"This really can't be helped, Mom!" Courtney paced back and forth in her mother's room. Seeing the joy that Mark and his family were experiencing made her jealousy-fueled emotions run high. Not caring that happiness should be Mark's after what he experienced as a child, Courtney couldn't accept that he would be further excluded from the company's inheritance."You're right, sweetheart. Don't think that just because your father can't do anything in his wheelchair that George has the right to control everything. Where are our rights? You should have an equal share of the power in the company with Mark," Mrs. Rebecca said in support of her daughter's words."Oh, I don't know, Ma. Then we have to act. Justice sometimes has to be done ourselves." Courtney said as her eyes held a determined look."Think of a way, sweetie. I'll help you make it happen. I have no idea how to destroy your uncle. Damn. He always manages to get away with it. It's like having a lot of psychics!" grumbled Mrs. Re
"What? Anna!" A comrade immediately shrieked in surprise and drew the attention of the others.Madame Anna had fallen unconscious after visibly staggering and letting her glass fall from her hand. The woman was lying on the ground because no one had noticed her fall. The lemon tea liquid, which was still half remaining, splashed onto her evening dress, which was a luxurious dark blue dress with a strap accent at the waist that made her curves look beautiful.The long clear glass shattered into pieces, making those around Madame Anna realize that someone had fainted. A crowd soon formed, and some of her friends asked the male guests to help Mrs. Anna, taking her outside to find the lady's driver whom they almost all knew.Soon the driver, who had been smoking a cigarette next to the car, threw out his long cigarette butt, his second cigarette because he was too bored to be there with nothing to do but wait for her to come home.And what a surprise it was that she was now on the shoulde
Mark had returned to the hospital around eleven in the evening, and Aileen had decided to stay overnight at the hospital. After all, there was an extra bed in the room for waiting patients plus a long sofa and could even ask for another futon to use if needed.“Are you still here?” greeted Mark as he wrapped an arm around Aileen's waist. He almost kissed Aileen on the forehead as was their habit when they met recently. Fortunately, he then remembered that his father was also in the room although he was busy watching his wife.“Are you awake yet, Pa?” She turned toward the gurney where her mother was still unconscious.“Not yet. What about the police investigation?” “They'll be here tomorrow morning. I just checked the guest book list and who the invitations were distributed to, Pa.” Mark answered in detail.“And what did you find?” Mr. George asked impatiently.“Aunt Rebecca and Courtney were included in the invitation but they didn't attend judging from the guest book,” he answered
“Don't play games, Reg. I'll investigate until I have strong evidence to pin you down. Before that, if you dare to plan anything to harm my mother, you will face me directly. Keep that in mind! Even then the police won't be able to protect you, you know!” Mark said threateningly on the line.While Red=gina listened on the other end scoffing.“Don't be so accusatory, Mark! You didn't even find my name and mom's name on the guest list, did you?”“That must be just your aliboi. Make no mistake, I'll find the proof. Don't think you'll be safe after trying to poison my mama! You savage women!” Mark snarled again, unconcerned with Courtney's denials. Because he had a very strong feeling that Reginna and her mother were behind the poisoning of Mrs. Anna.“Don't talk so much. Just find the evidence if there is any! If there isn't, we'll sue you for defamation and malicious misconduct, Mark! Don't mess with the law!” Courtney turned to bully Mark who of course didn't flinch at all because he w
"The CCTV footage didn't show anything unusual, sir," the detective reported to Mark, who had taken the day off to personally follow up on the investigation. "We also questioned the waiter who served Mrs. Anna her drink. He claimed he had no idea the glass contained sodium cyanide. He said he was just randomly distributing drinks, picking a variety to serve around the hall," added a younger officer, explaining the situation. Mark studied the photo of the waiter. The file already contained his personal data and identification. Intuitively, Mark felt something off about the man. "I’ll interrogate him again, sir. I believe there’s more he knows but hasn’t disclosed to the police," Mark said confidently. Without waiting for approval, Mark immediately set out on his own. He had his ways of investigating cases, and relying on the police only tested his patience to its limits—patience he didn’t have in abundance. The perpetrator had to be caught, with or without the police's help. Hi
“Mom, why do I feel so uneasy? Like something bad is about to happen,” Courtney said that afternoon. She was having lunch with Mrs. Rebecca at their home. The two of them had been avoiding going out much these past few days for no apparent reason—just a constant feeling of being haunted by Mark’s presence.“Calm yourself, Reg. We’re safe now. That young man wouldn’t dare say anything. In fact, he won’t even mention our names if he gets caught. He has no evidence, right?” Courtney tried to reassure herself, following her mother’s advice, but the uneasy feeling wouldn’t go away. It was as though something terrible was about to happen. She couldn’t shake the bad feeling. Because she still felt restless and anxious, Courtney decided to visit her father’s room. Usually, just talking to him would make her feel calmer. Well, it wasn’t exactly a conversation. It was more like Courtney talking while her father listened, occasionally squeezing her hand softly. Ah, not even a squeeze—it wa
News of Courtney and Mrs. Rebecca's arrest spread quickly. As expected, a scandal involving a family as prominent and influential as the Bagaskara family became prime fodder for the media. Mark had done his best to suppress the flow of news, but his efforts were in vain. The public was eager to uncover the truth behind a case the family had hoped to keep hidden. Despite their anger toward those who poisoned Mrs. Anna, both Mark and Mr. George felt deeply ashamed that the culprits were none other than close relatives. It was a stain on the family’s name. “Good heavens, what would our ancestors think if they could see this from above, Al? I feel like I’ve failed to uphold the family’s honor,” Mr. George lamented to his son. Mark tried to comfort his father. “They’d understand if they saw Courtney and Aunt Rebecca’s behavior, Dad. No one would blame you.” “But it’s still my responsibility, especially after Brian fell ill, to ensure his family felt secure and cared for so they w
After the arrest of Mrs. Rebecca and Courtney that day, as expected, the news quickly spread, dominating headlines across media outlets. Mr. George felt deeply embarrassed and simultaneously furious with the police, as he had specifically requested the matter be kept confidential. "How can we silence the media, sir? We've tried to handle everything discreetly, but somehow, the press still managed to sniff it out," a police officer defensively explained when Mr. George confronted him about the leak. Adding to the turmoil, many shareholders and large corporations began questioning the stability of Bagaskara Group, concerned about the impact of such a scandal. Mr. George feared the situation would harm the company's credibility. "Papa, I was humiliated during the virtual gathering," said Mrs. Anna. "Because you didn’t let me attend in person, they kept asking about what happened between me and my sister-in-law. Honestly, they have no empathy!" "Just leave that group, Mama. You ca