Xavier~"Damm it," I kicked the car's door to vent my frustration on it. I wasn't prepared for that kind of encounter with Jordan Lucas. I am well aware of his dangerous side. For this reason, I repeatedly asked Bella to keep quiet, but despite my repeated warnings, she ignored me. The more I tried to keep her away from Jordan Lucas, the more Bella dragged herself into this murder case. She has already challenged him, and I am confident that he will take all necessary steps to ensure she loses this court case. I am entirely to blame for this. If I already knew that Jordan Lucas was involved in this case, then I would never have asked her to defend me. I'm torn between wanting to close this murder case and wanting to protect her from Jordan. Today, I saw a vengeance fire in Jordan's eyes, and I do not doubt that he will no longer be silent. She glared at me before sitting in the passenger seat. I softly started the car's engine. My mind was consumed by the potential trouble she had
Isabella~"What is all this?" Knowing he was waiting for me in his room, I opened the door. I didn't expect this kind of aggressive behavior from him. The room was enveloped in darkness, prompting me to switch on the light, only to discover the room was appalling. The couch is torn, cushions and bedsheets are scattered in one area of the room, and all the display pieces have fallen to the floor. In addition, he damaged the LED television. Every step I took into his room revealed another shattered item on the floor. He stood silently on the balcony, gazing up at the dark sky. "Why aren't you responding to me? What’s all this for?" On reaching behind him, I questioned him in a low tone. I've never seen him so furious before. That's why my body trembled with fear when confronting him; talking to him is important to me now. "Why did you return home now when you could spend tonight with your ex-husband?" Even though he is still staring up at the night sky, I can tell how frustrated he
Xavier~"I discovered additional clues about Jordan Lucas." I opened my laptop as I saw her entering her office. "Mr. Thompson, this murder case is yours, so we must prove your innocence before focusing on Jordan Lucas." She turned on her laptop and started working on it. Her cold, distant behavior tells me that she is not in a good mood today. I wanted to ask her about the events from last night at her house, but the awkward silence between us made me even more afraid to question her. "Mr. Thompson, you need to mentally be ready for Derrick Merchant's harsh interrogation. I am pretty sure that he will come to the court well-prepared this time." After spending the last two hours working on her laptop, she broke the silence and gazed directly into my face. "I understand, but I don't believe he's going to specifically target me this time." I sighed heavily as I thought about Jordan's threat to Bella. "What do you mean?" She questioned me with confusion. "I believe he set you up fo
Isabella~"Miss Luis, in response to your request, I have granted an additional hearing date before my final decision. But remember that this is your last chance; if you don't have any solid evidence or proof at the next hearing, I will close this case. We have adjourned the court until the 15th of next month."I felt relieved as I had more time to prepare for this murder case. But a storm was brewing inside me, one I couldn't calm down. "Miss Luis, what's going to happen in the next 30 days? I don't understand why you refused to admit defeat at today's hearing and wanted to squander my time." Derrick's words stung, but I gave him a brief smile and turned away from the courtroom. I didn't want to argue with him now. It was already difficult for me to digest his harsh taunting and accusations, and I never thought he would involve me in this murder case so cruelly. His words had exposed my deepest scars.I walked faster, desperate to get away from the courtroom, from Derrick's gaze, a
Xavier~"Can I come to meet you at your hotel tomorrow?" I received her message on my phone at midnight. My mind was already overflowing with numerous thoughts, making it difficult for me to sleep, and the strange message she sent me only heightened my anxiety. Why would she want to meet me at a hotel? Why is she still awake?I wanted to talk to her right away, but thinking about her husband stopped me from calling. I drank whisky to help calm the intense feelings of humiliation, remorse, and dread. But one bottle wasn't enough to dull the overwhelming thoughts swirling in my mind. Why does she always push me away when I try to keep her safe? I know she's moved on with her life, but I can't stop trying to protect her.Today, I followed her car not just out of curiosity but also because it was the only way I knew to ensure her safety. For a brief moment, she leaned on me. That feeling of having her trust, even if it was fleeting, made me feel complete. But then, like always, she ran aw
Isabella~"You took the wrong way, Bella. We have to go straight." When I turn left instead of straight, he directs me in the right direction. "Indeed, I am aware." In a narrow street, I pulled over and peered into the car's side-view mirror. "Why did you stop the car here?" He glanced at me, bewildered, utterly oblivious to anything happening around him. "See those two black cars that are pursuing us?" I motioned for him to look into the side-view mirror. "Oh, they must be Jordan's man. We have to be careful." Silently, we waited in our car for those cars to cross the street. Once I spotted the cars heading in the opposite direction, I decided to drive to his house instead of using the main road, I opted to drive on narrow streets. "Bella, how did you know that they were following us?" He questioned me. "They were constantly monitoring us, but it wasn't until yesterday's incident that I truly noticed their presence. As a result, we need to gather all the evidence covertly so th
