Acid, Betrayal, Rebirth: Hunting the Real Monster

When I saw the police, I thought I was saved. I immediately let go of the hostage and grabbed the officer's hand.

"Please help me! I can prove I wasn't at the scene of the crime yesterday. They're all trying to frame me for something I didn't do! I want to check the security footage at the property management's office. I want to prove my innocence!"

The officer scoffed before flinging off my hand. He looked at me as if I were a piece of trash. "Do you even hear yourself, Mr. Stuart? The security cameras at the hotel caught you going in and out with all those women. What is there left for you to say?

"The victims have all identified you as the culprit. We've come to take you into police custody."

I sucked in a breath and stumbled backward in shock. Frowning, I vehemently shook my head. That was impossible. Those women had never even seen me before. Why would they say I was the one who sexually assaulted them?

I'd seen photos of the victims. None of them had any grudges against me, so why were they accusing me of being the culprit?

That only made me question even more whether I had actually been at home yesterday.

After collapsing weakly onto the floor, I thought of something and immediately grabbed the police officer again.

"Please give me one last chance to prove my innocence. Let me check the apartment's security footage."

This time, the police relented, but they eyed me with a sneer. "Fine. Since you're so adamant about digging your own grave, I'll let you see the footage for yourself. Now I'm curious to see what you think you're going to find."

Behind me, the victims were still sobbing uncontrollably.

"Why does he get the chance to clear his name? He's a serial rapist! There's no way for him to prove his innocence!"

I ignored their words and went to the property management's office with the police officers. The lead officer jerked his chin and said, "Go on, then. Let us see what you can find."

Using the mouse, I quickly pulled up the footage from yesterday. However, after skimming through the timestamps, I couldn't find any footage of me returning home after work.

Natalie stood on the side with her arms crossed. With a mocking look in her eyes, she snapped, "You didn't come home at all yesterday, so why are you still pretending now? Harv was right about you. You're just a heartless ingrate. To think that I'd trusted you all these years!"

She suddenly burst into tears before pulling out a ring from her pocket.

"This was the gift I prepared for our wedding anniversary, but now, I don't think you deserve it!"

She threw this ring at my face as well, cutting me in the cheek again.

I caught the ring out of instinct, feeling taken aback. It didn't seem like Natalie was cheating on me after all. Perhaps she only flaunted Harvey in front of me in my previous life just to get back at me.

Why else would she have prepared a ring for our wedding anniversary?

What on earth was really going on?

I glanced at the employee who had been on duty yesterday and caught an evasive flicker in his eyes. Once again, I checked the security footage. Finally, things started falling in place.

The police officers were beginning to lose their patience. Sighing, the lead officer asked, "Are you done yet? Our time is precious."

I pondered for quite some time before thinking of something. I immediately rewound the footage to when I was supposed to have returned home yesterday. When the footage from midnight played, I smiled.

So that was how I ended up getting accused of being a serial rapist, but it wasn't true. I wasn't the one who hurt those women.

Pointing at the screen, I said to Natalie, "You're right. I wasn't home last night, but don't you think you should explain to me why this person showed up?"