Krista’s pov
I sat in the passenger seat and looked out the window intently on the way back to the Fischer mansion, and he remained quiet the entire time.
“Wait a minute.” Cheney said as the car drove back to the Fischer mansion, and I was ready to leave when he stopped me.
I unbuckled my seatbelt and looked back at him.
“This morning, Milo called Tyrone, and I spoke with him directly.” He continued, looking at me.
In surprise, I grabbed his arm hard. “So, have you asked? Is he able to provide any useful information?”
Cheney gave a calm nod. “It’s a very useful piece of information. When he took over the Cross River Bridge, he said the design drawings he saw were good. The data in that picture is entirely different from the data that the Brennan group had issued.
I was even more surprised and shocked. “If that’s the case, he’s the only one who can prove my father’s innocence.”
“Unfortunately, he refused to testify.”
I frowned. “Why? For fear of becoming enemies with the Brennan group and the Fischer group?”
He shook his head, he showed his dissatisfaction with the situation. “Tyrone said that he would be ready to help as soon as the incident happened. When your father approached him, he was obliged to say yes. Besides him, another engineer was called to testify at the time. It’s a pity your father changed his mind on the first day and informed Tyrone and another engineer that he didn’t want them to get involved in this.”
I clenched my fist. “No way, is my dad crazy to do this?”
He shook his head. “I can’t figure this out. He can obviously prove his innocence, but he didn’t do it. Does your father have any difficulties?”
“Can you think of anything more difficult than letting yourself bear the crime of a lifetime?” I unconsciously increased the volume of my voice.
I was shocked, my father is not a fool; clearly, there is a chance to solve the crime, why did he give up?
“Tyrone remained silent when I asked about your father’s sudden change of mind. I’m thinking he had no idea.”
I went into the passenger seat, fists clenched.
Why are you doing this, Dad? What are you trying to hide if you’re not afraid of death?
What big incident in your life is more important than your life?
“You go back first.” I said, “I want to go out.”
With that, I pulled open the door and left the car, running away from the Fischer mansion.
He finally got up to me and grabbed my wrist. “Where to?”
I stretched my hand out to shake his hand. “Tyrone thought the other engineer was Quincy. I’ll take a visit to Quincy.”
He grabbed my shoulder from behind. “Alright, I’ll take you there.”
Cheney’s pov
When the car arrived at the construction site, I left and alarmed several leaders who were working on the site, including Quincy, who came to me in a team.
I looked Quincy in the eyes and said, “Krista has come to visit you, Mr. Quincy. She’s waiting for you in the car. Get in the car. The rest of you come with me. I’m going to check the progress of the work.”
I took the group away, leaving only Quincy, giving them room to talk.
Krista’s pov
Quincy sat in the left rear, while I sat in the passenger seat.
His voice was serious. “What do you want from me, Mrs. Fischer?”
I looked back at him and looked sincere. ” I had a question for you, Uncle Quincy. Please answer my questions and do not lie to me.”
“It can’t be related to the Cross River Bridge again.” He replied helplessly.
I didn’t say anything. I just asked, “You knew my father had been wronged six years ago, so you planned to come forward with another engineer and testify for him. As a result, my father went back on his word the next day and asked you to dismiss this case, right?”
He looked at me in surprise, but did not make a sound.
But I can tell Tyrone isn’t lying just by looking at him, and the engineer who will testify with Tyrone is Quincy, that’s right.
“Why?” I gave him a confused look. “What made my father break his word?”
He sneered. “You’re so intelligent that you even tracked down Tyrone.”
I shook my head. “I can’t figure out why my father didn’t do anything when he had a chance to get rid of all this.”
He sighed and said, “He made this decision on his own. Others are unable to change or control it. I can only say that we all gave it our all at that time, even when your father may be embarrassed, it’s done, and the deceased will not be reborn. It’s probably time for you to let go.”
“And then let my father bear the guilt and shame of his life, while those who set him up get away with it?” I shook my head. “I don’t want to.”
“Krista,” he looked at me with a serious face, “if your father really wanted to clear his name, he wouldn’t have gone down that road.”
“That’s why I can’t figure it out. I don’t understand why my father did it? Who in this world doesn’t want to stay innocent for life? But why would he rather die than tell the truth or defend himself? What did he plan?”
“Krista, there are some things, although the result is not good, but the original intention must be good. The reason why I have always opposed you to find the truth is only because this is the secret that your father wants to bring to the grave as a deceased person. Don’t dig deep. Everyone has someone they want to guard, and so does your father. Do you understand what I mean?”
His words stopped me.
Quincy shook his head. “Krista, that’s all I can say. You should understand, right?”
I didn’t speak, I’m in a mess now.
He said something, then walked out the door.
The car was quiet once again, and my hands were tightly clasped.
For the sake of the person he wanted to protect, dad chose to keep his mouth shut?
So, who did dad want to keep an eye on?
Besides from my mother and me, who else did my father have to protect in this world?
I can’t imagine anybody deserving of my father’s life and innocence.
Is he guarding someone?
I suddenly remembered a past event many years ago when I thought about these words.
That year, when I was in third grade, I ranked first in the grade exam but I performed not really well in the mock exam, earning third place.
My mother was angry. She scolded me a few words when she came from the parent-teacher meeting.
At the time, I was wronged, so I talked back to my mother, who eventually broke down in tears as a result of my anger.
When my father came back and heard about it, he called me into his study and scolded me.
“I shouldn’t contradict my mother.” I said at the time, I was feeling unhappy. “But what if my mother did something wrong?”
“Mom made a mistake, and dad will be the one to pay the consequences.”
I was unhappy, “You’re clearly unreasonable, dad. My mother made a mistake, but I came to be angry at my father. What exactly is this?”
“Even if it is unreasonable, you have to recognize that your mother is willing to have children for your father, sacrifice her career for your father and become a housewife, which is worthy of your father’s gratitude. Your mother is your father’s wife, and it is a matter of course that dad loves her and protects her. She is a woman that your father is willing to give his life to protect. As a daughter, you must respect her unconditionally and love her, remember?”
Thinking about it, I rubbed my temples. No, I must be imagining things. I must be thinking too much.
But…
I let go of my hands and looked across the street at the dusty construction site. After a few moments, I got out of the car, turned around to the driver’s seat, and drove away.
When I came to my old house, I went straight to my father’s study. I walked to the safe’s corner, squatted, bowed my head, and quickly pressed the password, which opened the safe.
I sat cross-legged in front of the safe, motionless, staring at the documents within.
I cried out in pain. “Dad… Dad.”
I put my hand tightly over the position of my heart. Once some things are understood, my heart hurts.
“Dad.”
Dad, he… died too unjustly.
My heart really hurts.