He was Guilty, and I Called It Love

Verity's POV Monty stumbled into the room, cupped my face, and kissed me on the forehead. His drunken eyes were full of worry. “Why are you standing at the door?” “Nothing. I was gonna bring you some hangover soup, but I spilled it.” “Let the housekeeper take care of stuff like that. You’ve been way too tired lately. Get some rest, okay? Or I’ll feel bad.” After saying that, he kissed me again. Just like before—gentle, loving. But I couldn’t feel his warmth anymore. ‘Can one person really go that far for someone else?’ I closed my eyes, and the tears slipped down. I helped him onto the bed and pulled the blanket over him. The alcohol hit fast—he passed out in no time. I sat at the bedside and quietly picked up his phone. Ha. The password? Sylvie’s birthday. Once it unlocked, it switched into another system. The home screen was clean, barely anything on it—except for the photo album, packed full. He had stored photos of my parents’ murder case from five years ago there. A thousand of them. Every single one had Sylvie’s name on it—from her motive to the evidence of her crime! Even a video of her showing up at my parents’ villa! All fucking crystal clear! Yet… when I flipped to the end, Monty had marked it as an “unsolved case.” Afraid his coworkers would get suspicious, Monty took the case files home. He only kept records of it on his phone. Only he could see them. His bias and protectiveness were impossible to miss. Admittedly, it made my chest ache. He always had principles when working a case. Always had his own judgment. That was one of the reasons I fell so in love with him. God, I never thought he’d throw all of that away—for Sylvie. Besides that, there was another hidden, private album. I tapped it open—every photo was of Sylvie smiling. Ten thousand shots, all from the past five years of her life after marriage. As Monty’s brother’s second wife, any time she made a public appearance, he saved the image. And in every family photo—Monty cropped out my face. The message couldn’t be clearer. I let out a bitter laugh and stopped looking. Took pictures of everything on my own phone. Booked a flight to leave the states in three days. Filed to cancel all my personal documents. Didn’t sleep a wink all night. At dawn, when I went out to wash up, my phone rang. Monty’s confused voice followed right after. “Verity? Why are you canceling your documents?” I quickly took my phone from him and kept my tone calm. “Oh, nothing. They’re expired, I just booked an appointment to renew them. “Hey, aren’t you supposed to have training today? Go do your thing.” He didn’t think much of it—just pulled me into his arms, brushing his cheek against mine. “Babe, are you trying to surprise me or something?” I froze for a second. He playfully tapped the tip of my nose. “I saw your pregnancy report! “My parents have been asking for a grandkid for five years. They’ll be over the moon when they find out! “It’s almost your parents’ memorial day. Let’s visit them together and tell them the news, yeah? Maybe throw a family dinner too—Wiley hasn’t been back in ages.” I smiled but didn’t say anything while he spun me around in excitement. Over the past five years, he’d worked hard to bring the family together. I used to think that was his way of loving me. But now I see—it was all calculated. He just wanted an excuse to see Sylvie more often. This five-year-long lie… It’s time to end it.