Xavier~"Bella, be careful." I tightened my grip on her waist as soon as I noticed her losing her balance. In an attempt to save herself from falling, she clutched my shoulders. Sensing her closeness made the desires I had been trying to bury deep within me come to the surface. Our lips were just inches apart when our eyes met. I can feel her heavy breathing and loud heartbeat. Is she affected by my proximity? For the first time in my life, I looked closely at her beautiful face. Her lips, delicate feather-like cheeks, and beautiful eyelashes caught my attention. I noticed how plump her lips were and had an immediate want to taste them, but I forced myself to repress my lustful thoughts. I still remember how passionately I sucked her lips on that night. Even after so many years had passed, I could never forget the passionate night I spent with Isabella—even if I was inebriated - and couldn't recall precisely that I was romancing her rather than Alicia. That night, I experienced a pe
Isabella~"Let's go, Mama." I turned to look at him after hearing his excitement-filled voice. "Alan, are you sure?" I stared at him in bewilderment, then at Xavier, wondering what magic he had worked on him to get him to agree to his dance performance right away. "Yes, Mama, Uncle Xavier will accompany you to my school function, and then my friend will not make fun of me." He grinned as he observed Xavier's face. "What?" I looked at Xavier’s face in shock. "I tried to convince him, but he wasn't ready to listen to anything. Then I found this solution to the problem." He let out a remorseful sigh and stared at the ground. "However, Mr. Thompson, you can not accompany me to Alan's school function; you are not his father." I now regret taking him to Alan’s school with me. But I didn't take him with me intentionally. The alarm on my phone reminded me of his school function, which I had completely forgotten due to my intense focus on the case. I have no choice but to accept his assi
Xavier~"Bella, what are we going to find in this dusty area?" I looked at her with confusion. The house was covered with black dust. A shiver ran down my spine as I saw the state of the house. We would have been buried under the ground by now if we hadn't left this house on time. I am afraid of losing Bella while trying to send Jordan Lucas to jail."Take off your shoes and don't touch anything in the home, Xavier." She handed me the gloves after removing them from her suitcase."What are you saying, Bella? How am I supposed to remove my shoes on this dusty floor?" I gave her a perplexed look."Xavier, do what I am saying."I removed my shoes and shook my head in disappointment when I saw her demanding gaze. "Bella, please stop using the magnifying glass; we are not detectives." She took the magnifying glass out of her bag and then began to look at the burned items available in the house.I don't understand what new hobby she developed as a detective. She carries everything with he
Isabella~"What are you going to do now, Bella?" Xavier's eyes brimmed with curiosity. "I don't know, Xavier; I only have to win Victor's case by hook or crook." I sighed deeply and fixed my gaze on the laptop screen. My attention was drawn to my phone's buzzing sound. "Are you okay, Bella?" I heard James' anxious voice on the call. "Yeah, we are all right, but why did you sound so worried?" I asked him. "I watched the news on TV." After listening to him, I became aware of the impact this news had on my family. They had no idea what was going on here. "Don't worry about us, James; everything is OK." His worry is evident in the weight of his voice. "I feared we lost you both, Bella." I heard him sobbing. "It was part of my plan, James. I am well aware of Jordan Lucas' cruelty. That's why I have already moved out of that house. I don't want any of you to get into problems, so please don't contact me again." I cautioned him once more. "Bella, everyone is concerned about you and
Xavier~"What are you doing here, Bella?" I got up from my bed when I didn't find her in our bedroom. I looked for her in the kitchen but she's not there. Where has she gone on such a late night? I looked in the study room, the hall, the terrace, and the balcony, but she wasn't there. My worry increased about her even more when she did not receive her phone. She is so upset because of Jordan Lucas' case. He destroyed all the evidence of his crime, and the next court hearing is in one week. I am afraid that she didn't take any dangerous steps due to depression. "Xavier, why do you look so tense? Is everything okay?" She put her file inside and looked at me casually as if nothing had happened. Upon seeing her in the old file storage room, I felt a sense of relief. "What are you doing in this room?" I turned my face to look at that dirt-filled room with confusion. "Xavier, we were worried about the evidence, but we forgot that we had the hidden treasure in this house." She got up f
Isabella~"Bella, why are you so silent? You know I'm scared of your silence."Xavier stopped the car in front of our house and looked at me, concern evident in his eyes."I can't live in this house, Xavier. We have to find some other place to live," I unbuckled my seatbelt and turned to face him.His brows furrowed in confusion. "What's wrong with this house, Bella?""He will attack us at any time to remove us from his path. I don't want to take any risks." My heartbeat was still erratic from the near-fatal accident earlier. The image of the truck speeding toward us replayed in my mind like a nightmare.Xavier let out a frustrated sigh. "Sometimes I don't understand you, Bella. On one hand, you're so brave—boldly challenging Jordan Lucas, standing firm in court—and on the other, you're terrified of him?" He held my hand, searching my eyes for an answer.I tightened my grip on his fingers. "No, Xavier. I am not afraid of him. I am afraid of losing you." My voice cracked with emotion.
