Culprit
Stanley was about to hang up when Joyce stopped him.
“No. Please don’t hang up on me. I have something to tell you. It’s related to the culprit.”
“What?” He was resting after finishing a complicated surgery, but shot to his feet after hearing the
shocking news. “You mean the culprit who murdered my parents?”
“Yes. I know who it is. So, can we meet, Stanley?” Joyce asked.
Stanley pressed his lips into a thin line as he told her to come to his office.
He immediately ended the call when Joyce had noted it down, not wanting to spare another word for her.
Disappointment flashed across Joyce’s eyes as she set her phone down and looked at the nurse. “Can
you show me the way to room 301 of the Neurology Department?”
Room 301 of the Neurology Department was Stanley’s office.
The nurse was no longer suspicious of Joyce’s identity. After confirming Joyce was Stanley’s friend, she
pointed down a hallway. “Go down this hallway, and you’ll reach the elevator, take it to the third floor,
then take a right turn. It’s the first room down that hallway.”
“All right, thanks,” Joyce said, then strode toward the direction pointed out for her.
Soon, Joyce was standing in front of the door to Stanley’s office.
The door was wide open. Joyce took in a deep breath before knocking on it.
“Stanley.” Joyce looked at the man sitting behind his desk.
It was the first time they met after that night.
He was handsome and indifferent as usual, a contrast to her. She was worried sick for Natalie recently
that she looked weary.
Inferiority and insecurity pricked at her at the comparison.
Stanley looked up at Joyce and frowned when he spotted the sharp lines on her face.
What has she been up to lately? Did she not eat or sleep well?
Stanley’s expression was the usual indifference despite his concern. “You said you had something to tell
me about the culprit of my parents’ murder. What is it?”
Joyce dug through her purse and handed him a photo. “Here you go, this is the culprit.”
“What?” Stanley’s pupil constricted. He reached out to take the photo with trembling hands. “You’re
saying this person is the culprit. What proof do you have?”
“I don’t have any proof, but it’s the truth. Sean was the one who found out about it. You know as well that
Sean and the culprit are from the same organization, so it’s easy for him to get the truth,” Joyce
answered as she looked into his eyes.
Stanley smirked. “Indeed. It’s easy for Sean to investigate, but why did he? He and I are not even
friends.”
“Nat asked him to. He kidnapped her a while back.”
“What? When? How is that possible?” Stanley’s expression turned into shock. “How is she? Is she okay?
Where is she now?”
Hearing his worry and concern for Natalie, bitter jealously coiled in Joyce’s gut. Prickles of pain stabbed
her heart as though a hundred needles had pricked it.
She lowered her head to conceal the hurt and the tears in her eyes. “She’s fine. Mr. Shane had rescued
her. Nat was the one that gave me this photo. She said the culprit had left the organization and had
retired to a private beach, but she had no idea which private beach it was. Sean didn’t tell her the
specifics, so we still needed to investigate it ourselves.”
Stanley stared at the man in the photo for a long while until Joyce could feel the air thicken with tension.
Crumpling the photo, he said, “Got it. I’ll investigate it myself. You can go now.”
Joyce was still rooted in place.
Stanley narrowed his eyes at her disobedience. “Is there anything else you want to tell me?”
Joyce blurted out, “I’m sorry, Stanley!”
“What?” Stanley’s expression turned somber. He had a bad feeling.
Joyce suddenly dropped to her knees. “I’m so sorry, Stanley. You were right to accuse us of causing your
parents’ death. My parents didn’t know the culprit was on their tail when they went to deliver necessities
to your parents. That was how the culprit knew where your parents were hiding, then managed to kill
them. I’m so sorry, Stanley. I’m truly sorry.”
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