Chapter 325: I'm Not Afraid of You

The news reported that gang leader Chester, along with his second-in-command, Jason, and several men, had committed suicide while on the run. The police found them already dead, initially concluding it was suicide. But Hannah doubted it. If Chester had killed himself, Jason wouldn't be there; Jason had been brought by Theodore.

She turned to Oscar. Noticing her strange demeanor, he asked, "What's wrong?" Hannah didn't know what he was capable of.

"The leader is dead," she said. "The police called it suicide."

His expression subtly shifted. "Do you think it's true?" she asked.

"No," Oscar stated bluntly.

Hannah's heart skipped a beat. His immediate denial was unexpected.

"I killed him," he said.

Hannah stared at him.

"I won't lie," Oscar said seriously. "I did kill him. I'd received word of a drug deal at the fireworks factory, so I infiltrated it. I've been investigating this gang for a while, aiming to bring them down. I enlisted Theodore's help early on, and that's how I learned about this deal."

Hannah listened quietly, unsure how to react.

"They'd been hiding in the fireworks factory for years undetected," he continued. "I was spotted shortly after I entered to take photos. They're skilled at counter-reconnaissance—no surprise, given Chester's training. When discovered, they blew up the factory to destroy evidence. I buried my phone and followed him. The local police collaborate with them, so I needed to ditch the phone to avoid detection; also, if I died, the evidence would still be found. As you see, I was right."

Hannah was stunned. "How did you kill them all? There were only three of you—Theodore, Jimmy, and you—but ten were dead."

She didn't know what she wanted to hear.

"I secretly followed them," Oscar explained. "I waited for my men, expecting Theodore to arrive. I didn't expect you to be there, but I needed his help. Overpowering ten men wasn't difficult for us."

Who was he? What were his ambitions? Hannah pondered these questions.

"Are you afraid of me?" Oscar finally asked.

Hannah remained silent.

"Don't be afraid," he said, gently pulling her into his arms.

She didn't resist. Only in his embrace did he seem real.

"One day, I'll come back to you clean," he whispered, a promise to shed his cruel side and live a normal life with her.

"No, I'm not afraid of you," Hannah replied. "I love you. And what's done is done."

Oscar laughed.

"I worry I'm worthless in your world," Hannah sighed, acknowledging the reality of their situation.

"No, you're smarter than I thought," Oscar said without hesitation.

Hannah frowned.

"Do you know Theodore told me you followed us to Langley Town?" he asked.

"No."

"After we killed them," Oscar clarified. "Would you have come to me first?"

His hesitation annoyed her.

"Probably not," he finally admitted.

Hannah was furious, but he quickly justified his actions. "Taking them out was crucial. If they escaped, it would be a setback, and the problem would recur. Solving it completely now was paramount."

His logic was sound. He'd make a great negotiator. He wasn't a good man, but he wasn't entirely bad either. A truly bad man wouldn't care about the societal impact of letting a drug dealer escape.

"And when I learned you'd come alone to investigate…" Oscar looked intently at her. "It was like a bomb exploded inside me," he said, his voice laced with worry.

Hannah wasn't sure if he was worried about her or amused by her recklessness; likely both.