Alchemy of Secrets

by Stephanie Garber

Around this time, Saint, who had taken a break from acting to spend time with her and Benjamin’s twin daughters, made her grand return to Hollywood by starring in the gritty 2010 drama Conclavity. This film earned Isla Saint her first Academy Award. It’s said she cried during her entire acceptance speech. You tried to find the speech online, but there are no recordings of it. When you looked for it, you found videos of everyone else who won an Oscar. But all that came up for Isla Saint were articles about how, that same night—February 27, 2011—she murdered her husband. Even before reading the Wonderpage, you knew this. You might have just been a kid when it happened, but everyone knows how their love story ended. “The official crime report says that Isla shot Benjamin with a gun just like this,” says the Professor as she stands, opens the lid of the piano, and pulls out a dull black revolver. “Don’t worry, this weapon is merely a prop.” She smiles her Mona Lisa smile, and you’re not sure you believe her. “Isla shot her husband twice—once in the heart and once in the head—before turning the gun on herself.” The Professor points the gun at her head, making you flinch. “The tabloids said it was all because of another woman. A young unknown actress named Jessica Travers, who Benjamin was having an affair with. Of course, Jessica never confirmed these rumors because she died by suicide the same night.”