Chapter 7
But on the day of the trial, Damien completely refused to cooperate.N
The lawyer tried his best to get him off, but he kept taking all the blame onto himself.”
Besides that, the four men who hurt my sister, intimidated by Marcus, didn’t dare to lie even once.
Vanessa’s scheme was exposed.}
Not only did she know about Damien’s fake kidnapping, she secretly gave money to have them deal with me.”
Even when the others fled abroad, Vanessa had helped them.
With multiple pieces of evidence and transfer records proving it, Vanessa finally got scared.”
In court, she knelt by the railing before me.
“Elena, I know I was wrong. I never meant to hurt your sister. Please forgive me, don’t sue me, I beg you… I don’t want to go to jail…”
Her words were cut off by the sharp knock of the judge’s gavel.M
Silenced, her eyes grew more and more desperate.
In the end, under the court’s verdict, the four criminals were each sentenced to seventeen years in prison due to the severity of their crimes.}
As for Damien, because he refused to cooperate with his lawyer, he was convicted of fraud and involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to five years in prison.
Vanessa, knowing about the crimes, introduced accomplices, instigated the crimes and concealed them, she was convicted of multiple offenses and sentenced to six years in prison.
When the verdict was announced, Vanessa collapsed to the ground, urinating on herself.
In contrast, Damien ignored Marcus’s angry glare and smiled at me through tears.”
“Elena, I was wrong, so I made sure those who hurt Lily got their deserved punishment. Can you forgive me? Can you wait for me? Give me another chance?”
I didn’t know what gave him the confidence to believe that after destroying my whole family, I would still want to be with him.
I just quietly watched as they were taken away.
Inside me, there was neither joy nor relief–only sadness. What good did it do, sentencing them one by one?”
The people I lost wouldn’t come back and the pain in my heart wouldn’t fade.
It’s all over.”
I took my sister’s body back and after cremation, held her ashes as I returned to my rented apartment.
Just as I reached the doorway, I saw Nathaniel sitting on the stairs. When he noticed me, he stood up, his eyes full of concern and worry.”
We said nothing at first, but I gave him a small smile.
He took a few steps down and pulled me tightly into his arms.
“Elena, is it only if I don’t come back that you’ll never even give me a call?”
I knew I should push him away.”
But the warmth spreading through my thin shirt made me crave that comfort more than anything.
My stiff fingers clutched his collar tightly, tears spilling over my eyes. I couldn’t help but snuggle deeper into his embrace.N
At this moment, all my grievances and sorrows could no longer be hidden.
My lips moved silently as I cried out loud in my heart.”
‘Nathaniel, I have no parents, no sister anymore. From now on, I have no home.‘
‘Nathaniel, I’m so angry. They killed my sister, so why didn’t they get the death penalty?
‘Nathaniel, I’m so sad. I miss them. I miss my mom and dad. I miss my sister…
Nathaniel sighed, rubbing his chin gently against my head, holding me tighter. “Elena, you fool. If you’re so sad, then why are you still smiling at me?“%
When he saw I was speechless, Nathaniel’s eyes reddened and he slipped away to the kitchen.
I sat on the sofa, watching him busy in the kitchen and unintentionally thought back to the past.
Nathaniel and I grew up in the same building. Since kindergarten, we had been in the same class. We promised to go to elementary school, high school and university together.”
