Honeymoon Horror Groom Learned His Bride Was A Man With HIV & K!lled Her

…

She was right.

The day turned out to be unforgettable.

By 9:00 in the morning, they were ready to go.

Their suitcases were by the door and Damen’s documents were in his jacket pocket.

All that was left was to say goodbye to his parents.

Damian’s parents, Robert and Gloria, lived 20 minutes away from their apartment.

They owned a small family restaurant that had been passed down from generation to generation.

His father had always dreamed that his son would continue the family business.

But Damian chose a different path, creating a successful chain of grocery stores.

When the newlyweds arrived to say goodbye, his mother, Gloria, had already prepared breakfast.

“I can’t believe my boy is married,” she said, hugging her son.

“It seems like just yesterday you were bringing home scraped knees.

” “Mom, I’m 30 years old.

” Damen laughed.

To a mother, you’ll always be a child.

Zara, dear, take good care of him.

He may be able to run a business, but he’s completely helpless when it comes to everyday life.

I promise to look after him, Zara replied with a smile.

Robert was more reserved in showing his emotions, but Damian saw the pride in his father’s eyes.

“Son, you’ve chosen a good woman.

Take care of her.

And remember, family is the most important thing in life.

work, money, success, all of that is secondary.

I understand, Dad.

Be sure to call and let us know how things are going.

And don’t forget to send photos, added Gloria.

They left Zara’s parents house around 10:00 in the morning.

Tyrone and Evelyn Belmont greeted them with equal warmth.

Tyrone had worked for an insurance company for over 30 years, and Evelyn was a nurse at the local hospital.

They had moved to the area when Zara was a teenager and had managed to build a strong family.

“Our little girl is getting married,” Evelyn said, hugging her daughter tightly.

“Remember how you used to say when you were a child that you would never wear a wedding dress.

People change, Mom,” Zara replied.

And Damian noticed that she tensed slightly.

“The main thing is that you’re happy.

Damian is a good man.

I knew that as soon as you first came to visit us.

” Tyrone shook his son-in-law’s hand.

Zara has always been a special girl.

Smart, determined, sometimes too withdrawn, but that only made her stronger.

I know you’ll make her happy.

I’ll try, Damian replied sincerely.

The farewell was brief.

The taxi was already waiting outside the house.

Her parents waved until the car disappeared around the corner.

Everything went smoothly at the airport.

Check-in, security, waiting for boarding.

Zara leafed through a magazine.

Damian checked his work email, even though he had promised himself not to think about business during their honeymoon.

“Are you nervous?” Zara asked, noticing him tapping his fingers on the armrest of his seat.

“A little.

I’ve just never had such a long break.

2 weeks without work is a record for me.

You need it.

You’ve been working like a man possessed for the last 6 months, preparing for the opening of the new store.

It’s time to learn to relax.

The flight to Texas took just over 3 hours.

Damian dozed off almost immediately after takeoff.

The fatigue from the wedding and early wakeup call was taking its toll.

Zara looked out the window, watching the landscape change beneath the wing of the plane.

When they landed in Houston, the sun was already setting on the horizon.

It was still an hour and a half drive to the resort town in a rental car.

Damian took the wheel.

He loved to drive and wanted to give his wife a chance to enjoy the view.

The road ran along the coast and soon the ocean came into view.

The endless expanse of water painted with the colors of the sunset was breathtaking.

Zara rolled down the window and took a deep breath of the salty air.

“How beautiful,” she whispered.

I’ve dreamed of seeing this for so long.

You’ve never seen the ocean? Damian asked in surprise.

Not the Gulf of Mexico.

We went to the Atlantic coast when I was a child, but it was completely different.

The Ocean View Hotel was located right on the shore.

It was a small, cozy three-story building built in a traditional style with wide verandas and white columns.

Palm trees and tropical plants grew around it, creating a paradise-like atmosphere.

The hotel owner, Javvon Reeves, greeted them personally.

He was a man of about 35 with a welcoming smile and calm manner.

“Welcome to Ocean View,” he said, helping them carry their suitcases from the car.

“I’m Javvon.

I hope the trip wasn’t too tiring.

” “No, everything’s fine.

The place is really amazing,” replied Damian.

We’ve tried to create an atmosphere of tranquility here.

We only have 12 rooms, so each guest receives individual attention.

Your room is on the second floor with a balcony overlooking the ocean.

The check-in process took a few minutes.

Javon explained the hotel rules, restaurant hours, and recreational opportunities.

If you need anything, please let us know.

We have bicycles and snorkeling equipment available for rent, and we can arrange fishing trips or excursions in the surrounding area.

The room exceeded all expectations.

A spacious bedroom with a king-size bed, a living area, a modern bathroom, and most importantly, a huge balcony overlooking the ocean.

The waves rolled onto the sandy shore just 30 m from the hotel.

This is incredible.

Zara sighed as she stepped out onto the balcony.

I could stand here forever.

Damian hugged her from behind and they stood silently looking at the ocean for a while.

The sound of the waves, the salty wind, the warm air, it all created a feeling of complete peace.

“Thank you for choosing this place,” he said, kissing her on the temple.

