gave them a sympathetic smile. Roger was frustrated at how everybody at the event seemed to be looking at them with sorry eyes and when I gave him the same reaction, he took his wife's hand and walked away.

But how was I going to tell him that my eyes were sorry but not for the loss? They were full of pity because of the help I provided?

"You look different, Lenny," Derek pointed out. "I can't really put my finger on it, but is everything okay?"

"Actually, no. Everything of falling apart," I locked gaze with him and said.

"What do you mean?"

"They know."

"Know what?"

"They know you're the killer," I whispered. "Valerie figured it out after talking to Lola and then they made a big plan to get you into handcuffs during this gala."

"That explains why everybody maintained their distance from me and why Valerie insisted on knowing what happens to me after Brianna and her left," Derek sighed. "Well, since I'm the man of the hour, can you deal with it?"

"I told you a long time ago that I wanted out. I'm done with this. Buying the poison was a mistake itself. So, no. I am not dealing with it," I warned him. Derek had been increasing his demands lately and I had to put an end to this before he asked me to kill somebody for him.

"Well, atleast tell me what the plan is," he insisted.

"I was supposed to tell you a fake plan and get you to meet up with Brianna where she would use some kind of psychology shit with you and get you the confess what you did and Jordan is already hidden in the room and he would record this entire thing."

"Then what are the trio doing?" He asked and my brows popped up in confusion. "You know, the young couple and the hot detective."

"If things go wrong, Val and Blake are supposed to step in and Kelly is in your house finding evidence to pin this murder on you," I informed.

"It's about time they gave the spotlight to Jordan and Brianna," Derek smirked.

My face tilted at the disbelief. When I first met Derek, I immediately knew he was a cold-hearted person because he was really mean to me and kept on threatening me about things he would do if I broke Rosalind's heart.

Of course, at that time I just thought he was being over-protective of his sister and it was all normal. But little did I know that when everybody thought they knew the real Derek, they were wrong. Nobody knew the real him. Not even Rosalind.

Because the real Derek was a sociopath who had no real feelings and when he tried to feel those emotions, his girlfriend broke up with him, damaging him even more.

Every time he joked about watching someone suffer and enjoying it, he was actually showing his alternate personality in a humorous manner.

"Are you not worried that Kelly might find something and use it against you?" I asked, unable to hold in the curiosity.

"Relax, Lenny. She won't find anything. I destroyed every single evidence pointing towards me. However, you might find yourself in a pickle," he looked at me with the modest blue eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, it's just I kept the receipt of the murder weapon your purchased. It has your credit card pin and it won't be too hard to find."

"Why would you do that Derek?"

"Because, if I'm going down, I'm taking you with me," his voice had dropped its pitch and turned into an almost whisper. But the words still managed to send a chill down my spine. "I noticed you were getting all buddy with everybody and the good side of yours was showing. But Lenny, we stopped being good the day you agreed to help me end Rosalind."

Whatever he said was enough to take me back to the day I joined hands with the devil.

Rosalind and I had gotten ourselves into yet another fight and I was just exasperated with the way things had gotten between us.

Derek walked into Rosalind's room and sat next to me. He later informed me about how there had been a change in my girlfriend's behaviour and how he needed to knock some sense into her. Despite of us being alone in the room, it didn't feel right to speak ill of her. But I was so fed up of everything. For the first time in many years, Rosalind's optimisim was making me sick.

"You can talk to me, Lenny." Derek assured, trying his best to win me over and get me on his side.

"Ever- I just- I am overwhelmed. Rose and me cannot have a single conversation which does not turn into an argument. She keeps on justifying her action of going to the bar and is trying her best to help me accept the baby. She doesn't get that raising someone else's child as my own is not an easy task."

"She has been changing, hasn't she?" Derek sighed, getting more comfortable on the bed. "She doesn't realise that her evolving is problematic for all of us."

"I have no problem with her changing. She finally learned to put herself first and I would be a terrible boyfriend to not support that."

"Nobody is a saint, Lenny. Rosalind was bound to turn selfish. But my only worry is that she doesn't know how to be one. She might end up doing it entirely wrong and screw up her life and as her brother, I don't like her struggling with her life like this."

I scoffed, "Well, what can we do about it?"

"End the pain."  It took me by surprise how quickly he answered. It suggested that he was already cooking up a solution in his mind.

"And how do we do that?"

"By ending her life," he replied.

My eyes widened in horror as a knot formed in my stomach. It was difficult to comprehend whether he was joking or if he was serious. Either way, he needed to be mentally messed up to say something out loud. My first instinct was to get Rosalind out of this house and away from her wicket brother, but my muscles felt like they were jammed. Was a part of my heart indulging the idea?

