What happens now? Dr. Paul asked. Now? Desmond looked around the ballroom one more time. Now I rebuilt.
My life. My trust. My future.
But first I need to deal with the legal mess. Monica and Elijah will be charged with attempted murder and fraud. There will be a trial.
The media will go crazy. Are you ready for that? Grace asked. Once the story hits the news you’ll be famous.
Everyone will want to interview you. The man who came back from the dead to expose his wife. Desmond sighed.
I don’t want to be famous. I just want justice. And peace.
You deserve both, Dr. Paul said firmly. The three of them spent the next hour cleaning up. They threw away the decorations.
All those white flowers that Monica had bought with Desmond’s money. They packed up the food that hadn’t been eaten. They turned off the lights one by one.
As they worked Desmond thought about Monica. Where was she right now? Probably in a police cell, still in her white dress, finally facing the consequences of her actions. Did she regret what she had done? Or did she only regret getting caught? Desmond would probably never know.
And maybe it didn’t matter. Around midnight Grace and Dr. Paul finally left. Desmond stood alone in his mansion.
Truly alone for the first time in 40 days. He walked through the empty rooms seeing them with new eyes. This house had been a home once.
A place full of love and hope. Then it had become a prison of lies. And now.
Now it was just a house. Empty. Waiting to be filled with something new.
Desmond went upstairs to the master bedroom. The bed where Monica had slept with Elijah. He couldn’t sleep there.
Not tonight. Maybe not ever again. Instead he went to a guest room and lay down on the bed still wearing his suit.
He was exhausted, physically, mentally, emotionally drained. But as he closed his eyes, Desmond felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time. Relief.
The test was over. The truth was revealed. And he was free.
The media storm. By Sunday morning, the story had exploded across every news channel, website and social media platform in the city. Millionaire fakes death to expose wife’s murder plot.
Widow’s shocking betrayal. The engagement party that ended in handcuffs. Man returns from the dead at his wife’s engagement party to her lover.
Desmond’s phone wouldn’t stop ringing. Reporters. Journalists.
TV producers. Everyone wanted an interview. Everyone wanted to hear the story directly from him.
Grace came over early that morning with coffee and newspapers. She spread them across the dining table and together they looked at the headlines. You’re famous, Grace said, pointing to a newspaper with Desmond’s photo on the front page.
The whole world is talking about you. Desmond picked up one of the papers and read the article. It was mostly accurate, though some details were exaggerated.
The writer called him a genius and a master strategist. They called Monica a black widow and a cold-blooded killer. They’re making it sound like a movie, Desmond said, putting down the paper.
It is like a movie, Grace replied. Desmond, this is the craziest thing that’s happened in the city in years. Of course people are obsessed with it.
Desmond’s phone rang again. He looked at the screen. It was a producer from a major television network asking him to appear on their morning show.
He declined the call. You’re going to have to talk eventually, Grace said gently. People want to hear your side of the story.
I know, but not yet. Right now I just want to focus on the legal case, making sure Monica and Elijah actually face consequences for what they did. As if on cue, Desmond’s lawyer, Mr. Harrison, called.
Mr. Adams, good morning. I hope you got some rest last night, Mr. Harrison said. Not much, but I’m managing.
What’s the situation? Well, both Monica and Elijah are being held without bail. The prosecutor is charging them with conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, fraud, and embezzlement. The evidence you gathered, the videos, the audio recordings, the photographs of the sabotaged car, it’s all admissible in court.
The case against them is very strong. How long until the trial? Desmond asked. Probably four to six months.
These things take time. But in the meantime, I’ve already filed paperwork to freeze all of Monica’s assets. She won’t be able to touch any of your money or property.
And I’m working on getting your company shares transferred back to you. Monica had already started the process of selling them, but we’re reversing it. Good.
Thank you, Mr. Harrison. There’s something else you should know, the lawyer continued, his voice becoming more serious. Monica’s lawyer contacted me this morning.
She wants to negotiate a plea deal. Desmond felt his jaw tighten. A plea deal? Already? Yes.
She knows the evidence against her is overwhelming. She can’t win this case if it goes to trial. So she’s offering to plead guilty to lesser charges in exchange for a reduced sentence.
What kind of reduced sentence? Her lawyer is asking for five years instead of 20. Plus probation and restitution. Five years.
Monica had tried to kill him and she might only get five years. What do you think I should do? Desmond asked. Mr. Harrison was quiet for a moment.
That’s not a legal question, Mr. Adams. That’s a personal one. Legally, I can tell you that if we go to trial, we’ll almost certainly win and Monica will get the full 20 years.
But trials are expensive, time-consuming and emotionally draining. They also put your private life on public display even more than it already is. A plea deal would mean closure.
You could move on faster. Desmond thought about it. Part of him wanted Monica to suffer the maximum penalty.
She deserved it. She had tried to murder him. But another part of him just wanted this to be over.
He wanted to move forward with his life. He didn’t want to spend the next year sitting in a courtroom, reliving the betrayal over and over. Let me think about it, Desmond said finally.
I’ll call you back in a few days. After hanging up, Desmond told Grace about the plea deal offer. Five years.
Grace said angrily. That’s nothing. She should rot in prison for 20 years.
I know, Desmond said quietly. But would 20 years change anything? Would it make me feel better? Would it undo what she did? Grace opened her mouth to argue then stopped. She looked at her brother carefully.
What are you saying? I’m saying, maybe I don’t need revenge. Maybe I just need justice. And if justice means Monica admits what she did, goes to prison, and I can move on with my life faster…
