Emir was taken aback by the circulating news that implicated Josh and the events surrounding him. He was still at his parents' house. Could it be... Did Josh intentionally do this to protect him?
But upon reflection, Emir realized that he was the one who had carried out all of Josh's actions. Sooner or later, the police would surely come looking for him.
"What's wrong, Son?"
Emir quickly closed the news page on his phone. Perhaps he was too shocked, but upon further thought, why should he be afraid? His mother probably wouldn't be able to see her cell phone anyway. "Nothing, Mom."
"But you look troubled." The middle-aged woman pulled out one of the chairs. She looked at her son with sympathy. "What's going on?"
Emir fell silent. His eyes stared at his mother, contemplating. "There's a problem at work, Mom. I have to prepare to go back."
Luna, Emir's mother, smiled gently. "Do your best, Emir. I know you can handle it."
Emir remained silent. The memories of everything he had done resurfaced. Since working with Josh, he felt that many achievements had been made. But as time went on, Josh's behavior became increasingly strange.
As a subordinate, he couldn't say much. Especially with Josh's harsh nature, he didn't hesitate to respond unfavorably. But now, Emir's name was undoubtedly dragged into all the cases involving Josh.
His eyes returned to his mother. Unbeknownst to him, heat surged to his eyelids. His heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand. In front of him, his mother had placed so much hope in him while working in New York City.
But now? Emir couldn't even be proud of himself.
One by one, tears streamed down his cheeks. He knew that what he had done was wrong. He knew he had done things beyond what should have been done. So, he had to take responsibility.
"Forgive me, Mom."
The smile remained. "Whatever it is, Son, whatever you do, there will always be accountability."
Emir nodded softly.
"I believe your conscience is still there." Emir accepted his mother's gentle touch, which made him even more emotional. He fell to his knees in front of his mother, repeatedly apologizing.
He was determined to be accountable for everything he had done. No matter how far he ran, the guilt in his heart would continue to gnaw at his soul.
He didn't want to live in such a state.
***
One week after the incident, with Chloe being called for further interrogations and statements, at least her life began to regain peace.
She never minded the various police calls because she was determined to put Josh behind bars for a long time. Chloe hadn't forgotten the smirks of the five men who harassed her and the intimidating dogs.
She encountered all of that because of Josh's orders. If it weren't for his orders, Chloe wouldn't have been there, and the incident that almost took her life wouldn't have happened. She couldn't think then because she believed it was just an ordinary accident but a grand conspiracy.
"Are there more follow-up investigations, Miss?" Peni asked with curiosity as Chloe exited the investigator's room. Since Chloe's visit to the police station, Peni had never been far from her side. She faithfully accompanied her and sometimes met with Chris, who also attended her while giving testimony.
"It seems so. Just two more weeks. And a week after that, Josh's trial."
Peni smiled happily. "That's great, Miss. I can't wait to see Josh's trial. Let him be severely punished."
"Hopefully, Peni."
"Mr. Chris will do his best, for sure."
Chloe didn't doubt that. She continued to walk away from the building she had just visited. However, her steps halted when she received a call from Leonel.
"Am I bothering you?" Leonel asked as he stood right in front of Chloe.
The woman, wearing a slightly shiny cream-colored jumpsuit paired with a semi-formal black blazer, complemented by her matching closed-toe shoes and bag, looked enchanting. Her wavy brown hair added to the impression that she was born with an undeniable inner beauty.
She glanced briefly at Peni, who nodded slightly. "I'll wait for you in the car, ma'am."
"Thank you." These words were not spoken by Chloe but by Leonel, who appeared delighted to have a chance to talk to her finally.
It took a lot of work for them to engage in casual conversation. Leonel also admitted that his dealings with the police had taken up much of his time. Even though Chris had handled everything, there were still parts that Josh had to hold himself at the police station, like giving testimony.
For instance.
"Can we talk at the coffee shop over there?" Leonel cautiously offered. Since Peni left them alone, Chloe hadn't responded to his presence, making Leonel feel awkward.
"Sure."
Could Leonel shout with joy? If he could, he would have done it already. But considering their strained and distant relationship, Leonel had to restrain himself, including walking by Chloe's side. He let Chloe lead the way, enjoying the sight of the small back of the woman who had once accompanied him as his wife.
Look, Leonel, how beautiful this woman is; her language is polite, she doesn't demand much, and her parents love Chloe so much. Are there any other regrets he has and only realizes now? There are so many. If it were to be written in an essay, it would fill a ream of paper.
Meanwhile, Chloe should have paid more attention to his presence. For her, their relationship was in the past. There was no more love in her heart. She had no regrets about their divorce in her life. She also wanted to avoid getting too close to Leonel because it could lead to misunderstandings.
Before long, they arrived at the café that Leonel had indicated. The friendly smile of the café waiter and the menu offered greeted them. Chloe ordered her usual latte and didn't need any snacks to accompany it because she didn't want to prolong the conversation with Leonel.
After they sat down and their orders were served, Leonel waited to speak. He seemed to be prolonging the silence, which made Chloe somewhat uncomfortable. "What do you want to talk about?" Chloe asked impatiently. "Is it important?"