I got up from the bed and ran a hand through my hair. This is not how I was going to make things right by Rosalind. No. I was going to help her even if it meant I had to accept the unborn child as mine and raise it with love and not hatred.

I turned around to face Derek. His blue eyes had turned into a darker shade and his face was no longer innocent. It had changed into something very malicious. I decided it was better not to say anything at all rather than pointing out the fault in his thinking and left.

The uneasiness left me as I surrounded myself with fresh air. Without thinking twice, I stuffed my hands in my pocket and walked away from the house. The entire walk was absurd. There were many things going on in my mind but at the same time, it was as clear as a crystal. My legs stopped and soon I realised I was standing in front of the hospital.

It took me a second to realise that my subconscious mind brought me to Rosalind. A small smile formed on my lips as I went inside to deliver the good news and to attend the her ultrasound. She was really looking forward to see the baby today and I should have been understanding too.

I took long but steady steps towards the room she was in. My heart kept on pounding faster and faster as I reached closer.

Being a father was a huge responsibility. Every decision I made would no longer be for just myself. I would have somebody to take care of and shield from the mean people of the world. People like Derek.

I was so glad that Rosalind was going to be a mother. She was perfect for the role. I listened to her talk about how much she loved children and I also saw her with them and that sight always managed to bring a smile on my face.

I could let go of all my vices and flaws and change into a better person and the baby won't know about any of it because they would get to see the better version of me.

Thinking about having a family with the girl I loved was a dream come true and I finally let go of all the grudges I previously held. The anger, the resentment, all of it was gone. The only thing that stayed was the love for that unborn baby. A person I had not even met.

But just like always, my happiness was destroyed within seconds when I saw another man in the room with her. My hand froze on the doorknob, unable to move and water immediately rushed my eyes.

Rosalind too had tears in her eyes but they were not painful, no. They were happy tears. Her hands was intertwined with the stranger and a bright smile covered her face. A pang of jealousy rushed through my entire body but I tried my best to not get mad at her. I did not come here to fight, I came here to mend a broken relationship. So, I pulled myself back to reality and was about to enter, but that man crouched down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

That's when I lost it. Rosalind loved affection but she hated being kissed. That was the only thing she asked me to adjust for. Of course, over the years of us together, she told me it was okay if I kissed her and that she was being stupid.

I walked out of the hospital in rage and made my way back to Derek. Surprisingly, he was patiently waiting for me as if he expected me to be back.

"What do you have in mind?" I asked.

"Just the perfect plan," Derek smirked.

....

"Lenny," Valerie's whisper shook me out of the trance and brought me back. I looked around and saw Derek was gone. I looked back at Valerie and Blake with a quizzical look. "Your plan worked. Derek and Brianna are in the room right now."

"What do you mean he is with Brianna?" I asked with an alarmed look.

"Are you okay, Lenny?" Blake asked me.

"Yeah, I just- I don't know. I mean, I was talking to Derek just now and I didn't realise he left," I sighed.

"You zoned out," Valerie stated. "And that is completely okay considering that you just talked to the man who killed your girlfriend."

No words came out of my mouth and the couple took my silence as their answer. What was there to even say? That Derek was not the only man who participated in killing Rosalind?

The only thing that differentiated me and Derek was that he had no conscious and didn't regret what he did one bit and I did.

When I first met Jordan he seemed very familiar and it struck me later that he was the mysterious man that kissed Rosalind on her forehead and spending time with him, I understood that he was just being a friend that we all failed to be.

While all of us hated Rose for thinking about herself for one, Jordan stood by her side. He was also the one who told Rosalind it was okay to put herself first and she needed to be selfish sometimes and get what she wanted. Even if it meant that it hurt someone she loved.

A long time went by and nothing happened. I would by lying if I said the anticipation wasn't killing me. Valerie, too, was anxious about what was going in that room.

All the three of us stood alerted when the doors of the room burst open, revealing a mad Derek who held a knife close to Jordan's neck.

Loud gasps and murmurs filled the Town Hall as everyone watched the sociopath walked near to the exit.

"What are you doing, son?" Mr. McAllister asked.

"Everyone stay away or I kill this man," Derek warned.

All of us did exactly what he asked for. Not because we were afraid of him being true to his words but because we were all frozen in shock at his action.

Kelly didn't have to worry about finding any evidence because what Derek did just now was enough to make him look guilty.

"I'm gonna go check on Brianna," Valerie spoke and ran.

"I'll go with her," I informed but Blake held my arm.

"We are gonna follow Derek," he said and I wanted to deny it but somehow I felt responsible for Jordan's life.

So, with that, Blake and I followed a man with no heart to save a man who I held accountable for making me kill Rosalind.

Can we all agree that Derek has a knack for being dramatic.

And we finally know how Lenny agreed. But we will get to know more on that later.

Until then, let me know your thought on this chapter.