I wanted something special for our honeymoon.

A place where we could be alone together.

They spent the first day simply enjoying each other’s company.

A late dinner at the hotel restaurant.

A walk on the beach in the moonlight.

Long conversations on the balcony to the sound of the ocean.

Damian felt the tension of the last few months gradually melting away.

The next day, they met the other guests.

The hotel was mostly occupied by couples.

Some celebrating their wedding anniversaries, others simply enjoying a romantic getaway.

The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed.

At breakfast, a woman about their age, Nelani Kennedy, joined their table.

She worked for a travel agency and had come here alone to scout the location for future clients.

“Are you newlyweds?” she asked with a smile.

“It’s obvious.

You have that special sparkle in your eyes.

We got married three days ago, Zara confirmed.

We still can’t believe it.

How romantic.

I love love stories.

Tell me how you met.

Damian and Zara took turns telling the story of how they met.

Nelani listened with interest, asked questions, and shared her own experience working in the tourism business.

You’ve chosen the perfect place, she said.

I’ve traveled halfway around the world, but there’s a special energy here.

The sea heals the soul.

The days passed in blissful idleness.

In the morning, they had breakfast on the balcony, watching the sun rise over the water.

Then, they went down to the beach to swim, sunbathe, and read books.

In the afternoon, they explored the surroundings on rented bicycles or simply wandered along the shore, collecting shells.

The evenings were especially beautiful.

They had dinner at the hotel restaurant where the chef prepared fresh seafood or enjoyed picnics on the beach organized by the staff.

After sunset, they walked along the shore listening to the sound of the waves and enjoying the cool breeze.

Damian felt truly happy for the first time in a long time.

Work, stress, business problems, all of that seemed so distant and unimportant.

He had the woman he loved by his side, surrounded by the beauty of nature with a long life together ahead of them.

“You know what I’m thinking?” Zara said one evening as they sat on the balcony with glasses of wine.

“What? That I want these days to never end.

That we could stay here forever, just be together.

I don’t want to go back either,” Damian agreed.

“But we have our whole lives ahead of us.

We can come back to places like this many more times.

Do you promise? I promise.

She rested her head on his shoulder and they sat in silence, listening to the evening sounds of the ocean.

At that moment, Damian was certain that nothing could destroy their happiness.

By the end of their first week of honeymoon, Damian and Zara already felt like part of the small community of guests at Ocean View.

Morning breakfasts turned into friendly gatherings where they exchanged plans for the day and shared their impressions.

Terrence and Michelle Harris, a couple from Atlanta celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary, usually sat at the next table.

Terrence worked as an engineer for a large construction company and Michelle taught at an elementary school.

They had two children whom they had left with their grandmother for the duration of their vacation.

You know, for the first time in 5 years, we can sleep until 9:00 in the morning.

Michelle laughed, sipping her coffee.

At home, we’re woken up at 7 by cries of, “Mommy, where are my socks?” And, “Daddy, Sophie took my toy.

I can’t even remember the last time I read a book,” Terrence added.

“Here, I’ve already finished three this week.

” Another couple living nearby were Derek and Jasmine Wells, a younger couple who were just starting their life together.

Derek ran a small grocery delivery company and Jasmine worked at a bank as a credit adviser.

They had only been together for a year, but they were already making serious plans.

“We’re thinking about buying a house,” Jasmine shared over dinner.

Derek found a great option in the suburbs.

“Three bedrooms, a big yard where the kids can play.

” “Kids?” Zara asked in surprise.

“Are you already planning?” “Not right away, of course,” Derek laughed.

but we’d like to in a couple of years.

Jazz will be a great mom.

Nelani Kennedy, who worked at a travel agency, became their informal guide.

She knew all the best places in the area and was happy to share her knowledge.

Tomorrow there’s a seafood festival in the neighboring town, she announced at breakfast.

There will be live music, local delicacies, and handiccrafts.

It’s very authentic without any tourist trappings.

Sounds interesting, Zara replied.

Damn.

Shall we go? Of course.

We need to learn more about the local culture.

The days passed at a leisurely vacation pace.

In the morning, they usually went to the beach where they spent several hours swimming in the warm waters of the bay and sunbathing on the soft sand.

The water was surprisingly clear, and you could see the bottom several meters deep.

They spent their evenings in different ways.

Sometimes they had dinner at the hotel restaurant where the chef prepared something special every day using fresh seafood.

Sometimes they ordered room service and had dinner on the balcony under the starry sky.

And a couple of times they went to small restaurants in town to try the local cuisine.

By the end of the week, Damian felt that he had completely disconnected from work thoughts.

He even stopped checking his email, content with short messages from his assistant, saying that everything was going according to plan.

Zara also looked relaxed and happy.

Her skin had taken on a beautiful golden hue.

Her hair had become even curlier from the sea salt, and her eyes constantly sparkled with joy.

“You know what I realized this week?” she said one evening as they walked along the beach.

“What? That we’re really right for each other.

I thought I knew you well, but here, spending 24 hours a day together, I’ve discovered so many new things about you.

Like what? You’re more romantic than you seem, and you have a great sense of humor, and you’re very patient.

