The World Turns Against Me

Elara's POV

The cold walls of the police station felt like they were closing in around me. My body trembled as I sat in the interrogation room, my hands cuffed to the table.

My heart raced as I tried to make sense of the whirlwind of events that had led me here. Just days ago, I was mourning the loss of my husband, and now, I was being accused of his murder.

The door creaked open, and the lead investigator, Detective Harris, entered. His eyes, sharp and piercing, scanned me as if I were an open book.

“Mrs. Elara Stone,” he began, dropping a folder onto the table. “The autopsy results are in.”

I sat up straight, clutching onto a shred of hope. Perhaps the results would clear me. Perhaps they would find something to prove I wasn’t responsible for Liam’s death.

“Your husband was poisoned,” Harris said bluntly, his voice void of emotion.

My stomach dropped. “Poisoned?” I echoed, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Yes,” he confirmed, flipping open the folder. “The autopsy revealed traces of a rare toxin in his system. It was administered hours before the car accident.”

I shook my head, my mind racing. “But… I didn’t…”

Harris leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “The evidence says otherwise, Mrs. Stone. We found receipts for the toxin purchased in your name.

Your fingerprints were on a vial discovered in your home. Care to explain that?”

My breath caught. “That’s impossible! I’ve never….”

“Save it,” Harris interrupted, his tone sharp. “You had motive. Your husband’s business is worth millions, and you stood to gain everything.”

Tears welled up in my eyes. “I loved Liam! I would never hurt him!”

“Love isn’t enough to clear you of suspicion,” Harris retorted. “We’ve seen this story play out before: a grieving widow turns out to be a cold-blooded murderer.”

I couldn’t breathe. My chest tightened as the weight of his words pressed down on me. “Please, you have to believe me. Someone is framing me.”

Harris smirked, clearly unconvinced. “That’s a convenient excuse. Do you have any idea who would want to frame you?”

I opened my mouth to respond but faltered. The truth was, I didn’t know. Liam had always been careful about his business dealings. Who would do this? And why?

Hours later, Victor, Liam’s best friend, arrived. Seeing his familiar face brought a sliver of comfort, but his expression was guarded. He sat across from me, his usual confident demeanor replaced with uncertainty.

“Elara,” he began softly. “I came as soon as I heard.”

Tears streamed down my face. “Victor, they think I killed Liam. They’re saying I poisoned him.”

Victor’s brows furrowed. “That doesn’t make any sense. You… you wouldn’t do that.”

“Of course I wouldn’t!” I cried. “But they have evidence against me. Someone planted it, Victor. Someone wants to destroy me.”

He hesitated, his eyes searching mine. “Do you… do you think it could be related to Liam’s business? He… he wasn’t always transparent about his dealings.”

I blinked, caught off guard. Liam had always told me his business was above board, but Victor’s words suggested otherwise. “What do you mean?”

Victor shook his head. “I don’t know. I’m just… grasping at straws here. But I promise, I’ll look into this.”

The next day, I was summoned for another round of questioning. This time, the atmosphere was even more oppressive. Harris wasn’t alone; two other officers flanked him, their gazes cold and calculating.

“Mrs. Stone,” Harris began, “we’ve brought someone in who claims you killed your husband.”

My heart stopped. “What? That’s absurd!”