After going through many stages of trial for the crimes committed by Damian and Nicholas, today is the scheduled date for the judge’s verdict.
As victims, Edward and Chloe were asked to be present to listen to the verdict. However, due to Chloe’s condition, she was unable to attend, so Edward chose to come alone this morning.
Upon arriving at the courthouse, Hans was already waiting for him outside the courtroom. When everyone had gathered and was ready to begin the trial, Edward was asked to enter.
“I hope today’s verdict meets our expectations, Hans.”
Hans, who had just taken his seat, nodded. “I assure you, Damian will spend quite a long time in prison. He is entangled in multiple charges for the crimes he has committed.”
Edward pulled the corners of his lips into a smile. It was not wrong to have chosen Hans to handle the case that was affecting him. “I can’t wait to see Damian’s expression when he hears the judge’s verdict in a moment.”
After a few minutes of waiting, the trial finally began. Nicholas was the first to receive the judge’s verdict. He was charged with violence leading to someone’s death and was also found guilty of being the executor who sabotaged crucial data at the AlpaBeta company.
“Thus, the Panel of Judges sentences Nicholas Dio Frost to 10 years in prison with a probationary period of 15 years for all the crimes he has committed.”
The gavel was struck, signifying the final decision. Nicholas had been resigned all along. But before he was taken back to the detention center, the blue-eyed man asked permission from the officers guarding him to approach Edward.
“I’m sorry, Mister,” he mumbled with a bowed head. “I will take responsibility for all the actions I have done. I hope you can forgive me.”
In his seat, Edward put his hand on his chest, offering a faint smile as he spoke, “I have forgiven you, Nic. But, nevertheless, the legal process must continue. Hopefully, after this, you can become a better person.”
Nicholas looked up and nodded. “Thank you very much, Mister. Please convey my greetings and apologies to the Arley family. I truly regret everything I did in the past.”
Edward nodded in response. “Of course, I will convey your apology to my wife’s family.”
As their time ran out, without any indication, the officers immediately escorted Nicholas out of the courtroom, leading him to the specially prepared prisoner’s vehicle.
Now, it was Damian Dimitri’s turn to hear the verdict. With both hands in handcuffs, the man who was Edward’s cousin was guided to take his seat as the defendant.
“After conducting investigations and several in-depth inquiries, the Panel of Judges sentences Damian Dimitri to 20 years in prison for all the crimes committed.”
Edward smiled with satisfaction. At least his cousin would be imprisoned for a considerable time. There would be no more power struggles after this. Even Damian’s parents wanted nothing to do with what had happened to their son. All this time, Damian had been obsessed with acquiring AlphaBeta. He did everything in his power to fulfill his ambition.
“I actually wish that scoundrel would rot in prison forever. It’s useless for him to live when he’s of no use to his family!”
Hans chuckled. “Goodness, Ed. You are so vengeful.”
Edward nodded. “Of course. I can’t forget what Damian did to Chloe. Just imagine, he deliberately injected her with an aphrodisiac and intended to have sex with my wife right in front of my eyes. If killing were not a sin, I would make that man disappear.”
Hans understood. What husband would be willing to see his wife violated by another man? It was only natural that Edward was furious about it.
“Twenty years in prison is still a long time, Ed. Half of his life will be gone just like that,” Hans remarked.
Edward smiled cynically this time. “Well, at least it’s commensurate with what he has done. If I could, I would have him spend his entire life in prison.”
After hearing the judge’s verdict, Damian was escorted by officers to leave the courtroom. Before he left completely, he crossed paths with Edward. Smirking, he even spoke sarcastically, “Don’t think that by doing this to me, you can be free out there.”
Edward returned the smile. “And what can you do?”
Damian stepped forward, aligning himself with Edward’s position. “No matter how hard you try, AlphaBeta is destined to be mine. There’s no place for a child born from a low caste like you.”
Edward’s sharp retort seemed to stir up Damian’s emotions. Unexpectedly, with his hands still cuffed, the tall man managed to grab the pistol belonging to the officers who were guarding him.
Quickly but somewhat limited, Damian pointed the gun directly at Edward. Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger, firing a shot directly into the rival’s chest.
His thought at that moment was that whether Edward lived or died, he would still remain in prison for a very long time. There was no difference if he harmed the man in the process. So, between the two of them, neither could take the CEO position of AlphaBeta.
The police officers witnessing this immediately attempted to wrest the gun from Damian’s hands. The atmosphere in the courtroom, which was once calm, suddenly became tense. Damian even attempted to fire a follow-up shot at Hans. Fortunately, this action was thwarted by other armed officers. He finally collapsed after being rewarded with hot lead in his hands and legs.
Meanwhile, Edward, who had been shot, immediately fell, bleeding profusely. Hans, who was still faithfully by his side, shouted for help, trying his best to get his friend to the nearest hospital.
“You have to hold on. You can’t leave, Ed!”
***
Chloe walked briskly as she arrived at one of the renowned hospitals in London. Entering the ten-story building, she found Hans waiting anxiously in the lobby. This only heightened Chloe’s worry and curiosity about what had happened to her husband.
“Hans…” Chloe called as she approached. Behind her were Dylan and Patricia, who followed closely.
“Chloe… Come with me.” Hans immediately took her wrist, and together they walked through the hospital corridors until they reached a room on the second floor.
