Learning that flowers were disappearing from his wife’s grave, a wealthy man installed a camera. But when he watched the video, he was left speechless

You’re a detective, your mind is geared for this, I just can’t understand. Is it possible that the boy really saw her, and if so, why would she do this? Maybe someone forced her, huh? Liam had been a long-time friend of Michael’s older brother, once they even spent Christmas holidays together. His brother maintained friendly relations with Liam, so he was glad to help.

It took the professional detective only thirty minutes to solve this mystery. I think your wife went for a scam for money. It’s all quite banal, unfortunately.

Her life was insured. The payout was cashed by a certain Jacob Cortez. Does that name ring a bell? Michael dropped the phone from his hand, awkwardly trying to catch it on the fly, but failed.

Picking up the receiver from the floor, he cleared his throat. I’m sorry, what did you say? Jacob Cortez. Kate was insured in case of death? At that moment, when Michael realised that Kate was alive, she truly died to him.

How could she? How much pain she caused him? I ran this guy, a couple of arrests for drunken brawls, and that’s it. He’s a programmer, works remotely, divorced, recently settled a large sum in alimony payments, probably from the money he received. And what was the insurance amount? Quite substantial to go to such lengths, I was even surprised.

Do you happen to have Jacob’s address? Michael asked, and I do, write it down. The next day, Michael stood at the threshold of a small private house. He was ready to talk to this person calmly.

He just wanted to know where Kate was now. He needed to find her, talk to her, explain. He could give her the money, just give it and that’s it.

Yes, when they got married, Michael’s lawyers insisted that she sign papers stating she couldn’t claim any money from the company. Other property was acquired before the marriage. Maybe she just wanted money.

But Mike wouldn’t have refused her if she just asked. Why did she do it this way? Maybe something happened to her, some kind of trouble. Well, she could have just said so.

Michael pressed the doorbell for the second time, and the door in front of him swung open. He saw Kate, alive and unharmed. She wore a pink terrycloth robe, her hair wet, apparently just after a shower.

Kate, you’re alive? He looked at her, unable to believe, while she seemed entirely unsurprised. Suddenly Michael felt an excruciating pain on his head. The sound of the blow echoed, and he lost consciousness.

Standing behind him was Jacob with a baseball bat, the tool of the blow. Michael woke up in a basement room, dim light filtered in from above, where there was a small window barred with iron. His head was throbbing, nausea and panic washing over him in waves.

He sat on the ground. His hands were tightly bound with ropes, numbing them. His legs were bound tightly too, making any attempt to escape futile.

The pain was so intense that Michael let out a hoarse groan, attempting to free himself. His fingers barely obeyed him. He realised he couldn’t even stand up.

And who were these sadists who had treated him like this? Suddenly Kate’s image surfaced in his mind. Apparently it was her lover who had done this. How wrong he had been about her.

Living with someone under the same roof for years, it turns out you cannot know them at all. Are you awake? came a voice from behind. Kate entered the basement.

She was completely calm. He turned around seeing his wife. You’re alive, Kate.

I was so worried. I cried so much. Why did you do this? Suddenly the question seemed utterly foolish to him.

He was sitting tied up in her lover’s basement. Why did she do this? Well, apparently not out of great love. Because I got tired of living under the same roof with someone who doesn’t appreciate me.

You stopped caring, made me wipe the snot of someone else’s child. I’m not a maid. And yet you always demanded homemade borscht.

I married you thinking you weren’t so poor as to make me a servant. But no, apparently you needed a cook, a dishwasher and a nanny. What are you talking about? I just wanted a normal family, a normal life.

We had a cleaner, we had a nanny. But even if so, why? I buried you. I have documents stating you’re dead.

A death certificate. That Kate did indeed die. Now I go by a different name.

I live under a different passport. And for what? For money? Yes, for them. Right now, Jacob just got into your safe.

Now we’ll have enough to leave and live normally the way you don’t know how to, Mike. You never knew how to live. You should have worked, had snotty kids, shelters and helped animals.

You could have amassed a huge fortune. How many times were you offered good bribes? But no, you and your honesty are completely out of touch with life. Everyone lives like this now….