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
"Is that true?" The two women were stunned when they heard the latest development in their case. The lawyer delivered the news cheerfully. He had been hired at a very high price, using Mr. Brian’s savings, which were still abundant in his account, thanks to the ongoing dividend payments from Mr. George through the Bagaskara Group. Surprisingly, he didn't need to take any action until the charges were withdrawn by the Bagaskara family themselves. "What did you do to make them finally drop the charges, sir? You’re amazing!" Mrs. Rebecca praised, delighted. Even Courtney immediately promised a large bonus to be transferred to the lawyer’s account. "No, madam. I haven't done anything yet. I was just gathering other data to counter the evidence and witnesses. But it turns out that their lawyer has already filed for the dismissal of the charges. I’m not sure what happened," the lawyer, who was fortunately being honest, replied. Instantly, Mrs. Rebecca and Courtney exchanged confused
"Shut your mouth, Al!" Mrs. Rebecca shouted loudly while holding her chest. Courtney, worried about her mom, immediately approached and hugged her. "Mom, are you okay? Hang in there, Mom, just stay calm. I won’t be easily tricked by them. Let’s go home, okay? You don’t look too well," Courtney urged, very concerned as she saw her mom's face turn pale and her chest rise and fall, struggling with her emotions. She feared her mom might suffer a heart attack, which could be dangerous, she thought to herself. "Listen! I’m leaving Dad for now! If anything happens to him, you’ll know how cruel I can be!" Courtney threatened as she pointed toward Mark and Mr. George. She then turned back toward her car, guiding her mom. Mrs. Rebecca reluctantly complied because she wasn’t ready to face the arguments from Mr. George and Mark. For a moment, she was terrified that Courtney would realize the truth and turn away from her to side with them. Thankfully, Courtney still loved and trusted her