Any other man would have gone crazy with my endless sunset photo shoots.

Damian laughed.

Indeed, Zara photographed everything.

Sunrises and sunsets, seagulls on the beach, themselves in various poses, food and restaurants.

Her phone was filled with hundreds of photos.

“I want to remember every moment,” she explained.

“When we’re old, we’ll look back at these photos and remember how happy we were.

” The next evening, they decided to have dinner at the hotel bar.

It was a small room on the first floor with large windows overlooking the ocean.

The interior was decorated in a nautical style.

Wooden furniture, ropes instead of handrails, old nautical charts on the walls.

The bartender, a young guy named Carter, made excellent cocktails.

Damian ordered a whiskey and soda, while Zara preferred a fruity mojito.

Other hotel guests sat at the neighboring tables, and the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly.

“This mojito is divine,” said Zara, tasting the cocktail.

Carter, could you teach me how to make one like this at home? Of course, Miss Crawford.

The secret is in the fresh mint and the right proportions of rum.

Tomorrow afternoon, if you like, I’ll show you the whole process.

They were chatting about plans for tomorrow when an unfamiliar woman approached their table.

She was an attractive girl of about 25 with short hair and piercing eyes.

She was dressed simply but tastefully, jeans, a white blouse, and small gold earrings.

“Sorry to interrupt your evening,” she said, addressing Damian.

“May I sit down? I need to talk to you.

” Damen looked at Zara in surprise, then at the stranger.

“Of course, sit down.

But we don’t know you.

My name is Kira Adabio, and you, if I’m not mistaken, are Damian and Zara Crawford.

I saw you being introduced to the other guests.

Zara looked tense but remained outwardly calm.

Nice to meet you, Kira.

Are you vacationing here, too? We haven’t seen you before.

I just arrived today.

I wanted to take a break from work and get a change of scenery.

I work as an administrator at a medical clinic in Houston.

It’s a stressful job with constant pressure.

Kira ordered a glass of white wine and for a while the conversation flowed along the usual lines of getting acquainted.

She talked about her work, asked about their vacation plans, and shared her impressions of the road.

“How long have you been married?” she asked after a while.

“Just recently, this is our honeymoon,” Damian replied with a smile.

“We got married a little over a week ago.

How romantic.

You two look happy.

” Although, Kira paused as if considering whether to continue.

What? Zara asked, a note of caution in her voice.

Nothing.

I just thought I saw something.

No, I must be mistaken.

Kira took a sip of wine and looked intently at Zara.

Tell me, did you used to live in Houston 5 or 6 years ago? No, I’ve never lived in Houston, Zara replied quickly.

I’ve lived in our city my whole life.

That’s strange.

I really think we’ve met before.

I have a very good memory for faces.

Kira paused again, then turned to Damian.

Can I talk to you alone just for a couple of minutes? Damian looked at his wife in confusion.

But why? We don’t know each other.

Trust me, it’s important.

I don’t want to ruin your evening, but what I have to say concerns you personally.

Zara turned pale.

Damn, maybe we shouldn’t.

We don’t know this woman.

She could be some kind of adventurous.

“I understand your concerns,” Kira said calmly.

“But I assure you, I have no ulterior motives.

There are just some things a man should know about his wife.

” “These words struck like a thunderbolt.

” Damen felt his heart beat faster.

“What are you talking about, Damian? Don’t listen to her,” Zara said quickly.

“She’s crazy.

Let’s go to the room.

” But curiosity and a vague sense of unease had already taken root in Damian’s mind.

He looked at his wife then at Kira.

“All right, but not for long, Zara.

Wait for me here.

” “No, I’ll come with you.

It’s better to talk face to face,” Kira insisted.

“I promise it won’t take more than 10 minutes.

” Zara looked frightened, but there was nothing she could do.

Damian and Kira moved to the far corner of the bar where there were several empty tables.

“I’m listening,” Damen said, trying to remain calm.

Kira took her phone out of her purse and scrolled through some photos for a while.

“Tell me, did you know your wife used to be a man?” Damen felt the ground slip away beneath his feet.

He stared at Kira, unable to utter a word.

I understand it’s a shock,” she continued quietly.

“But it’s true.

5 years ago, her name was Zachary Belmont.

We dated for about a year.

Back then, he was a guy tall, thin, with short hair.

Pretty cute, actually.

You You’re lying,” Damian croked.

“That’s impossible.

I know how it sounds, but I have proof.

” Kira held out her phone to him.

“Look at these photos.

On the screen was a photo of a young man and woman.

The guy really did look like Zara.

Same eyes, same facial features, but a completely different body type and hairstyle.

The girl next to him was definitely Kira, only younger.

It could be anyone, Damian said, but his voice was shaking.

Here are some more photos.

Here we are at a picnic, and here we are at the movies.

Notice the mole above her left eyebrow.

Your wife has the same one, right? Damian knew that mole.

He often kissed Zara right there.

The young man in the photos had the same mark.

But why? Why are you telling me this? Kira’s face hardened.

Because Zachary ruined my life.

We were dating and I thought he loved me.

Then it turned out that he had infected me with HIV.