“Hans, what happened, actually?” Chloe couldn’t contain her impatience. Her anxiety was now overwhelming. “Where is Edward?”
Before Hans could answer, Kaivan, Kenzi, and Richard arrived from behind. The three of them had been contacted to come to the hospital immediately, especially Kaivan, as Edward needed his help now.
“Where is Edward?” Kenzi asked.
“You finally made it.” Hans responded immediately. Then, he turned his gaze to Kaivan. “The doctor is waiting for you inside, Kai. Edward needs a lot of blood after what happened to him.”
Without saying much, Kaivan immediately approached the nurse who happened to be coming out of the room. He followed her inside to receive treatment promptly.
“Hans!” Chloe exclaimed loudly. “What is going on? Where is my husband?”
Hans took a deep breath. He was unsure of how to explain it. He was worried that the news he was about to deliver might disturb Chloe, who was currently pregnant. He remembered clearly that Edward had mentioned how easily traumatized and sad she could become.
“Hans… I beg you,” she pleaded again, her face looking forlorn. She was tugging at Hans’s emotions.
“When the trial was going on, Damian unexpectedly shot Edward, hitting him in the chest,” Hans finally disclosed.
Chloe was taken aback. She shook her head repeatedly, unable to believe what she had just heard. “Don’t joke! This isn’t funny, Hans.”
Hans sighed deeply and reiterated, “No, Chloe. I’m sorry, but this isn’t a joke,” he said with emphasis. “As a result of this incident, Edward lost a lot of blood. Unfortunately, his blood type is quite rare.”
Chloe’s face went pale. She stood there like a lost soul. “So, what now, Hans? Edward has to survive. Please do something for my husband.” Chloe’s hysteria started to escalate. Patricia, who had been standing by her side, immediately pulled her daughter into an embrace, trying to calm her down. She was trying her best to soothe her daughter’s soul, which might have been shaken by hearing the events leading up to this.
“Stay calm, Chloe…” Kenzi spoke gently, trying to reassure her. “Edward and Kaivan have the same blood type. My brother will donate his blood to help your husband. Let’s just pray that everything goes smoothly. I’m sure your husband will recover soon.”
“Kenzi is right,” Richard added. “Edward has been through worse accidents than this before. And he managed to pull through. So, don’t worry. Your husband’s condition will surely improve soon.”
Chloe remained silent. She was still drowning in tears. Meanwhile, Dylan took the initiative to report everything that had happened to Edward’s parents. It didn’t take long for the aristocratic family to arrive at the hospital. Together, they all waited for news from the doctor in charge.
“Be patient, dear,” Patricia coaxed. She kept trying to comfort her youngest daughter. “Nothing will happen to your husband. Let’s just pray for the best. God will surely work a miracle.”
“I can’t bear to lose Edward, Mom,” Chloe said, shaking her head while in her mother’s embrace.
“Ssstss…” Liliana, who was sitting next to Chloe, hissed softly. With affection, the middle-aged woman tried to offer reassurance. “Edward is a strong young man. He’ll be fine, I’m sure of it. Especially now that he has you and your future child.”
After waiting for more than 60 minutes outside the operating room, the attending doctor finally came out. Alexander Edgar Martin, who was standing nearby, approached with clear concern in his eyes. “How is my son, Doctor? Is there anything to worry about?”
The doctor lowered his mask, revealing part of his face. “The surgical team has successfully removed the bullet lodged in your son’s chest. There was some bleeding, but everything has been handled well. We are also grateful that the bullet did not hit any other vital organs.”
“Praise the Lord.” Liliana and Patricia both murmured in relief. But Chloe remained visibly anxious, and she stepped forward to join the doctor who was giving the explanation.
“Is my husband conscious now?” Chloe asked impatiently.
The doctor shook his head. “As of now, your husband hasn’t regained consciousness. We’ll have to wait for one to three more days. If Mr. Edward manages to pass the critical period, he should wake up as soon as possible.”
Chloe felt a lump in her throat. Her knees suddenly went weak. It meant that Edward’s condition had not completely improved. Dear God, he still had to fight hard to stay alive.
“May I see him?” Chloe pleaded.
The doctor nodded. “Of course. Please go in, but your time is limited because the patient will be transferred to the intensive care unit after this.”
Chloe, trying to maintain her composure, followed the doctor slowly. Inside the room, she saw Edward lying there, helpless, with his body still connected to various medical devices. It was heartbreaking for her to see him lying there motionless.
“Ed…” Chloe embraced him. Tears fell freely from her eyes. “How did it come to this? You have to hold on. For me, for our child, and for everyone waiting for you out there,” she whispered while continuously kissing her husband’s wrist.
She couldn’t believe that earlier that morning, they were still showing affection to each other. Expressing their love. And now, he lay there motionless on the hospital bed, waiting for a fate that was uncertain.
“What can I do to make you wake up?” In her tears, Chloe kept speaking softly. “You promised you wouldn’t leave me. Please wake up. I promise to stay by your side.”
Chloe’s sobs grew louder. Seeing this, the doctor approached her. “You should try to calm down, Madam. Just pray for the best for your husband,” he suggested.
Chloe nodded. The next moment, she chose to step out as the nurses were getting ready to transfer Edward to the specialized care unit.