Manhattan Night 2016

As I, Porter Wren (a dedicated columnist and crime reporter), navigate through an after-work gathering hosted by the influential publishing mogul Hobbs, I’m captivated by the intriguing aura of socialite Caroline Crowley. Her late husband, Simon, was a prominent movie producer whose obsession with portraying the raw essence of life led him to document even the minutiae of existence. In a tragic twist, his body was found amidst the wreckage of an old building, leaving behind a veil of enigma. Despite thorough investigations, the police uncovered no clues, and Simon’s death took on an air of unresolved mystery.

When Caroline extends an invitation to my apartment, it’s an opportunity for her to share the confidential police files concerning Simon’s fatality. As I delve into these documents, Simon emerges as an eccentric and controlling personality, often employing hidden cameras to chronicle his existence. His obsession with authenticity didn’t spare Caroline either, as he subjected her to a relentless series of pranks and psychological games to elicit honest reactions. Her collection encompasses thousands of memory cards, brimming with footage of these cruel jokes, though none provide clarity surrounding Simon’s death.

As I continue my investigation, I find myself ensnared in Caroline’s intricate web of deception. My relationship with my wife, Lisa, and our children has soured, and in time, Caroline’s alluring charm ensnares me. However, the deeper I delve into Simon’s life, the more I comprehend the complexity of his demise.

The situation takes a dramatic turn when Hobbs discovers our affair, setting off a catastrophic chain of events where he threatens my family unless I undertake an investigation on his behalf. His motives reveal dual intentions: he seeks a particular memory card that Caroline claims will expose him, desperately wanting it back from her extensive collection. Upon confronting Caroline, she discloses that she too is on a quest for the elusive memory card, spurred on by a dare from Simon to record an encounter after losing a drinking game. An unintentional meeting with Hobbs culminated in a disastrous liaison, which Simon witnessed with burning rage.

As the layers of Caroline’s manipulation peel away, I am left grappling with feelings of betrayal and revulsion. My troubles escalate when Hobbs’ thugs corner me outside my home, delivering a brutal beating and warning that their aggression will persist until they retrieve the incriminating footage.

In a somber moment, I find myself visiting Simon’s father at a nursing home, only to be greeted by a chilling silence. My attention drifts to a video camera perched ominously on a bedside table. Inside the device, the memory card contains nothing but recordings of Simon’s visits to his father. Meanwhile, Hobbs’ henchmen unleash chaos upon my home, wounding my son in their rampage. The fallout is undeniable as Lisa takes the children and leaves, leaving me broken in her absence.

Anger surging within me, I retaliate violently against Hobbs’ lawyer. Afterward, I return to the nursing home footage, squinting at every frame for clues. My persistence reveals a key detail: Simon’s father regularly received visits from Mrs. Segal, a woman charging Simon’s estate exorbitantly for mysterious services. Intrigued, I break into her home and uncover financial records that unveil her deceitful undertakings.

Just as I’m on the cusp of revealing the truth about the memory card, Mrs. Segal arrives unexpectedly, poised to unveil a trove of memories. As I narrate my findings, she identifies herself as a familial friend of Simon, having taken on a motherly role after his own mother passed away. Her kindness was rewarded significantly when Simon gained wealth; he set up a monthly allowance for her support.

Mrs. Segal explains that Simon had asked her, before his death, to monthly send duplicates of the memory card to Hobbs. Unbeknownst to her, each transfer harbored a sinister secret, one that ignited the spark leading to Simon’s tragic end. As Porter watches the events unfold on the footage, horror knots his stomach; it captures an intense conversation between Hobbs and Caroline culminating in their clandestine affair.

In a daring move, I confront Hobbs with the damning footage, effectively neutralizing the threat to my family. In a strangely reciprocal gesture, Hobbs hands me a key retrieved during the search for the memory card—this discovery propels me toward the very site where Simon met his end.

Upon reaching the basement where Simon’s lifeless body was found, I stumble upon yet another hidden camera. The memory card within discloses a shocking revelation: Simon had brought Caroline to this spot on the fateful night of his death. The footage serves as a dark precursor to Caroline’s hidden truth about her stepfather, which she had confided to Hobbs.

With every piece of the puzzle falling into place, I demand clarity, only to be confronted with a chilling revelation. Simon’s own brutal interrogation of Caroline sealed his fate. As dawn breaks, our critical dialogue unfolds, and I present the incriminating video—a tangible reminder of the unraveling secrets. I offer her a duplicate copy, implicitly warning her against seeking my family, stemming from my earlier trepidation. Caroline, in turn, unveils her long-held secret to Hobbs, a revelation masked from Simon’s scrutiny. Parting ways, I leave as abruptly as I entered.

In the wake of these events, my reflective voice seals this confessional moment. I wrestle with the ramifications of my choices, recognizing the collapse of my marriage and the shadow cast on my nature—a dark element that had lain dormant, finally unleashed by the unfolding chaos.

As I navigate through the aftermath, I embark on a solitary drive, passing Caroline’s newly renovated residence, where she resides with her second husband. In a fleeting, poignant exchange, our eyes meet—two souls irrevocably altered by the intertwining secrets that bind our fates.