He knew about his illness, but he didn’t say anything.

I only found out 6 months after we broke up when I got tested before starting a new relationship.

Damian felt like he was suffocating.

The information was too monstrous to take in right away.

HIV, but that’s yes, it means that if you had unprotected sex, you could be infected.

And judging by the fact that you’re newly weds.

Kira didn’t finish, but the meaning was clear.

I don’t believe it.

I’m sorry, but the fact remains that 5 years ago, Zachary Belmont was HIV positive.

Damen glanced at his wife.

Zara was sitting at their table, nervously fiddling with her napkin.

She looked in their direction several times, and he saw fear in her eyes.

Why should I believe you? Maybe this is some kind of revenge, an attempt to destroy someone else’s happiness.

I have no reason to lie.

What’s more, by telling you this, I’m revealing very personal information about myself.

Do you think it’s easy for me to admit to a stranger that I’m HIV positive? Kira showed him a few more photos.

One of them was a passport in the name of Zachary Belmont.

The face in the photo definitely belonged to the same person as in the other pictures.

I spent 2 years looking for Zachary.

I wanted to sue him for emotional distress.

But when I found him, it turned out that he was now Zara Belmont, who was about to get married.

I decided that justice demanded that I warn her future husband.

Damen felt like he was going crazy.

Everything that was happening seemed like a nightmare from which he couldn’t wake up.

Kira took a sip of wine and continued, “Listen, I’m not asking you to decide anything right away.

Just talk to her.

ask her direct questions.

If she’s really changed and become an honest person, she’ll tell the truth.

And if she starts lying, she shrugged.

Damian was silent, digesting what he had heard.

Part of him desperately wanted to disbelieve Kira, declare her a liar, and forget about the conversation.

But the photos looked too convincing, and Zara’s behavior at the beginning of the conversation was too suspicious.

If it’s true, why didn’t she say anything? We were going to get married.

We were planning to have children.

I don’t know.

Maybe she was afraid of losing you.

Maybe she hoped that the past would remain in the past.

But you have to agree that building a marriage on a lie is not the best idea.

Damian looked at his wife again.

Zara was now watching them openly, and the expression on her face suggested that she understood that the conversation was about her.

What do you want from me? Nothing.

I did what I thought was right.

It’s up to you now.

You can believe me or you can think I’m crazy.

But if you decide to find out the truth, know that I have more evidence.

Medical records, correspondence, testimonies from mutual acquaintances.

Kira finished her wine and stood up.

I have to go.

If you want to talk more, I’m staying at the Blue Bay Hotel next door, room 207.

She headed for the exit, leaving Damen alone with his thoughts.

He sat motionless for several minutes, trying to make sense of what he had heard.

The information was so shocking that his mind refused to accept it.

Zara approached him with a worried expression on her face.

“Damn, what did she say to you? You look terrible.

” Damian looked up and for the first time since they had met studied his wife’s face closely.

Could those features really belong to a man? That mole above her eyebrow which he loved to kiss so much.

Did that guy in the photos have it? Nothing special.

She must be crazy.

Let’s go up to the room and talk.

No, I want a drink.

Drink a lot.

Damian called the bartender and ordered a double whiskey.

Zara sat down next to him, but he moved away from her.

Please don’t drink so much.

Let’s talk about it calmly.

He drank the second whiskey and ordered a third.

Despite Zara’s protests, alcohol didn’t help.

The shock was too strong.

On the contrary, with each sip, the reality of what was happening became more and more terrifying.

Damn, please stop drinking.

Let’s go to the room.

Tell me what happened.

He ordered a fourth whiskey and Zara tried to take the glass away from him.

Damian jerked his hand away sharply.

Bartender Carter watched the scene with concern but did not intervene.

Other guests also began to glance in their direction.

Mr.

Crawford, perhaps we should continue this conversation in a more private setting.

He suggested diplomatically.

Yes, you’re right.

Zara agreed.

Damn.

Please, let’s go upstairs.

Damian finished his whiskey and stood up with difficulty.

The alcohol hit his head, but the pain and shock were stronger than the intoxication.

He silently headed for the elevator and Zara followed him.

They didn’t talk in the elevator.

Zara tried several times to take his hand, but he avoided her touch.

When the doors opened on their floor, Damen stepped out first and quickly walked to the room.

in the room.

He immediately went out onto the balcony and stared at the ocean.

The sound of the waves, which had previously been soothing, now seemed gloomy and threatening.

Zara stayed in the room, not daring to approach him.

That evening, the conversation never happened.

Damian woke up feeling like a truck had run over his head.

The morning sun was shining in his eyes through the uncurtained windows.

His mouth was dry and his temples were throbbing with pain.

He lay motionless for a few seconds trying to figure out where he was and why he felt so awful.

Then the memories came flooding back.

Kira at the bar, the photos, the words about Zara having been a man named Zachary, the conversation about HIV, the alcohol he had tried to drown his shock in when he returned to the room and refused to discuss anything with his wife.

Damian slowly turned his head.

Zara was sleeping on the pillow next to him, but even in her sleep, her face showed tension.

There were dark circles under her eyes, indicating a sleepless night.

