Third person~
They found her in the bathtub. They called it suicide and of course, everyone accepted it. It was a tragic ending to a poor, tortured soul. That was the picture they painted.
Looking at her life, it was feasible. She might have actually committed suicide.
But she was about to make a comeback and some people had questions.
There was no note, no drugs in her system, just a faint mark at the side of her neck that almost looked like a bite. The water had gone cold by the time they found her and even though the scene looked clean and there was no sign of anyone breaking in, the look on her face told a different story.
Lena Valen did not go peacefully. Or willingly.
But the funeral was a closed casket. They said it was at the request of her family but those in the industry knew better.
Those who knew, knew.
She was supposed to make a comeback, one that could've revived her dying career. Lena had been smiling again, been eating, been full of life, until, she wasn't.
No one just decides to die like that, not when they're on the verge of something big.
"She had to go," he muttered. "She was snooping around."
"Stop talking, Walter." The woman beside him hissed as she glanced around the church. The service was over but a few mourners lingered to pay their respects.
"No one's listening," the man, apparently named Walter, said, his eyes were fixed on the casket.
"You're going to get us killed if you don't shut your mouth. They can hear us, remember?"
The woman stiffened beside him, she looked poised and calm but on a closer look, she was tense, disturbingly so.
"You think we'll be next, Rose?" the man asked, leaning closer to the woman.
"You will if you keep running your mouth," she said and stood up, walking towards the exit of the church.
Lena was survived by her mother and her sister, both of them sat in the front row. The mother had not said a word since her daughter was confirmed dead, leaving the sister to take care of all the funeral proceedings.
"She didn't deserve this," one of the guests said as she quietly approached Lena's sister and mother.
She was tall, dressed in a long black coat that seemed appropriate for the occasion.
"Did you know her?" the sister asked. She and her sister were not particularly close. Lena never spoke about work so her family never knew her colleagues but then again, Lena never really spoke much. She was a quiet girl who didn't attract much attention.
The woman smiled faintly, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
"We worked on a project together, two years ago. I didn't take her for a church person though," she said.
"Thank you for coming," the sister said in a dismissive tone as she turned to her mother to rub her back. She had no reason to be nice to the stranger she had never met before and she also didn't want to be rude because after all, the stranger did come to pay her respects.
Or did she?
The sister was one of those people who believed that Lena could never kill herself, even if she was at the darkest place of her life.
And Lena was at the darkest place of her life, but she was finally about to leave it and all of a sudden she dies. It just didn't add up.
But what could she do? The police were not much help, they dismissed it as a suicide case and told her to stop trying to make a case out of nothing.
They were not willing to help, they didn't even let her see the body for long. All she did was arrange for the funeral, without having full access to her dead sister.
"What a bitch." The woman said as she exited the church and made her way towards a car waiting at the other side of the road.
Inside, a man with tinted sunglasses looked at her as she entered the car into the passenger seat.
"Well?" He asked as she made herself comfortable.
"She's suspicious but not smart or powerful enough to do anything about it."
The man lit a cigarette. "You got a look on the mother?"
"Won't be a problem." Came the reply.
"The sister?" He asked as he let out a puff.
The woman smirked. "Annoying. Really fucking annoying. But they won't step out of line."
The man sighed. "Now to find someone to take Lena's place in this stupid project. They're unwilling to wait on the casting."
"Why is that our job?" The woman asked, exasperated.
"Do you want to question them, Keeley?" The man asked with a tinge of irritation in his voice.
"You know I don't." The woman responded. "Joe."
"Then stop talking." Joe said, the irritation in his voice was more evident.
"It's just, we shouldn't be listening to monsters like them, you get what I mean?" Keeley asked.
Joe didn't answer right away, instead, his eyes were fixed on the rear view mirror, as if trying to check if they were being listened to.
"Keep talking like that and you'll end up dead."
Keeley leaned her head against the window and tugged at the fabric of her coat. "Lena was scared, you know? She was just trying to survive."
"And now, she's dead. Maybe take that as a lesson."
Silence ensued between them before Keeley broke it.
"So, who could we possibly cast to replace Lena? He's currently unstable and who knows, her replacement might just end up like her."
"I already have someone in mind. Someone who the public would not care if she disappears." Joe said flatly.
Keeley scoffed, still looking out the window.
"Who's the poor, unfortunate soul?" She asked, not able to contain her curiosity any longer.
Joe took a long drag of his cigarette, his eyes were still fixed on the rear view mirror and he let out a soft breath.
"Selene Grey."