Eigthy Seven

CHAPTER 87

New York City Courthouse.

"Can I hug you one last time, Alicia?"

The blue eyes instantly turned dim. Her tears were unstoppable. And quickly, she opened her arms to immediately hug her boyfriend tightly. Tighter as if they didn't want to be separated right then and there.

Ace Wilson Blake, had been sentenced to death for the planned murder of his seven victims with the evidence of the footage that Nicholas had.

"I don't regret what will happen to me today, because at least, I can feel loved before I die," Ace said softly. He then closed his eyes and smiled slightly in the girl's arms. "I'm sorry, Alicia."

Louder sobs were finally heard. Alicia's tear-drenched face sank into the crook of the neck of the lover she loved so much.

"If only I had known I would love you this deeply, I wouldn't have done those stupid things in the past," Ace continued, which only made Alicia sadder. "Now we have to part ways."

"Ace, I--"

"Sshh, take it easy, Alicia," Ace cut in, trying to calm her down. "I feel fine now." He then stretched their embrace so that Ace could clearly see Alicia's now puffy eyes. Then gently, he pressed her fingers on both of the girl's cheeks. "Make sure you live happily without me, Sugar."

With a sob, Alicia nodded her head in acceptance and tried to smile. "I love you, Ace."

"Yeah, I know," Ace teased. He then rubbed the top of Alicia's head like he used to do to the girl before. "Stay out of harm's way and I'll make sure Nicholas takes care of you," he said as he glanced at Nicholas behind Alicia.

The young detective stood there with Brittany. They gazed with concern at the couple who would soon be separated by death. But unfortunately, there wasn't much they could do.

After all, Ace was the one who killed James (Brittany's boyfriend in the dormitory) and Alicia's biological parents.

That man had ruined the life of Alicia, the girl he now truly loved.

Didn't he deserve all this?

"Hey, Nic!" called Ace. "Take care of my girlfriend after I die. If you put her in danger again, I'll make sure I pull you down to hell with me."

To which the young detective only replied with an amused snort.

Then Ace turned to Brittany. "Britt... I'm sorry," he said in a softer tone.

But Brittany just looked at him flatly. She clenched her hands into fists and held back her emotions as she said, "May God forgive you for all your sins, Ace."

Ace knew Brittany hated her. But didn't the blonde-haired girl seem to be holding herself together in front of Alicia?

Afterward, she looked into Alicia's blue eyes again. Smiling, she said, "I think our goodbye time is over. I will leave now." he gently stroked the top of Alicia's head once more.

This time, Ace couldn't help himself. A single tear fell from his sad eyes. "I love you, no matter how dangerous it is, Alicia," he said softly.

The two police officers who had been waiting had now moved and led Ace to the execution site.

Meanwhile, Alicia fell to the floor staring at her boyfriend's back as he slowly moved away.

"Alicia, let's go," Nicholas said. "I have to make sure Ace keeps his promise to a little girl in a hospital."

Slowly, Alicia turned her head towards Nicholas. "Little girl?"

"So, do you want to come with me?"

Alicia's tear-stained face turned towards Nicholas, her mind overwhelmed by a combination of sadness, confusion, and a hint of curiosity as she mentioned the little girl's name. She got up slowly, her body feeling like an anchor dragged down by grief.

"What little girl?" Alicia's voice trembled, the last of her emotions causing her words to shake.

Nicholas gave a grim smile, the weight of this situation evident in his tired eyes. "There's a girl at Golden Hospital. Ace has made a deal with Jill."

Alicia's heart was racing. In the middle of the chaos and tragedy surrounding her, the thought of a little girl's hopes being tied up with Ace left her confused. She nodded, wiping away tears, determined to make sense of this confusing situation.

As they walked down the crowded streets of New York, Nicholas explained, "Her name is Lily. She has been battling a critical illness for a while. Ace visits her often, offering stories and laughter that brighten her day. Ace also makes Jill obey his orders using Lily."

Waves of conflicting emotions raged inside Alicia. The man she loves, sentenced to death for an unspeakable crime, has a relationship with a fragile little boy who is fighting for his life. Confusion clouds her mind as she grapples with this paradox.

Arriving at the hospital, Nicholas takes Alicia to Lily's room. The sight of the fragile little girl lying between the white hospital sheets tugged at Alicia's heartstrings. Lily's face lit up at their arrival, her eyes fixed on Nicholas.

"Did Dad... did he send you?" Lily's voice was shaking, hope dancing in her eyes.

Nicholas nodded his head. "He did. And he also sent someone very special." He pointed at Alicia.

Alicia stood still, the weight of the moment weighing on her. Lily's innocent gaze held many questions and hopes. She knelt beside Lily's bed, unsure of how to deal with this fragile soul in her darkest hour.

"Are you my Dad's friend?" Lily's voice was just a whisper, loaded with anticipation.

Alicia hesitated, her mind racing. Memories of the love she shared with Ace intertwined with the atrocities he committed, creating a complex web of conflicting thoughts. However, as she looked into Lily's hopeful eyes, a determination came to her.

"Yes, Lily. I was a friend of your father's, we came to visit you."

Lily's face lit up, a smile spread across her pale cheeks. "Thank you," she sighed, her words filled with gratitude and a glimmer of peace.

As Alicia sat beside Lily, sharing stories of Jill bringing happy moments into the young girl's life, she couldn't shake the emotions churning within her. Wrestling with the complexities of love, forgiveness, and redemption, Alicia finds herself at an unexpected crossroads, torn between the darkness of the past and the fragile hope of the present.