Last night, she had tried to talk to him, but he had flatly refused to discuss anything, citing intoxication and fatigue.

He quietly got out of bed, trying not to wake his wife.

Wife? Now he didn’t even know what to call her.

In the bathroom, Damian stood under the cold shower for a long time, hoping that the water would wash away not only his hangover, but also the nightmarish memories of last night.

But reality was stubborn.

Every detail of his conversation with Kira was etched in his memory with photographic precision.

When he came out of the bathroom, Zara was already awake and sitting on the edge of the bed.

Her eyes were red from crying and sleeplessness.

“Good morning,” she said cautiously, studying him.

“How are you feeling?” “Fine,” Damian replied curtly, avoiding her gaze.

“Damn, we need to talk about what happened yesterday.

That woman said something to you, and you?” “Not now,” he interrupted sharply.

“I have a headache.

” Zara fell silent, but he could feel her gaze on him.

Damian got dressed and went out onto the balcony with a cup of coffee, making it clear that he had no intention of talking.

Breakfast was spent in awkward silence.

They sat at a table in the hotel restaurant, but Damian barely touched his food.

Zara tried several times to strike up a conversation, but received only one-word answers.

“Maybe we could go to that lighthouse Nani told us about today,” she suggested.

“I don’t feel like it.

Then how about just going to the beach? The weather is great.

We’ll see.

Terrence and Michelle Harris, sitting at the next table, noticed the tension.

Is everything okay? Michelle asked.

You both look upset.

Everything’s fine, Damian lied.

We just didn’t sleep well.

After breakfast, he announced that he wanted to go for a walk alone.

Zara asked to go with him, but he said he needed to be alone.

For the next few hours, Damian wandered along the beach, moving away from the hotel.

Kira’s words and the photos she had shown him kept running through his head.

The man in the photos really did look a lot like Zara.

Same eyes, same facial features, same mole above the left eyebrow.

Could it be true? Could the woman he had loved for 2 years, who had become his wife, have once been a man? And even worse, could she be HIV positive and have infected him? Damian remembered their intimacy.

All the times they had made love without a condom.

If Kira was telling the truth, then he could be infected.

The thought made him feel sick.

But even worse was the realization that he had been deceived.

Two years of relationship, plans for the future, dreams of children, all of this could have been built on a lie.

How could someone hide such important things from the person they loved? The rest of the day passed in the same tension.

They hardly spoke.

Damian avoided touching or even looking at his wife.

At dinner, he ordered only a light salad and drank several glasses of wine, trying to drown out his disturbing thoughts.

Zara seemed increasingly agitated.

Several times he caught her studying him, saw her open her mouth to say something, but then change her mind.

By 8:00, Damian had made up his mind.

He had to find out the truth, no matter how painful it might be.

If Kira had lied, he would ask his wife for forgiveness for his distrust.

If she had told the truth, he didn’t want to think about the consequences.

“Zara,” he said as he entered the room.

“Would you like to take a walk on the beach? It’s a beautiful evening.

” His wife looked up from her book.

A glimmer of hope flashed in her eyes.

Of course, I was beginning to think we wouldn’t spend any more time together.

Don’t be silly.

It’s just been a difficult day.

They went down to the beach through the back door of the hotel.

The sun was already setting, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink.

Other vacationers were strolling along the shore, but Damen deliberately led Zara in the opposite direction where the beach was more deserted.

How beautiful, Zara said, breathing in the sea air.

I’ve missed our evening walk so much.

Damian didn’t answer.

In his jacket pocket was the phone with the photos Kira had sent him that morning.

A few more pictures of Zachary, medical documents confirming his HIV status.

They walked in silence for 15 minutes away from the hotel and other people.

Finally, Damian stopped at a large boulder sticking out of the sand.

from here.

Neither the hotel lights nor other vacationers were visible.

Zara, he said, turning to his wife.

I need to show you something.

What? Her voice sounded wary.

Damen took out his phone and turned on the screen.

It showed a photo of a young man with short hair.

Who is this? He asked.

Zara looked at the photo and he saw her turn pale in the moonlight.

I I don’t know.

some guy.

Look closer, especially at the mole above his left eyebrow.

Zara’s hand involuntarily rose to her face, touching the exact spot he was talking about.

Damn.

Where did you get this photo? From Kira, the woman who approached us at the bar yesterday.

She claims this guy’s name was Zachary Belmont and that you dated 5 years ago.

Zara took a step back as if he had hit her.

She’s crazy.

I don’t know any Zachary.

What about this? Damian showed her the next photo.

The same young man embracing Kira.

Kira says, “This is you with her at a picnic, summer of 2019.

That’s not me.

That’s some other guy who just looks like Zara.

This guy has the same mole as you in the same place, same eyes, same facial features.

” Damen flipped to the next photo.

Copies of medical records.

And this is a certificate stating that Zachary Belmont is HIV positive.

The date is March 2019.

Kira claims that you infected her knowing about your illness.

Zara looked at the documents and Damian saw tears rolling down her face.

Damn, I can explain everything.

So, it’s true.

His voice became harsh.

You really were a man? No, I wasn’t.

I’ve always been a woman inside.

