Master of Lust

Chapter - 275

Soon another message from Laura arrived and Rick quickly opened it.

"Rick, after the suicides and all the accusations, I wanted to interview Nadia to get her side of the story."

"I have seen people wrongly accused before, especially by manipulative men who twist the narrative. I was hoping this might be the case with Nadia too. I wanted to find out if these accusations were just more cruel misrepresentations."

Rick looked a bit impressed as he read the messages. Laura seemed rather involved in finding out more about Nadia.

"But when I tried to reach her, she did not reply my comments, messages or emails. So as a last option I went to her place, but she wasn't there. I asked around—close friends, old boyfriends, even."

"But it was clear none of them had seen her in a while. I eventually found her grandmother, her only close family member, but she also had no idea where Nadia was. After a while, I realized she might actually be missing."

Laura went on to send a bunch of messages all together to explain in detail about Nadia. And Rick chose not to interrupt her chain of thoughts, patiently reading her messages.

"When we went to the police, they wouldn't open a missing persons case. They argued there was no evidence of a crime, that she was an adult likely choosing to avoid conflict by leaving on her own."

"Apparently, it wasn't unusual for people under intense scrutiny to lie low, at least for a while. So, with no clear evidence she was in danger, they didn't see grounds to investigate her as a missing person."

After a pause, Laura's next message arrived, and Rick noticed it was longer than before, as if she were finally letting him in on the whole story:

"Rick, when I couldn't find Nadia and the police wouldn't pursue a formal search, all I could do was dig around myself, talking to people who'd known her, and trying to get a neutral view of what really happened."

"It wasn't easy. Everyone seemed to have an opinion, and a lot of them were harsh. But after putting things together, here's what I think really happened."

"Nadia was someone who more into fun, casual physical relationships. Someone who wasn't looking for emotional ties or commitment."

"She was clear about it with everyone she was with, even if they didn't want to accept it. Some people were fine with that; others, however, couldn't let it go."

"They mistook her openness for an invitation to something deeper. When she eventually left them, that's when the anger set in, leading to all those bitter comments on social media."

"Then there's Robert. Robert Harris, the first man who took his own life. He had known Nadia since they were young, growing up just a few blocks away."

"He had always been socially awkward and kept his feelings to himself. When he and Nadia had a one-night stand, he thought it meant she'd finally chosen him, even though she hadn't hinted at a commitment. The next day, he showed up at her place, family ring in hand, ready to propose. He had even told his family that she was 'the one.'

"When Nadia rejected him, he was devastated, but he didn't immediately spiral. That came after his older sister found out what had happened. She mocked him relentlessly, telling him that he was pathetic, unlovable, and would 'die alone'."

"Those words tore him apart, and they are most likely the real reason he took his life. But his family blamed Nadia, saying she led him on, mostly to cover up the cruelty that had come from his own sister. They had lost a son, they couldn't afford to lose their daughter as well."

"Then there's Jack Denton, the second man who died. Jack had dated Nadia briefly and ended things months before, but the two remained friendly enough."

"He struggled with his own issues, including a history of drug use. It wasn't something he blamed on her. But sadly, around the same time Robert overdosed. His family, aware of the incident about Jack, shifted blame on to Nadia, painting her as a heartless monster."

"They were left with questions and a lot of shame, and in their grief, they started saying Nadia's rejection of him had triggered it. Their accusations gave them a way to deflect blame, to protect the image of their son, while making Nadia as the villain.

"Both families, in their way, found it easier to lay blame on Nadia. They thought they were doing right by the memories of their loved ones, even if it meant destroying hers. This is how her name became tarnished in ways it didn't deserve."

"I wanted her side of things, her truth. But I never got that chance… until now, I guess. I hope this all makes some sense."

As Rick sat in the dim light of his room, his phone vibrated sharply, followed by a rapid succession of soft chimes. Each message alert seemed louder than the last in the silence, like a steady beat quickening in his mind.

He opened his phone, and Laura's texts appeared on the screen, one after the other, as if she was eager to get everything out at once.

The first few messages detailed the truth about Nadia's past, filling in the missing pieces with a mix of frustration and empathy. Rick's eyes traced over each sentence, absorbing the weight of Laura's investigation into the accusations and misunderstandings that had tainted Nadia's name.

He understood now why so many had turned against her, why those men's families had twisted the story in grief.

But just as he began to consider how to respond, another message buzzed into view. Laura's text read, "Does Nadia remember absolutely nothing at all? No details, no flashes of her past?"

Rick tapped out his reply, careful to keep his answer direct but honest: "No, nothing at all. She doesn't even recognize her name."

After a few seconds, Laura responded, "Then my plan to interview Nadia and clear her name might have to wait a bit. But her grandma… she's beyond worried. If it's okay, I would like to visit with her sometime to see Nadia. It might be comforting, and I will keep everything low-key."

Rick quickly typed out the address to his home, sending it to Laura with a slight sense of urgency. He then added, "If you have any information or leads about Nadia's past or anyone connected to her, please share. I want to help her remember—understand what she went through before."

He hesitated for a moment, considering how to phrase his next thought. It felt vital to him that he conveyed the importance of the situation. Finally, he added, "I'm just trying to figure everything out, you know? Anything could help."

Rick clicked on the link Laura sent, eager to dig into the information she'd gathered. As he scrolled through the cloud folder, his eyes lingered on a document regarding one of the suicide victims, Robert Harris.

There, a photo caught his attention: standing beside Robert was none other than Annie—the waitress who'd confronted Jemimah. His eyes widened in surprise as he looked closer, reading her full name, Anithya Harris. She wasn't just Nadia's supposed "best friend"; she was Robert's sister.

The pieces clicked together, leaving a bitter taste in Rick's mouth. Annie had blamed Nadia for Robert's suicide, yet she'd been the one mocking and belittling her own brother, pushing him deeper into despair. How could she not see her own hand in his death, but instead accuse Nadia without a second thought?

Without hesitating, Rick opened his social media and found Annie's profile, her handle "AnnieOngo." Fury fuelled his fingers as he began typing a long, heated message:

"Annie—no, Anithya Harris. I know who you are now. You, the sister of Robert, the one who mocked him, humiliated him, made him feel worthless. You, his own blood, the one who pushed him over the edge, yet you had the nerve to stand there and blame Nadia for what happened. Do you even understand the damage you caused?"

"Nadia never promised him anything; she was clear about who she was. You were the one he needed support from, and yet you chose to tear him down."

"You are so quick to cast blame, so quick to point fingers when you can't even look in the mirror. How dare you attack her, knowing your own role in his suffering and his death?"

Breathless, Rick read over the message once before hitting send. He waited, watching for the "received" notification, but no response came. Frustrated and exhausted, he lay down on the bed, his thoughts racing.

Tonight, had brought him no closer to the real Nadia. or is it the whole truth?

But this was all he knew for now. Soon, the heaviness of the day caught up with him, and he drifted into a restless sleep.

********

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Author's Note: If you are enjoying this story, don't forget to read my two new stories and give them a try:

1. The Rise of the Fallen Villain

2. From beauties to Treasures: I will own them all

]