Beneath the surface

Deadly Intent

Harrison leaned back in his chair, a sly smile creeping across his face as he plotted his next move. He had been watching Liam’s recovery closely, and with each passing day, he felt more emboldened to execute his plan. He knew that if he could eliminate Liam, he would be free to take control of the family business without any obstacles in his way.

One afternoon, he called Julia into his office under the pretense of discussing Liam’s care. Julia had been hired to assist Liam during his recovery, and while she had initially seemed genuinely caring, Harrison sensed an opportunity to manipulate her for his own gain.

“Julia,” he began, his tone casual yet persuasive, “I’ve been thinking about Liam’s situation. He’s a burden, isn’t he? You’re doing all this work, and for what? He’s not the same man he used to be.”

Julia shifted uncomfortably, unsure of where this conversation was heading. “I’m just trying to help him recover. He needs support right now.” “And I'm paid to do that.”

“Support?” Harrison scoffed, leaning forward. “What he really needs is to be removed from the equation. He’s a liability, and you know it. If he can’t walk again, he’ll be a constant reminder of what he’s lost. It’s not fair to you, and it’s certainly not fair to Emily.”

Julia frowned, her brow furrowing in confusion. “What do you mean?”

Harrison’s eyes glinted with a dangerous intensity. “What if I told you there was a way to help him… permanently? A way to free you from this burden.

“What are you suggesting?” Julia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Just a little something in his tea,” Harrison said, his tone casual as if discussing the weather. “Something that would make him… sleep a little longer than usual. It would be quick, painless, and no one would suspect a thing. You’d be doing everyone a favour.”

Julia’s heart raced as she processed his words. “You can’t be serious! That’s… that’s murder!”

“Murder?” Harrison laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. “It’s not murder if it’s for the greater good. Think about it, Julia. and you’d be doing yourself a favour too.

I understand that you're willing to do whatever it takes to get what you want, but, I won't stand for it

Harrison shrugged, a smirk still playing on his lips. “ It is necessary

Julia’s expression turned cold. “Necessary? You call killing your own brother necessary? I call it monstrous.” And she walked away.

Harrison's manipulation of Julia deepened as he realized he needed to tighten his grip on her. He arranged another meeting, this time in a secluded corner of the café where they could speak without interruption. As they sat across from each other, he leaned in, his voice low and conspiratorial.