It’s just answer me directly.

Yes or no? Were you born in a male body? Zara covered her face with her hands.

Yes, she whispered.

But that doesn’t mean what about HIV? Do you have HIV? Damn.

Listen to me.

Yes or no? Yes, she said even more quietly.

But I’m on medication.

The viral load.

Damian felt the ground slip away from under his feet.

Even though he had been preparing himself for this answer, the reality was much more painful.

2 years, he said slowly.

You lied to me every day for 2 years.

I didn’t lie.

I just didn’t tell you.

It’s the same thing.

You let me marry you without knowing who you really were.

Damian began pacing back and forth on the sand, trying to cope with his growing rage.

You know what kills me the most? It’s not that you were a man.

People can change their gender, and I could understand that.

What hurts the most is that you put me at risk of infection without asking for my consent.

The risk is minimal.

I’m on therapy, the doctor said.

I don’t care what the doctor said.

I had a right to know and decide for myself if I was willing to take that risk.

Zara tried to approach him, but he pulled away.

Damn, please listen to me.

I was going to tell you when after we had children, by the way, can we even have children? Or is that a lie, too? I can’t get pregnant.

Hormone therapy.

Another lie.

You let me dream of having children knowing it was impossible.

Damian grabbed his wife by the shoulders and shook her.

Two years of plans, dreams, conversations about the future.

It was all built on a lie.

Damn, you’re hurting me.

Hurting me? What about me? I married someone I don’t know.

I had sex with a man without even knowing it.

I’m not a man.

I’m a woman who was born in the wrong body.

Shut up, he barked.

Shut up with your excuses.

In a fit of rage, Damian pushed Zara and she fell onto the sand.

The moonlight fell on her face, illuminating the tears and fear in her eyes.

“You know what’s the worst part?” he continued, standing over her.

I still don’t understand who you are.

Zara, Zachary, some madeup personality.

I’m Zara.

I’ve always been Zara inside.

You’re lying.

If you were honest, you would have told me from the beginning.

Damian grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the water.

What are you doing? Let go of me.

You want to know what I’m doing? I’m trying to figure out how to live with the person who turned my life into a farce.

They reached the edge of the surf.

Waves rolled over their feet, cold water seeping into their shoes.

Damn, please stop.

You’re scaring me.

Scaring you? Weren’t you scared when you infected Kira? Weren’t you scared when you put me at risk? I didn’t know how the virus was transmitted back then.

I was young and stupid.

And now, now you knew and still kept quiet.

Damian pushed her deeper into the water.

Zara lost her balance and fell.

A wave covered her head, but she quickly got up, coughing and spitting.

Damn, stop it.

You’re crazy.

Crazy, maybe.

But you know what drives me crazy the most? The fact that the woman I loved never existed.

He pushed her again, harder.

This time, Zara fell deeper, and the next wave was bigger.

She tried to get up, but the current knocked her down.

Damn, help me.

I can’t get up.

But instead of helping, Damian grabbed her by the head and pushed her under the water.

Zara struggled desperately to break free.

But he was stronger.

All the pain and rage from 2 years of deception poured into his movements.

You ruined my life,” he shouted over the sound of the waves.

“You made a fool of me.

” Zara stopped struggling.

Damian held her underwater for a few more seconds, then let go.

She floated face down and the waves began to carry her body toward the shore.

The reality of what had happened hit him like a bolt of lightning.

He stood waist deep in the water staring at the lifeless body of his wife.

His wife, the person he loved, despite all the deception.

Oh God, he whispered.

What have I done? Damian tried to pull the body ashore, tried to revive Zara, but it was too late.

She was dead.

He sat on the wet sand, holding her lifeless body in his arms and cried.

The anger was gone, leaving only horror at what he had done and the realization that his life was over.

Half an hour later, he left the body at the water’s edge and wandered back to the hotel.

His clothes were wet, sand was stuck in his hair, but he walked mechanically, thinking of nothing.

There was almost no one in the hotel bar, only Carter behind the counter and an elderly couple in the far corner.

Damian ordered a bottle of whiskey and began to methodically empty it.

“Mr.

Crawford, where’s your wife?” Carter asked, noticing his strange appearance.

“She’s gone,” Damen replied, finishing another glass.

“She’ll never be back.

” “What do you mean? Did something happen to her?” Damen didn’t answer, just ordered more whiskey.

He continued drinking, trying to drown out the realization that he had become a murderer.

But the alcohol didn’t help.

Each sip only made the picture of what had happened brighter and more frightening.

His life was truly over.

Not only because he had committed murder, but because he had killed the only person he had ever truly loved.

Despite all the deception, despite all the lies, he loved Zara.

And now she was dead by his hand.

Human remains have just been found in the search for a pregnant mother of two abducted from her home on Tuesday.

Those remains were found near an area crews were searching for 27-year-old Andrea Lloyd.

The medical examiner has not positively identified them as those of Lloyd, but arrived at the search scene earlier this evening.

Authorities have detained an ex-boyfriend, but did not reveal his name.

Lloyd is expecting her third child.

Anyone with any information in the case is asked to is asked to call Miami date police.

