A Witness to a Life

A stark and unusual story told in Spartan English. A weak hero becomes stronger through the adversity he faces and the pain he endures. A worldly and cynical heroine is softened by the same story. Tom is born of wealthy parents in England in the 1960s. He hates his violent father and loves his mother. His father owns a Munch. His parents are killed in a plane crash. Sir Peter controls his fortune until he is twenty-one. He wants to buy the Munch. He’s obsessed by it. Tom refuses. Tom becomes a recluse on a beach near Darwin. He meets Annie and falls in love. She has had a hysterectomy and cannot have children. She says the Munch is damaging him and convinces him to sell it. An expert declares it genuine. Tom will not sell it to Sir Peter. He hates him. They find another buyer. After the sale, the Munch is found to be a fake. There has been a switch and only Tom could have done it. Before he is arrested, Tom is shown photos of Annie with Sir Peter, she is his mistress and he is the real buyer. Tom now hates Annie. Annie now loves Tom. They all come to Darwin for the trial. Annie visits the expert. He commits suicide. He has left a letter and the truth comes out. Annie is found mutilated. Tom saves her life. He still hates her. He meets Ambrosia. She becomes pregnant with twins. There is a wedding. After the birth, he goes home to his wife. It’s Annie. She is the mother. They were her eggs. Ambrosia was their surrogate. He vows vengeance on Sir Peter.