5. Shadows of doubt

In the darkness of the night, he strolled along the roadside, while the mountains ahead stood adorned with a blanket of snow. The biting cold made his hands tremble uncontrollably, despite the warmth provided by his woolen sweater.

However, his journey seemed destined to fall short of reaching its intended endpoint.

After a brief ten-minute stroll, he arrived home with rosy cheeks caused by the chilly weather. Upon entering the house, he observed that all the lights were extinguished and everyone was fast asleep.

He proceeded to enter his mother's bedroom and discovered her sound asleep. He then made his way to his sisters' room, where he found her in a slumbering state as well. Finally, he arrived at his own room. In the midst of that chilly night, he sat before the heater, deep in contemplation.

Leo's countenance displayed sorrow, stemming from the departure of his father, who had left behind his mother and sisters, causing a persistent sense of unease within him. His mother single-handedly raised him and his sisters. Leo frequently fretted over the challenge of securing employment while simultaneously pursuing his studies.

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At 7:00 AM, the sun had already risen and the birds were chirping. He was sleeping in his room when his phone alarm went off. He reached for his phone on the side table and turned off the alarm.

He emerged from his bed and headed to the bathroom to rejuvenate. Although it was his day off, he still rose early.

After freshening up, he proceeded to the kitchen. His first task was to prepare an omelette, followed by toasting bread and brewing tea.

Then he sat on the dining table and started eating breakfast.

"Hello brother," She immediately stood in front of him.

"Hey," he said while taking a sip of tea.

"Where were you last night, you were so late." Emma asked him, showing displeasure.

"Yes, I was a little late. "He replied seriously.

"We all waited a long time for you." She told him.

"Promise I will try to come early next time. "He replied with a slight smile.

She smiled back at her and sat down on the couch across from her.

At the same time, his mom came downstairs. His mom knew that he had been coming home late at night for a few days, but she didn't ask him about last night. After eating breakfast, Leo stood up and went to his mom's room.

When he entered his mother's room, he started throwing all his clothes out of the closet as if he was looking for something. Then he opened the drawer, took out the things inside, and threw them away.

Suddenly his mother entered the room.

"What the hell you're doing, Leo?" His mother shouted at him with anger evident in her voice.

"I'm doing what you should have done a long time ago, and if you can't, then at least stand by me," he responded loudly.

In response to his words, his mother slapped him forcefully. "You have no decency! You're collecting evidence against your own father!" his mother yelled again, filled with anger.

"Wasn't my father ashamed of murdering his secretary. " He questioned his mother.

"Your father didn't commit the murder, why can't you understand that, his mother cried.

He came near his mother and held his mother's hand and made her sit on the bed.

If my father did not commit the murder, then you give me the evidence you have and I will do the rest of the investigation myself, he said, looking into his mother's eyes.

His mother averted her gaze and abruptly stood up from her seat.

"Just be quiet, I don't know anything, but I am certain that your father is not a murderer."

After saying this, she slammed the door and left the room.

He sat on the bed while holding his head.

After a while he was lying there on the bed and was deep in thought. He spent his entire day lying there.

At eight o'clock in the night he got up, took out his sweater from the closet and went out of his room. Descending the stairs, he peered into the lounge to find no one there as he didn't want to face his mother and sister.

Descending down the stairs, he picked up the house key from the key holder and left the house.

He left the house and roamed the streets for a long time. It was a dark night and the cold was so intense that smoke was coming out of the mouth.

He used to go out every day and night when everyone was lost in the valleys of sleep, he used to walk alone on the empty streets. She was haunted by only one thing, why her father killed his secretary and ran away.

His mother who knew that his father was a murderer but still did not accept it in front of him even though his mother had evidence.

He was sitting on the sidewalk reminiscing about the day he found out that his mother had the evidence.

Flashback :

One day, he sat in his mother's room, engaged in a lengthy conversation with her. As his mother withdrew some money from the cupboard, a surprising event unfolded. A plastic package unexpectedly dropped to the floor, revealing its contents: a gun and a letter. The gun had been wrapped carefully in a handkerchief. Reacting swiftly, he promptly rose from his seat, assisting his mother as she lifted the package and concealed it inside the closet. He felt a strong urge to inquire about the situation, but before he could do so, his mother abruptly left the room.

Flashback ends.

He was lost in this thought when suddenly raindrops fell on his face and his face got wet. He stood up from the sidewalk and started walking. He had not brought an umbrella with him, but he was getting relief from being drenched in the rain. He turned his face towards the sky and absorbed the raindrops on his transparent face.