>> Two days before Andrea Lloyd disappeared, she shared something on her Facebook page.

The people who saw it scrolled past it.

Nobody called to check in.

But when you read what she shared, you will understand exactly what she was trying to say, but no one caught it in time.

Before we get into it, leave a like, drop your thoughts in the comments, and subscribe to Crime on Pulse so you won’t miss the next case.

Andrea Ollet Lloyd was born on December 13th, 1993 in Miami, Florida.

She grew up in Miami Dade County, Laura Sanders Elementary, Campbell Drive Middle School, Homestead Senior High School, and eventually earned her diploma at Maverick’s High School.

She was driven.

She started her working life in retail, but that was never going to hold her.

She found her real calling in caregiving, taking care of people who needed consistent, genuine support.

She joined Sunrise Community and within 3 years, she had worked her way up from caregiver to residential program director, overseeing the care of adults.

Outside of work, Andrea was a mother of two boys, a 1-year-old and 5-year-old.

Her family described her world simply.

She worked and she took care of her kids.

That was it and that was everything to her.

She was deeply connected to her family.

Her parents Arnold and Alfreda Lloyd and a wide circle of people who loved her.

Xavier was 32 years old and he had been in Andrea’s life for 11 years, not months or a couple of years.

That is more than a third of her entire life.

They had two children together, built a shared life, vacations, family events, and everyday moments.

They traveled together, did ordinary couple things, nail salons, outings, family gatherings.

Oh.

Read it.

I don’t even know what the top say.

>> Can you read it out loud, please? >> No, I ain’t going to read it out loud.

>> Oh, I scored it.

Where the money at? That already came prepacked.

They wanted, you know.

>> So, you didn’t do this? >> No, I ordered it.

>> Okay.

I open I open >> psych.

>> Psych.

I want to open taste.

>> Open taste.

>> Can you go Bad boy.

Bad boy.

>> Can I see the box? I should have >> I should have put on my clothes.

Maybe.

Maybe a By every visible measure, Xavier was not just her boyfriend, he was her partner in everything.

At some point during their relationship, they did a maternity shoot.

Beautiful black and white photos.

Xavier with his hand on her pregnant belly.

Both of them in white, holding hands, laughing in an open field.

The kind of photos that are supposed to mark the beginning of something beautiful.

Everyone around them saw a happy couple.

Andrea’s family said they had never seen them argue.

Not at gatherings, at family functions, not in any setting they were present for.

Her nephew said their relationship seemed perfect.

When they came around, they were always happy.

But at some point, the relationship that looked so solid on the outside had become something else entirely.

Xavier had become controlling and dominating.

He had been unfaithful to Andrea repeatedly.

And Andrea, who had given this man 11 years, two children, and her full commitment, had reached the point where she was done.

Her aunt described her as someone who had given that relationship everything a marriage would require.

She was, in her words, like a wife, not just a girlfriend.

She had carried this relationship with everything she had and was tired.

She had made up her mind and was planning to leave.

2 days before everything changed, Andrea went on Facebook and shared a post.

not something she wrote herself, a post she came across that clearly spoke to exactly where she was.

It read, “Narcissistic manipulators.

” Let’s get into it.

People who intentionally or unintentionally attack you and hurt you.

Then once they hurt you and you react, they are upset at how you reacted to the intentional or unintentional hurt they did to you.

They try to turn it on you to add more hurtful things to make it seem like you’re the problem or at fault for how they did you when in fact you did absolutely nothing to them to cause their reason for the intentional or unintentional hurt or attack.

Not once will they think to apologize because remember once you reacted to what they did to you, you then became the problem and now they are the victim.

They hold zero accountability.

They see no wrong in what they did only in how you reacted.

These will be the same people who say they love and care for you.

Feel free to correct me where I am wrong.

And good morning.

December 8th, 2021, just after midnight, Andrea was at work.

She was the overnight supervisor at a South Miami Dade group home, the same kind of facility she had dedicated her career to.

She was doing her job.

She showed up to every shift, caring for adults who depended on her.

A knock came at the door.

She opened it.

She knew the person on the other side.

It was Xavier.

The surveillance camera at the facility captured what happened next.

Xavier did not come to talk.

He attacked Andrea at her workplace, forced her out of the building, pushed her into her own vehicle, a white Honda Civic, and drove away with her.

The camera caught all of it.

When Andrea did not come home and made no contact with her family, the alarm spread immediately.

For someone whose whole life revolved around her children and the people depending on her, silence was not something that happened without reason.

Now to a developing story out of Southwest Miami Dade, where police say a woman is still missing after being abducted from her job this morning.

27year-old Andrea Lloyd works as a caretaker at a home.

That’s where she was when we’re told she opened the door to a man who beat her and dragged her into his car against her will.

Here’s CBS4’s Joel Waldman with more details.

>> In news, unfortunately, we covered too many of these stories, but I can’t remember a time in recent memory when so many family members showed up in such a short amount of time, desperate for Andrea to come back home safely.

>> It’s hard.

It’s hard because, you know, I mean, she’s the type of person she she always she always calls her dad because she we got so much love in the family.

