Death and the Madness That Follows

Panic spread across the cruise ship as people frantically searched for Betsy and me.

Meanwhile, somewhere not far away, Betsy pulled me out of the water.

“Are you okay, Naomi?” she asked, a slight tremble in her voice.

“I’m fine, Mom.”

Wrapped in a blanket, I watched as the noise from the ship grew fainter, the vessel drifting farther away.

I finally let out a sigh of relief.

Once we were safely ashore and settled on the sofa of our hotel, we watched the news.

The headline was enough to make both of us frown uneasily.

[Dutton Family’s Birthday Bash Turns Tragic: Mother and Daughter-in-Law Fall into the Sea and Pronounced Missing]

Valerie’s pale face dominated the screen, her eyes swollen and red from crying.

“I didn’t mean to! I didn’t push them! They fell on their own!”

Valerie was taken away by the police as Rourke looked on with a serious expression on his face.

Julius however, looked especially haggard.

I smiled as I turned off the television.

Betsy patted my hand gently.

“Don’t worry. It’s all for show. Once they’ve accepted that we’re gone, they’ll show their true colors. Just wait and see. It won’t be long before Valerie is released.

“And when she is, Rourke’s mistress will also surface.”

I nodded.

Sure enough, three days later, Valerie was released from prison on grounds of insufficient evidence.

A swarm of reporters descended on her as she made her way to Julius.

The reporters surrounded them, their cameras flashing relentlessly.

“Mr. Dutton, there are rumors that Miss Valerie had a dispute with your mother and wife before the incident. Could this have something to do with their fall into the sea?”

“Have you resolved any disputes you have with your wife?”

“What’s the latest development? Have the Duttons given up on the search?”

Julius’s face darkened. “You’ll have to wait for the official announcement.”

I laughed as I watched the news.

Julius deserved whatever that was coming his way!

Valerie was his weakness. He could not even get angry at her and spent all his energy protecting her instead!

Frustrated, I muted the news and convinced Betsy to go jet-setting with me.

Having money made anything possible.

For security, we also opened an offshore account that no one would be able to trace.

Every day was filled with indulgence—bright lights, fine wine, and endless enjoyment. Life couldn’t have been better.

Despite that, I couldn’t help but wonder what the rest of the Duttons were up to.

I knew that as long as they didn’t find a body, they wouldn’t declare a death.

This led to endless speculation in society about whether the two of us were truly dead.

Rumors and gossip spread everywhere, but I remained unmoved.

Every day, I soaked up the sun, watched handsome men by the sea, and lived a life of pure indulgence.

After half a year, though, I started to get a little bored.

So, Betsy and I decided to open a guesthouse. We welcomed customers and made a good amount of money.

Life became both peaceful and fulfilling.

The news about us gradually faded from the newspapers and TV screens.

Betsy and I had planned to let life pass and even referred to each other as mother and daughter. We visited bars and encountered handsome men along the way.

Betsy was carefree, and together we would gossip about the people we had left behind.

But, we knew that eventually, the good times would come to a halt.

During the peak tourist season, business at our guesthouse boomed.

I received a large booking—two guests who rented the entire place for a month and paid an extra two thousand dollars to ensure no one else could stay.

Of course, I agreed.

When I learned that it would just be the couple, I proudly promised them that the entire villa would be theirs.

I even stocked the place with extra food.

They were a young couple, so I felt I had to treat them well.

Betsy was thrilled when she found out.

Before the guests arrived, she pulled me aside to take some photos of me.

“Life is for living, Naomi. And you’re so beautiful!

“I’m going to set you up for a blind date. You’re still young. You can’t keep hanging on to that idiot husband of yours!”