The Entomologist's Perfect Crime Chapter 2

The story begins:

My name is Ray Dorn. Since childhood, I've loved all kinds of insects and animals, determined to become an entomologist.

My personality was solitary, and my hobbies were solitary, so I never had friends growing up.

Back then, I thought I'd never have friends.

Until the summer twenty years ago.

When I met Lily Morgan.

Lily and I got married. Although it was her second marriage, we were very much in love, and over the years we had a son together.

After marrying Lily, I always believed we could grow old together in happiness and harmony.

The accident happened five years ago on an ordinary day.

After work, I went to her company to pick her up as usual.

When I arrived at her office, she wasn't there. Her secretary said:

"Ms. Morgan didn't come to the company today."

I said:

"That's impossible. I personally drove her to work this morning."

The secretary looked at me strangely, hesitating, before finally saying:

"Professor Dorn, Ms. Morgan really didn't come to the company today."

I called her. The phone rang for a long time.

Then disconnected automatically.

After marriage, every day before work I'd drive her to the company, and after work I'd pick her up.

Sometimes we'd go to the farmers market together, buy fresh ingredients, and I'd cook her a delicious meal at home.

Sometimes we'd browse the mall, watch a movie, then find a well-reviewed restaurant for dinner.

She'd hold my hand, weaving through various streets, holding street food, standing on tiptoes to feed me:

"Ray, try this, it tastes absolutely amazing!"

I'd pinch my nose, furrowing my brow, eating the stinky tofu brought to my lips.

Seeing me continuously dry heaving, she'd laugh.

"You've eaten it so many times, and you're still not used to it? Stinky tofu is obviously delicious~"

With tears in my eyes, I'd swallow the stinky tofu hastily and drink half a bottle of water.

My wife, holding the stinky tofu, walked ahead, her ponytail bouncing on her head.

Seeing her happy smile, I didn't tell her that I once assisted the police in solving a dismemberment case.

The killer had poisoned the victim with toxic insects, then disposed of the body by cutting it into pieces and placing them in containers used for fermenting stinky tofu.

The stench of stinky tofu masked the smell of the corpse.

Customers eating the stinky tofu praised it with the same satisfaction as my wife.

My wife held my hand, shopping, dining, watching movies, traveling.

Through all four seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter, we walked together year after year.

This fulfilling, happy daily life was mundane, but I was content.

This was the family life many people longed for.

But that day, I didn't pick up my wife.

Couldn't reach her by phone, she wasn't at the company.

Yet I was absolutely certain I had driven her to the company that morning and watched her enter the building.

I checked the security footage at the company and found no trace of her in any of the surveillance cameras.

Thinking there might be family members of suspects seeking revenge on me, I felt uneasy.

Nothing will happen, I told myself. The police kept all the cases I assisted with confidential.

She's probably meeting with clients.

Thinking this, I drove home alone.

Until midnight, my wife still hadn't returned.

My wife had disappeared.