Verity's POV Monty had just walked out the door when I left too to head to the law firm to print a divorce agreement. I also got all my personal documents canceled. The case files? Monty already took them, so going to the police now wouldn’t do me any good. Leaving—that was my only option. When I brought the papers to Monty’s police department, I overheard some of his staff talking. “Is that the Detective Sergeant’s wife? She looks kinda familiar… Wait, wasn’t she part of that Raleighs tragedy five years ago?” “Wanna get extra drills from the Detective Sergeant? Don’t talk nonsense. He already said she wasn’t the murderer. Shut it—if he hears you, he’ll lose it again. He’s already argued with the Chief enough over this case.” “That outfit must be worth a fortune. I heard she just got back from France—she’s rich, no way she’d need to kill anyone. And did you see how the Detective Sergeant looked at her? Dang, he looked like he wanted to be glued to her side. If she really was the murderer, he would’ve arrested her on the spot.” My nails dug deep into my palms. I was standing outside the office door and heard a voice I knew all too well. “Has Wiley been treating you well these past few years? “You know your brother—once he heard I was coming back, he went and bought me a private jet. Wouldn’t take no for an answer. It’s been five years of marriage and he still acts like a kid…” “That’s good. Then I can stop worrying.” Monty’s voice was full of bitterness, low and heavy. “Monty, hey, I really owe you for what happened back then. If not for you, I might still be rotting in jail. “By the way, I think I’ll skip tomorrow’s family dinner. Don’t wanna upset Verity. I mean, every time she sees me, she remembers Uncle Rauben and Auntie Aurelia. I don’t want her blowing up at you again…” That’s always how Sylvie was—taking all the benefits, then turning around to throw shade at me. Mocking and sarcastic. Back when Monty was investigating the case, I’d secretly read the files. I knew she was the only suspect. At the wedding, I called her out in front of everyone—said she was the one who killed my parents. Tried to have her taken to the police department. But everyone sided with her. Everyone said I was immature and didn’t know what I was talking about. Only Monty stepped in for me. He became my one and only salvation. But now… He’s the one pushing me off the edge. Inside the office, I could see him giving a bitter smile and pulling out a ceramic figurine from a drawer. “I made this myself. It’s nothing fancy like what you’d buy in a mall, but it’s from the heart. I heard you’re pregnant—consider it a little welcome gift for the baby.” Sylvie took it with a smile, even playfully stuck out her tongue. Meanwhile, my hands were shaking so hard they rattled the door. The noise made Monty glance through the glass. As soon as he saw me standing outside, his face instantly tightened. “Verity? What are you doing here? “Don’t get the wrong idea. Sylvie just got back, came by to say hi, catch up, and talk about the family dinner tomorrow.” “Hey, Verity. Long time no see.” Sylvie stood up, dressed head to toe in the latest designer couture. Her expensive appearance made me look like some village bumpkin. I just smiled, swallowed my bitterness, and said, “It’s okay. Just happened to be nearby and thought I’d drop by. Since you’re busy, I’ll head out.” Monty must’ve thought I was upset—he chased after me, trying to explain. “Verity, don’t overthink it. Sylvie’s pregnant too. I just wanted to ask her for advice so I could take better care of you.” Seeing how worried he looked for me—honestly, I almost laughed. To protect Sylvie, he broke all his principles. Even threw away his own marriage. ‘If he already got what he wanted, then who’s he still pretending for?’

Verity's POV “Don’t worry. What’s in the past is in the past. Didn’t you say it was all just a misunderstanding? I’m not that petty. “You two talk. I’ll head home and wait for you.” He let out a sigh of relief and escorted me to the car. On the way, his buddies from the police department looked at me with sympathy in their eyes. I ignored them, got in the car, and booked an abortion appointment for two days later on my phone. When I got home, I burned every single thing Monty had given me over the past five years. As the last little flame went out, I heard the delivery guy calling from outside the door. The buyer’s name: [Monty] The recipient: [Sylvie] I signed for it on his behalf. When I opened the package, I saw maternal and baby products inside—premium stuff from all the top brands. Soon, Monty’s message came in. [Verity, I ordered a package—office supplies. I accidentally had it sent to the villa. Don’t open it. I’ll move it to the department when I get back.] I replied with a random emoji, then taped the box shut again. I’d already made up my mind to leave. I couldn’t even be bothered to call him out on that pathetic lie. That night, he claimed he was out investigating a case, so he couldn’t come home. But Sylvie, who’d been on hiatus on the internet for a while, suddenly posted a status update. She was in a luxury hotel downtown. In the candid