Chapter 18

Stanley had Clarissa brought to his room. Clarissa's face drained of all color as she stared at Stanley, his body half-wrapped in bandages. His eyes were colder than steel. Then, she glanced at Tessa's body, still and lifeless. Clarissa trembled uncontrollably. She reached for the weapon that had worked so many times before. Tears welled instantly and her voice broke into sobs. "Stanley… let me explain. The fire was an accident. How could I ever have set it?" "You did it," Stanley said. His voice was calm, flat, yet landed like a heavy iron block on the ground, chilling her to the bone. "It wasn't me! It was an accident!" she screamed, trying to hide behind tears and her old fragility. He said nothing more, merely nodding slightly to Owen beside him. Owen immediately dumped a thick stack of evidence on the table in front of Clarissa. There were clear photos of the scene, detailed witness statements signed and sealed, as well as screenshots of bank records. They were undeniable