CHAPTER FOURTY-FOUR

At TM Corporation, police officers stormed in, arresting Victor and Julian, who were in a meeting. The officers burst in, badges flashing, catching Victor and Julian off guard.

Victor's face contorted in confusion. "What's happening?"

Julian, still recovering ,stuttered, "W-what's... what's happening?"

Before they could comprehend the situation, the officers handcuffed them and read out their rights. Victor and Julian were then escorted out of the building and taken to the police station.

Victor protested, "You can't just barge in here and arrest me without telling me what I did!"

The officer replied, "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say here will be used against you in court. You also have the right to a lawyer. Your crimes will be explained at the station. Move!"

Victor and Julian were dragged away, while David watched, amused.

At the station, Victor and Julian refused to talk. Victor demanded, "I want to speak to my lawyer! You'll regret this!"

They were thrown into a cell, refusing to admit to anything.

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The court hearing and judgment for Jerome, david and julian was scheduled, and the day arrived. In the courtroom, everyone sat moderately, awaiting the judge's entrance. As the judge entered, the courtroom erupted in a chorus of "Court rise!" and everyone stood to greet her.

The judge sat down and instructed the court to begin. Jerome's lawyer defended him, "My client didn't commit these crimes because he wanted to. He was paid to do it. If these people hadn't hired him, he wouldn't have killed."

Ava sat in the courtroom, her eyes locked onto Jerome's. She maintained eye contact with him, her expression a mix of emotions. Jerome, seated in the defendant's chair, held her gaze, his eyes filled with a deep longing.

The lawyers defending Victor and Julian argued, "It is true that my clients didn't actually kill anyone? They paid Jerome to do it. Why would he kill if someone paid him to? It was up to him to say no."

The judge finally spoke, "Here is my judgment. Jerome Anderson, for killing victims under instructions, I hereby sentence you to five years in prison with hard labor."

Then, addressing Victor and Julian, the judge continued, "And for giving orders to kill fellow workers and CEOs, I sentence you both to ten years in prison with hard and painful labor."

The judge banged her gavel, and the courtroom erupted into a flurry of activity. Jerome was led away in handcuffs, but he caught Ava's eye and smiled.

Ava was relieved that Jerome's sentence was relatively light. As he was taken away to the prison bus, he stopped and turned to Ava.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Ava said. "I'll come visit you from time to time, okay?"

Jerome nodded, trusting her. "I'll be waiting."

Meanwhile, Victor was furious, shouting, "No! This is not fair! Why would you...?"

Julian stood in stunned silence, his world crashing down around him.

As Victor and Julian were being led away in handcuffs, Julian suddenly broke free from the officers' grasp. He pushed and shoved, creating a chaotic scene in the courtroom.

"Stop him!" one of the officers yelled.

Julian sprinted out of the courtroom, leaving the stunned officers and courtroom staff in his wake. The sound of sirens and shouting filled the air as the police scrambled to chase after him.

Ava's eyes widened in shock as she watched Julian escape. "Oh no, he's getting away!" she exclaimed. it was too late. Julian had vanished into the crowd, leaving behind a trail of chaos and confusion.

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Three days passed, and Julian was no where to be found,despite the police's ongoing search. Ava kept her promise, visiting Jerome regularly.

However, the shame and humiliation proved too much for Victor, who took his own life in jail.

Meanwhile, Ava continued investigating the case of the pregnant woman's murder. After diligent work, they finally identified the killer: a neighbor who had gained the victim's trust.

The neighbor had visited the pregnant woman under the guise of offering a gift but instead committed the heinous crime. Ava felt a sense of closure, knowing justice would be served for the victim and her family.

Ava arrived at the prison, carrying a container of homemade food. She was eager to see Jerome and had brought his favorite dish.

After a brief wait, Jerome was escorted into the visitation room. He sat across from Ava, his eyes lighting up.

Ava smiled, pushing the container towards him. "How's life treating you here?" she asked, concern etched on her face.

Jerome shrugged. "It's not bad, neither would I say it's good."

Ava reassured him, "Don't worry, I'll keep visiting you from time to time. You'll be out soon."

Jerome's eyes softened. "I don't know what I would have done without you."

Ava smiled and stood up. "Okay, let me just go back to the station. There's a lot of work to do."

As Ava headed to the station, she remembered she was supposed to meet Kira. Kira had updated her on her father's recovery; he had woken up and was doing well. Kira had also learned about Jerome's true identity as the Shadow Killer. They had discussed it, but Kira had chosen to focus on redemption rather than anger.

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In the prison corner, Jerome sat quietly, eating the food Ava had brought. A group of rough-looking inmates gathered nearby, eyeing him with disdain.

One of them sneered, "I don't like his face. He thinks he's better than us."

Another chimed in, "Let's have some fun with him. Teach him a lesson."

A third inmate retorted, "You're just jealous because he's handsome."

The group's leader snarled, "Enough! Bring him here. Let's see why he thinks he's so superior."

The inmates nodded, seemingly eager to intimidate Jerome.

One of the inmates approached Jerome, saying, "Hey, our boss wants to talk to you."

Jerome, aware of the dangers of engaging with them, pretended not to hear. He continued eating, trying to avoid confrontation.

But the inmate wouldn't let up. He grabbed Jerome's food and poured it on the ground. "I am talking to you, and you're ignoring me? How dare you!"

Jerome's anger flared. With lightning speed, he jumped onto the table and delivered a swift kick to the inmate,sending him flying in the air and landing in the big trash bin at a conner.