photo, Monty’s police shoulder badge stood out clearly. The wedding ring on his finger had been taken off, leaving a visible tan line. In the reflection of the wine glass, the woman was beaming, and the man’s eyes were full of affection. Just like she’d wanted, I gave the post a like. Then I packed my suitcase. The next afternoon, Monty finally sent a message. Told me to go to his parents’ villa. The moment I walked in, his parents noticed I came empty-handed and their faces turned cold. “Monty works day and night at the police department, and you, his wife, can’t even bring a little gift to show respect to us? Who are you giving that attitude to?” One of their relatives looked at me with obvious disapproval. “You’ve been married five years and still act like you’re some rich girl from the Raleighs? Wake up, darling. That company’s been bankrupt for five years! If Monty hadn’t used every cent of his savings to pay off your debts, you’d probably still be a stripper today! “They’re your in-laws now. Your parents are gone, and they’re all you’ve got. Have some manners, will you? People might think it was our Monty begging to marry you!” Just then, Sylvie showed up at the door, arms full of health supplements. Monty’s parents instantly broke into warm smiles and went over to greet her. “Oh, Sylvie, you’re here! You must be exhausted from the flight. Have your sister-in-law cook for you later, okay? You rarely come home—go rest upstairs for a bit.” “You always bring so much stuff! We’re already getting old, we don’t need all this. You two should save your money for yourselves. “You really are so thoughtful. Not like some women, who show up just to demand things and talk about their dead parents after five years. My, my, how unlucky does that sound?” Despite her words, Lavinia, Monty’s mom, didn’t stop collecting the gifts from Sylvie. Sylvie gave a sweet smile and gently linked arms with Lavinia. “Mom, don’t say that. It’s been five years since the Raleighs’ case, and there’s still no killer. It’s understandable if Verity isn’t okay. She’s already hurting, so let’s not rub salt in her wounds. We’re all family, after all—we even share the same last name now. “Oh, and I heard she’s pregnant, too! It’s a double blessing today, Mom! “Let’s not have her cook, okay? What if Monty gets upset when he finds out?” The moment Monty’s name came up, the smile on my mother-in-law’s face froze for a second. “Gets married and forgets his mother… sounds like my son, alright!”

Verity's POV “And here I was, worrying about how hard he’s working on his cases—turns out caring too much is a crime now!” Back then, I used to think Monty avoided coming to his parents’ place because he wanted to protect me. But now that I know the truth, I can’t even bring myself to feel anything. The real reason he stayed away was simple—he didn’t want to be around Sylvie under the pretense of being her brother-in-law. He didn’t want me to bring up the murder case around his relatives and embarrass her. Everyone kept praising how well Sylvie was taking care of herself—how anybody couldn’t even tell she was pregnant. I was left forgotten at the doorway. As the cold wind swept past, Monty finally showed up, late as always, and pulled me into his arms. He gently patted my forehead like I was something to cherish. “Why are you just standing out here? Did Mom and Dad scold you again?” The moment my mother-in-law saw her son walk in, her tone softened. “Scold the Raleighs’ little princess? How could I dare? Your wife’s something special. Go on, take her upstairs to rest.” Right on cue, Sylvie chimed in with a fake show of concern. “Mom, I’ve already arranged a dinner from the hotel. It’ll be delivered later, so you don’t have to stress yourself out. Please rest. Don’t worry about all this.” Monty’s relatives eagerly jumped in, all compliments and flattery for Sylvie’s thoughtfulness. No one even looked in my direction anymore, and Monty just nudged me into the bedroom to rest. I turned back to my mother-in-law to explain that I wasn’t feeling well—that I didn’t mean to be disrespectful. The Griffiths never liked me to begin with. They couldn’t be bothered to waste time talking about me. They just surrounded the gifts Sylvie brought, throwing around praises for how lucky my mother-in-law was for having such a “dutiful” daughter-in-law. Laughter and cheerful voices drifted in through the cracks of the door, pressing down on me until I couldn’t breathe. Just when I was about to step out for some air, Sylvie suddenly showed up in front of me. She looked at my pale face and smiled smugly. “Hey, old classmate. Long time no see. “What? It’s been five years and you don’t recognize me? “Actually, I should thank you. If you hadn’t brought me to your home, I never would’ve found my enemy.” My fists clenched, and I stared coldly at her. “Enemy? What the hell are you talking about? What did my parents ever do to deserve being butchered like that?!” She dropped the act right in front of me. Her eyes turned sharp and full of hate. “What did they do wrong? You should be asking what they did right! If it weren’t for them, my dad’s company wouldn’t