Xavier~"Bella, let's go." I held her hand and gestured for her to leave the courtroom."I will kill this man," she seethed, clenching her fist as she locked eyes with Andrew."Calm down. Avoid wasting your time on him." I held her wrist tightly, stopping her from following him."Xavier, you surprised me today. Why didn't you tell me about this proof before?" As we sat in the car, she arched a brow at me, suspicion flickering in her eyes."Bella, I didn't hide anything from you. I was also unaware of this evidence; it was a last-minute idea, and I'm pleased it succeeded." I shrugged my shoulders, watching her reaction."Xavier, what are you saying? How is this possible? I saw your confidence in the courtroom—no one could tell this was last-minute." Her eyes widened in disbelief."Mrs. Thompson, Andrew was the one who inspired me to provide this evidence." A small smirk played on my lips."Andrew? How?" She crossed her arms over her chest, demanding an explanation."My blood was boilin
Isabella~"My lord, Jordan Lucas, killed Victor Thompson and named it as an accident. He not only tried to fool the law but also he once again tried to play with people's feelings and emotions since Victor was not a normal citizen; he was a famous singer. Therefore, I ask that this court sentence Jordan Lucas to death and send him to prison." I stood up from my seat and initiated the opening statement for the defense. The judge listened to my statement and then looked at Andrew to begin the court procedure. "My lord, my colleague Veronica Luis, aka Mrs. Thompson completely forgot that this court is not working based on statements; it needs proof." After giving me a sarcastic glance, Andrew slumped back in his chair. "Prosecutor, provide evidence to support your assertion." The judge motioned for me to present the evidence. After glancing at Jordan Lucas' face, I turned to Xavier and asked him to present the evidence we had gathered. Andrew has already made me angry, so I'm finding
Xavier~"Oh my god, look who's here. The most wanted criminal couple." Andrew walked towards us and looked at us with a mocking-filled gaze. "Andrew, you have a misunderstanding; we didn't kill Alicia." I stopped Bella from explaining anything to him by squeezing her palm as she tried. I know that Jordan Lucas has poisoned his head so much that Andrew will not listen to us at all. "I don't require your lies; save your stories for court sessions." Andrew's venom is making the surroundings so suffocating. "Let's go, Bella; we will visit the place later." I signaled her to leave this place. "But Xavier, we have to inspect this place; we can't leave." Bella protested my decision, but I forcefully made her sit in the car. "You both will run away from the court in tomorrow's hearing." He chuckled darkly as he watched me maneuver my car. "Xavier, why do you always show cowardice and run away from everyone when you have to show courage?" Bella is fuming with anger at seeing me turn the
Isabella~"Isabella, what will we do now? He hated us and thought that we had killed his sister." Xavier's eyes filled with sadness as we watched Andrew leaving the house."Don't be sad. He will eventually discover the truth because it can not remain hidden for long," I comforted him by holding his hand.Victor's death had already shaken Xavier's confidence. He had faced continuous turmoil, and now seeing Andrew—who was once like a younger brother—standing against him shattered him completely. Jordan had poisoned Andrew's mind so much that he didn't even want to listen to us.James, from now on, my family's responsibility is yours. I turned toward James, my eyes pleading with him to protect them in my absence."Don't worry about them, Bella. I will protect them more than my own life," James reassured me."Mama, when will you come to live with us?" Alan's innocent voice tugged at my heart as he waved his tiny hand from the car window."Mama will be here shortly, so don't miss me," I fo
Xavier~"When did he become a lawyer, Bella?" I stared incredulously at the TV screen. "Xavier, I don't have any idea about it." In response, she shrugged her shoulders. When she sees Andrew as Jordan Lucas's defense attorney, she is similarly astounded. "Don't worry about him right now, Xavier. We'll figure this out shortly, but for now, we need to put our family first. They need our support." She grasped my hand and motioned for me to rise from the hospital bench as soon as she saw Dad leaving the doctor's office. "Why were they doing my CT scan while I was perfectly well, Xavier?" Dad cast a wary glance at the doctor. "It was merely a routine checkup, so don't be afraid, Dad." My heart became even heavier after seeing his pitiful condition. "Xavier, I am perfectly fine; please ask this nurse to not put an injection in my body." He holds my hand like a child. Observing his actions now, I comprehend the profound impact Victor's death has had on his mental health. "Dad, don't wo