"I don't know what I should talk to you about, Sa," Leonel replied frankly. "All the questions in my head seem spinning, and I can't articulate them."
Chloe remained silent.
"But at least I'm satisfied to see that you're okay. That's the most important thing."
"Thank God, I'm still protected."
"I won't stay silent about Josh, Sa. I promise."
Chloe lifted her gaze slowly and looked into Leonel's black eyes. "Even without your insisting, I will provide many testimonies and reports."
"But at that time, you were still my wife. Who wouldn't be heartbroken to see someone playing with someone else's life so recklessly? Especially when it was you."
"I will take care of it myself."
Leonel still wanted to continue the conversation, but his lips were sealed shut. They fell silent again, Chloe savoring her coffee while Leonel played with the handle of his cup. There was no interest in sipping the coffee he had ordered.
"How is your relationship with Darren?"
Chloe raised her eyes again, looking at Leonel with skepticism. She wondered if Leonel was asking this. But seeing Leonel's unwavering gaze, Chloe gave a slight smile.
"Good. So far, we're good."
"Do you intend to be serious with him?"
"Does it concern you, Leonel?"
Leonel stumbled. "Well... I don't want you to choose the wrong partner."
"Like before? Where I agreed without thinking if I would be happy?"
Leonel erased the remnants of his smile. The words he wanted to say were folded back and left unspoken.
"All this time, Darren and I are fine. Don't worry. Apart from the heartbreak and immense pain, you caused me, you also gave me the experience of men. At least I can say thank you for that?"
Leonel lowered his head.
"No need to regret what has happened. If I keep dwelling on our past, I won't be able to be here. We were sitting and talking, albeit awkwardly, with you. But I've learned. Maybe we were just not meant to be."
"I truly apologize," Leonel whispered.
"At least your apology is sincere, and you show remorse."
"That's all I can do for you, Chloe."
Chloe sighed softly. She glanced at the watch encircling her wrist. It was already three o'clock in the afternoon. "Is there anything else you want to talk about? If not, I have to go home soon."
"Do I still have a chance to get closer to you?"
Chloe looked at Leonel with surprise.
"Who knows, maybe we were meant to be. It's just that yesterday was our time to learn together, especially for me to change and become a better person."
The woman fell silent.
"Give me one more chance, Chloe," Leonel pleaded.
"Unfortunately... It's too late for you to do that, Leonel."
The reading of the prosecution's case against Josh and his accomplices was long and complicated. It experienced several delays because the witnesses presented were said to need to be increased.
But Chris didn't stay silent. A team of experienced lawyers also assisted him to ensure that Josh would spend a very long time behind bars.
Today, the courtroom was also filled with journalists and the Grisham family. Chloe and Darren were present, faithfully accompanying the proceedings. Ester was also present as a critical witness.
She was also implicated in the defamation charges and was involved in causing harm to others. At first, she didn't accept it, but the evidence pointed to her.
She couldn't say much. The agency couldn't do anything either because Ester was acting on her behalf for her gain. Which now clearly harmed her.
Ester Gisela was a photo model who liked to twist the facts. In pursuit of her goals, she defamed the people she loved and collaborated with others to facilitate a grand plan that harmed many parties. She also tried to snatch happiness and be the third person in Leonel Grisham's marriage, which was initially rumored to be alluring to Ester.
She couldn't deny everything proven in front of the judge. In front of the journalists and Chloe, she said with a lowered gaze that all the accusations were true.
The journalists caused a commotion in the courtroom, but it was later controlled as the judge wanted the trial to reach a verdict.
Ester Gisela was sentenced to five years and a seven hundred-million-dollar fine. Meanwhile, Josh William was charged with multiple offenses and sentenced to thirty years without parole. On the other hand, Mountain demanded a penalty of tens of billion dollars for the damages they suffered.
In contrast, Emir Khan, the assistant whom Josh trusted the most, was sentenced to ten years in prison, with a one-year reduction in sentence for good behavior.
The same applied to the people involved in the staged accident involving Chloe and her subsequent kidnapping.
For Chloe, it was enough. They all had their trials.
She didn't want Beverly Hills or any more drama. She wanted her life to return to peace. That's all. Wherever the hand that tightly held hers was, that would accompany her.
That was her hope.
She still felt her heart because, for the second time in her relationship with the opposite sex, she had to understand her and her partner's desires truly.
Her marriage to Leonel had taught her valuable lessons.
"Shall we go home?" Darren asked with a beaming smile.
"Yes. Let Tia inform me if she cooked soup. Do you want some?"
"I would prefer your cooking, Sa, but because of the trial, Tia's cooking will do."
Chloe laughed, and Darren joined her in the laughter.
Meanwhile, in the distance, Agatha wore a sad expression. She also looked at her son, who had directed his gaze at the woman he loved.
"Regrets always come later, Leonel."
Leonel jerked in surprise, then chuckled in response to his mother. "At least I know what model accompanies Chloe now."
"If parents oppose something, there must be a reason. You, on the other hand!" Agatha couldn't say much. Even hitting her son's shoulder would be useless.
It was all too late.