have gone bankrupt! He wouldn’t have jumped off that building! You destroyed everything I had—and now that I’ve taken everything from you, you can’t handle it? “What, seeing the person who killed your parents walking around fine and free—that hurts, doesn’t it? “You know what? I should also thank your ex and your husband. Without them, I wouldn’t be living this happy life. “Oh, your dad, right before he died, was still crying out for you, you know. I even recorded a video of him begging on his knees. Wanna see it? Go ahead—beg me first.” The image of my parents’ brutal deaths flashed through my mind. I couldn’t help my eyes turning red with rage. Without thinking, I raised my hand and slapped this bitch hard across the face. The force was so hard that the slap echoed through the room. But instead of getting angry, Sylvie just smiled. She let herself fall with the force of the hit, straight to the floor. Before I could even react, Monty came rushing in and hit me square in the chest. I collapsed to the ground, gasping in humiliation. Meanwhile, he cradled Sylvie in his arms, glaring at me like I was a monster. “Verity, what the hell are you doing? Are you insane? “Sylvie’s pregnant—how could you hit her?” The rest of the Griffiths rushed in when they heard the commotion. Their eyes practically stabbed into me. Sylvie—that devil—weakly leaned on my husband’s shoulder and sobbed pitifully. “I’m sorry, Monty… I just wanted to apologize for the misunderstanding from five years ago… I didn’t think she’d suddenly hit me…”

Verity's POV “Forget it. Five years ago, when Wiley broke off the engagement, we were in the wrong. Everything that happened today is just a misunderstanding. Don’t blame Verity.” A sharp pain started to spread beneath me, making me break into a cold sweat. “Misunderstanding? How dare you even say that?! Monty, what the hell happened five years ago? Don’t I deserve an explanation?” There was a flicker of panic in Monty’s eyes. But he still forced himself to speak. “I’ve been investigating the case. I’ve already told you, it has nothing to do with Sylvie. Why do you keep blaming her? I’m a cop. Don’t you trust me? “Things aren’t clear yet. What gives you the right to hurt Sylvie? Verity, apologize to Sylvie!” Lavinia’s face turned cold as she stormed up to me and slapped me hard across the face. “Bitch! You’re still trying to frame Sylvie?! Everyone knows how good my son is at investigating! He said it has nothing to do with her—how dare you lay a hand on her, huh?! “You’re nothing but an orphan! Don’t you know your place?! “Good lord! If it weren’t for my son saving you, you’d still be out there selling your body to pay off debts! They say all businesspeople are crooked, and your parents’ death? I guess that’s just karma for their greedy hearts! “Monty, don’t worry about her. Take Sylvie to the hospital. She’s still pregnant, you know.” Monty didn’t look at me again as he picked up Sylvie and left the villa. Five years of love evaporated at that moment. Pain flooded beneath me as I started to bleed, and my in-laws kicked me out of their villa that same night. I was taken to the emergency room by strangers, but my baby… didn’t make it. In the middle of the night, Monty sent me a message, full of humility. [Verity, don’t think too much about what happened tonight. I know you didn’t mean it. Sylvie is my sister-in-law, and I can’t explain this to Wiley if you hurt her. Once she’s out of danger, I’ll personally apologize. How about we go to your favorite restaurant? Don’t be mad. It’s bad for the baby. Mom was just upset and said some things they didn’t mean.] ‘Oh, wow, he remembers we have a baby.’ I forced a smile, bitter and mocking. [Yeah, I’ll wait for you.] [Thanks for understanding, babe.] That night, Sylvie posted an update from the hospital. The photo showed a man leaning by the bed, his face full of worry, though he tried to hide it as he slept. The next morning, I checked out of the hospital, grabbed my suitcase, and headed straight for the airport. On the way there, Monty sent me the location of the restaurant. [Babe, I’ve got a surprise for you. I’ll pick you up soon. Wait for me.] I opened Sylvie’s Insta Story to see her update from two minutes ago. In the video, the man was carefully feeding her creamy pumpkin soup. The tenderness in his eyes… That was something I had never seen before. I clicked the like button and then deleted all their contact details. When I boarded the plane, I sent a signed report to the Chief about everything that happened, using Monty’s phone records. I also sent him the signed divorce papers. Monty’s POV At the restaurant, I was busy setting up, petals scattered all over the floor. I kept glancing at my phone, but still, no messages came through. To be honest, I was starting to feel this rising sense of unease. Just as I reached for my phone to make a call, the door burst open. Someone in uniform rushed in, pale as a ghost. “Bad news, Detective Sergeant. You need to get back to the department right now. The Raleighs’ case just got reported, and the Chief’s looking for you everywhere! And, uh, your wife… something’s happened to her!”