The Verdict

The court resumed after taking an hour break, and the witnesses who were present during the fateful event were brought forward. Jack's mother and Jack's fiance told the court that they were resting outside by the pool when they heard the sound of a gunshot. That was when they ran back inside the house. 

They further brought to light that upon their arrival, they found me next to the deceased, who lay helplessly on the floor, and my hands were stained with blood. They concluded by stating that next to where I was seated, there was a gun, and my mother stood at the door entrance.

Jack told the court about what he saw and insisted that I should be arrested. Next was my mother's turn, who was also arrested. After my mother ran away, Jack continued to search for her tirelessly until he found her locked up in the storage room. He didn't hesitate to call the cops, and she was arrested on charges of tempering with evidence and being an accomplice to murder.

Tears ran down my cheeks like an uncontrollable river, delineating a path of sorrow on my face as I saw my mother cuffed like an animal. 'How did we get here?' I kept on repeating the same question in my mind, but I was unable to find the answers to it. Upon arrival at the witness box, she refrained from looking in my direction.

In as much as seeing her being treated like a criminal hurt me, a part of me was relieved. I knew my mother was going to enlighten everyone with the truth, and in my heart, I vowed to prove my mother's innocence once I'm exonerated from all the charges laid against me.

"Ms. Anderson," the lawyer began, facing in my mother's direction. "Please tell the court why you stole the murder weapon and wiped your child's fingerprint on it. Is it because you were also involved in Mr. Miller's death?" He carried on.

"I was protecting my child," she said. I couldn't sit back and listen to my own mother throw me under the bus. In an instant, I stood up and screamed on top of my voice, "Why are you lying, mom? You know I didn't do anything." I blinked once, and tears began falling on my cheeks like raindrops.

"Silence in court!" The judge banged his gavel.

"Tell us, Ms. Anderson, why did your daughter kill the deceased?" 

"I don't know because I wasn't there when it happened. She requested to use the bathroom before she left the mansion, and I consented to her request. I continued doing my chores, and after some time, I heard the sound of a gunshot, and I hurried upstairs." She clarified, her eyes brimming with tears."And I found Mandy, my daughter, next to Mr. Miller's body; her hands were covered with blood, and she was alone in that room," she continued.

My jaw dropped, and my eyes widened in disbelief as if a jolt of electricity ran through my entire body. I wasn't aware that my mother was capable of lying.

I looked at her with a sorrowful face, and tears began burning up in my eyes, clouding my vision. I tried to speak up, but I was choked by my own tears. I continued staring at her in shock. "How could you do this to me, mom? Why are you doing this to me?" I finally managed to say something. I didn't pay much attention to the remainder of the court session, but in the end, my mother was convicted for tempering with evidence, and she was sentenced to eight years in prison. I was granted bail, with the trial pending.

The judge stated that there was not enough evidence to prove my involvement in the case, and I didn't have any motive for committing the crime.

My friend paid for my bail, and I went straight to my apartment. The next morning, I went to prison to visit my mother. It was not a social visit; I wanted answers. "Please tell me they didn't force you to make that statement." I said as I made myself comfortable on the chair in the prison visiting area.

"No one forced me to say anything," she replied, shying away from me.

"Then why did you lie, mom? Because we both know that what you said in that court was untrue."

"What did you want me to say? I was making things easier for us. We are nobody, and we can never win against the Millers." At last, she gathered the strength to look me straight in the eye.

"I know you, mom; they forced you into this. So you are more loyal to them than to me? I can't believe you; I never imagined in my entire life that you could easily turn against me, mom, and throw me out to the wolves." I wiped my tears with the back of my hand. I got furious, and I stood up, ready to leave.

"Don't do anything stupid, Mandy; just don't do it. You will be back in jail in an instant if you are not careful." 

"Don't tell me what to do! Ok? I hate you, mom. I hate you so much, and I never want to see you again. Ever!" I banged my fist on top of the table in a rage, and I rushed outside. I was not hurt anymore by my mother's actions; I was mad as hell. I was burning inside, and I wanted everyone who crossed me to feel my wrath. I was ready to confront the Miller's and give them a piece of my mind.