>> Comforted by all that love, Patriarch Arnold Lloyd, a modest family man, told us he only wants one thing this holiday season.

>> Everybody know me, I don’t beg for nothing, but I’m begging for my daughter to come home.

I don’t beg for nothing.

I don’t beg for nothing, but I’m begging for my daughter to come home.

The baby of his 12 children, Andrea Lloyd, never returned home from her job as a caretaker at this South Miami Dade group home where the 27year-old worked as a supervisor.

>> For her not to not to have contacted any of us, something is wrong.

>> Miami date police confirming something did in fact go drastically wrong overnight.

They say surveillance video revealed a disturbing scene after a man showed up at Andrea’s job just after midnight.

>> This male proceeded to batter her and eventually during the altercation pushed her inside of a vehicle and drove off in an unknown direction.

>> Police say she was dragged and forced into a white Honda Civic with Florida tag Y650DL.

Andrea’s family tells us they have a hunch who her attacker is, but were asked by police to keep it to themselves for now.

>> Andrea is not the type person that would leave with a stranger.

And the information and the evidence that the detectives shared with us indicates that she was very familiar with the person that abducted her.

>> The mother of two young boys herself, Andrea’s family says she would never leave them alone.

>> She works, she takes care of her kids.

She works, she takes care of her kids.

That’s her life.

>> She’s an angel.

She’s an angel.

I mean, she’s a real angel.

>> Anyone with any information is asked to call Miami Day Crimes Stoppers at 305471 TIPS.

There is a reward for anyone with information that leads to an arrest.

Reporting in Florida City, Joel Walman, CBS4 News.

>> Her father knew right away.

Her family had a strong feeling about who was responsible.

Police asked them to keep the name to themselves while the investigation moved forward, but they already knew.

And investigators later confirmed that the person who took Andrea was someone she knew very well.

Someone she had every reason to open the door for.

Miami Dade police launched a full search operation.

Aviation units, all-terrain vehicles, K-9 teams, everything they had was deployed.

The white Honda Civic and its Florida tag were named in public alerts.

The community was asked to come forward with information and a reward was put on the table.

Andrea’s family did not sit and wait.

They went looking for her themselves.

Family members, including Andrea’s uncle, were out covering ground when they spotted Xavier Johnson in a heavily wooded area near the Homestead Speedway.

So, they called the police immediately.

Officers responded and Xavier was detained on the spot.

The K-9 unit moved in.

The cadaavver dog worked through that wooded area and alerted Xavier’s black pickup truck.

Close to that truck was a large metal utility box, the kind typically used for storage in the bed of a pickup.

What investigators found inside confirmed everything Andrea’s family had feared from the moment she did not come home.

Andrea Lloyd was gone.

She was reportedly just weeks pregnant with her third child.

Her two boys, 1-year-old and 5 years old, were now without their mother.

She was 5 days away from her 28th birthday.

Her father had stood before cameras while she was still missing and said something that stayed with everyone who heard it.

>> It’s hard.

It’s hard because, you know, she’s the type of person she she always she always calls her dad because she we got so much love in the family.

Everybody know me.

I don’t beg for nothing, but I’m begging for my daughter to come home.

I don’t beg for nothing.

I don’t beg for nothing, but I’m begging for my daughter to come home.

I feel good, but you know that still won’t bring back my daughter.

You know, I still want to bring back my daughter cuz she was going to leave him.

She was tired of him messing around on her and she was like a, you know, a wife, not a girlfriend.

If I knew anything was wrong, she wouldn’t have been there cuz I could have put in the house myself.

>> Her uncle spoke about what it meant to lose someone this way.

He said, “It hurts knowing that you loved someone like family, treated them like your own, and that same person brought this kind of pain into your home.

It hurts me for the fact that sometime you have loved ones that’s so close to you [ __ ] to get you involved in certain things when it come to them.

>> Her godmother could not stop thinking about the children.

Those two little boys who were now going to grow up without the woman who was the center of their entire world.

Xavier Johnson was taken to Miami Dade Police Department headquarters for questioning and he confessed.

He admitted to holding Andrea Lloyd against her will and hurting her.

Miami Dade Police Director Alfredo Ramirez publicly confirmed the charges against Xavier Johnson and addressed the community directly.

Right now at noon, authorities arresting a man who they say confessed to kidnapping and killing his pregnant girlfriend.

We were there as 32-year-old Xavier Johnson was walked into jail shortly after midnight.

Police say Andrea Lloyd was abducted as she was working at a Southwest Miami Dade group home >> and human remains were found sadly on Wednesday, but they have yet to be identified.

Johnson now facing a judge and local 10’s Anelise Garcia is live in Derell with more on this one for us.

Anelise.

>> Yeah, Janice Christie.

Today Johnson did appear in front of a judge and that judge did find probable cause and now he’s being held no bond.

>> The medical examiner confirmed the identity of the remains found near Homestead.

It was Andrea.

Xavier Johnson was charged with first-degree homicide, kidnapping, and burglary with assault.

Xavier appeared before Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer.

The judge found probable cause on all three counts.

She noted that this was the kind of case that could potentially be pursued as a capital penalty case.

>> Mr.

Johnson, good morning.

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