I took a cab and went straight to the Miller mansion. It was an hour's drive from the prison to the Miller mansion; that was enough time for me to plan everything and what I was going to say.

'Did I really need planning? Hell no! Guilty people need planning; I was not guilty, and neither was my mother. I need to relax because I was going there to tell them the truth.'

***

"Mom, why did you call me back here?" Jack said as he loosened his tie and took off his watch.

"We are supposed to be mourning your father and making preparations for the burial," Silver, Jack's mother, said, taking away his briefcase and placing it on top of the couch.

"Who is supposed to run the company while I'm here, mourning about my father's death? You can hire people to take care of the burial, mom."

"He was my husband, Jack; I have to do everything myself; I can't let strangers decide on how my husband should be buried. Never!" She raised her voice.

"It's ok, mom; you can stay here and be hands-on, but don't force me into it. I have a company to run; it won't run itself. My fiance is here; she will help you with everything." He sat down next to his mother.

"Are you using work to shield your pain, my son? Because from the way I see it, it's not about you running the company; it's about you trying to escape the pain of losing a father." She turned and looked at her son, then gently touched his shoulder.

"Tell me why I'm here, mom, or else I'm going back to work."

"The lawyer called; he wants to meet us regarding your father's will. He should be here at any moment now," she said, standing up and leaving.

"Can't he wait, mom? Well, at least until my father is buried." Jack followed his mother from behind. Before she could answer his stubborn son, the doorbell rang, and it was the family's lawyer. They all gathered in the living area, and the lawyer began.

"Firstly, I would like to express my sincere condolences for your loss. Mr. Miller requested that, in the case of his death, the reading of the will take place before his burial."

"Any particular reason?" Jack asked

"Not really; he mentioned something like he wants all of you to go back to your normal lives immediately after his burial." 

"We will begin with his assets," he continued. "I leave all my assets, including Flex Network Company, to my one and only son, who is supposed to take care of his mother for the rest of her life. My son should inherit my assets, provided he gets married within two months after my burial or has a child of his own. In the case of having a child, pregnancy should be confirmed three months after my burial. Failure to adhere to these conditions means all my assets should be transferred to my lovely wife."

"This is pure madness! I'm already engaged, and the wedding is in six months; can't that count for something?" It was visible in Jack's face that he was angry.

"My hands are tied, and this was your father's last wish.There is absolutely nothing I can do to change it." The lawyer stared at us, one by one. He carried on reading the rest of the will and left.

Jack had no child at all, born or unborn, and he was not going to destroy all his plans and marry within three months so that he could inherit everything. At the same time, he worked hard for Flex Network Company, and he was not prepared to lose it.

Jack was in the bedroom with his fiance, Becky, and they exchanged glances without saying a word to each other. 

"What are you going to do about your father's will?" Jack's fiancé finally broke the silence.

"What do you think I should do? I can't lose the company; it's my life, and you know that." Jack kept staring out the window.

"I cannot compromise on my wedding; it's in six months, and that's final. We need all the time to prepare for it, Jack," she said, taking a few steps closer to him.

"Maybe you can compromise with something; I mean, let's have a baby before we get married. How is that?

"Are you kidding me, Jack? Firstly, I never said I wanted kids, and secondly, it's my body if I want kids, and that's a big IF; I will decide when to have them. For now, I'm not even thinking about them," she said with a loud sigh.

"Are you that selfish, Becky? You know that without those two things, I will lose everything. I want you to think about what you are willing to compromise on and tell me. I will give you some time to think about this." He clicked his tongue.

"I won't think about anything. Ok? It's my body. I won't let you force me into something that I don't want to do....." Before Becky could finish her sentence, the door buzzer kept on ringing repeatedly. It was impossible to ignore it, so they quickly ran downstairs. Along the stairs, they met with Jack's mother, who was also going to open the door.

Jack opened the door, and suddenly his eyebrows scrunched together, his lips tightened, and his nostrils flared, as he saw the last person he expect

ed to see. Mandy stared at Jack and pushed him, making way for her to enter the house. Becky and Jack's mother were shocked to see Mandy right before their eyes.

"We need to talk! Right now!"