As he took a picture of her, Ex-Ranger Jackson patiently waited until she had run further down the street, stepped out of his truck, and followed her.With his phone in hand, his microscope, and the pen voice enhancer, he meticulously and discreetly watched her from a distance, like a skilled detective surveilling a suspect in a high-stakes operation.After doing this for about a minute, he saw how Emily walked directly towards a house. It had a white fence standing proudly, framing the quaint porch adorned with hanging baskets of vibrant flowers. The house itself was a charming cottage, with a welcoming front door painted in a cheerful shade of blue. The windows were framed with lace curtains, hinting at the coziness within, while a well-tended garden added a touch of natural beauty.Seeing Emily approach the front door, he noticed how she looked side to side and behind her, being careful not to be seen by anyone, like a spy cautiously navigating through enemy territory. Hence, he cr
Just like the previous day, ex-Ranger Jackson had already arrived at the school gate and waited patiently until the close of the evening, when each student was headed home.To say that he came back to school this new day with a truck once again was a lie. This time, it was a car: a Lexus, sleek blue at midnight, shining under the evening sky.This way, he knew that it would be difficult for any student, especially his targets, to be able to tell that it was him parked at the same spot as the previous day.Watching each student walk out through the school gate very closely, he used the same microscope. If that was all, that was a blatant lie. He ate another hot dog roll and a package of juice just to kill boredom."Gotcha!" he said suddenly as his eyes fixed on Emily and Jessica, and to say that they walked among other friends like they did the previous day was another repulsive lie.This way, he saw that Emily wore an oversized sweater paired with skinny jeans. Her long chestnut hair
As Ex-Ranger Jackson heard that, he immediately heard the next voice. However, unlike the first voice, which sounded weathered and seasoned, as if it carried the weight of years gone by, the next voice sounded vibrant, reflecting a sense of enthusiasm and optimism for the future. "Hey, babe, I've been trying to reach you. I hope you haven't forgotten about dinner tonight. I'll come pick you up by 7 p.m. Don't forget to look beautiful as always." Hearing this, Ex-Ranger Jackson, without needing anyone to tell him, knew that the first message was from her uncle, who was indeed an old man, and the other message she heard was from her boyfriend, who was coming to pick her up by 7 p.m. "It looks like somebody has a date tonight," he smiled as he took another picture of her still eating her cereal. However, if this was all that he heard, it would be a lie. At this instant, ex-Ranger Jackson heard another message resonate via his pen voice enhancer. "Hey Jess, you should really find some
Suddenly, while staring through the window, ex-ranger Jackson felt sudden footsteps approaching Jessica’s front door. And as he felt it, he suddenly heard a gentle knock on the front door.Instantly, as he heard this, he made his presence at the window more concealed in secrecy, making sure nothing gave him away to the one knocking on the door. With this, he turned off the voice enhancer, which he pointed towards Jessica through the window.“That must be Mark,” ex-ranger Jackson heard Jessica say, but in a low and distant voice.With this, he saw how Jessica lifted her gown by the bottom towards her feet as she hurried towards the front door from her room.Seeing this happen, ex-ranger Jackson knew that it was time for him to move away from the window. Hence, slowly and confidently, while still maintaining discretion, he walked towards the front door, and when almost reaching it, he concealed himself against the wall.Fixing himself to the wall as if he were going to merge into it, ex
After driving for several minutes and finally seeing that they had pulled their car to a stop, ex-ranger Jackson waited in his car until he watched as they stepped out and handed their keys to the valet like a seasoned observer at a theater, eagerly anticipating the opening act of a thrilling play.Observing their actions, he saw how they held each other’s hands as they climbed the stairs, resembling romantic movie stars deeply in love and beauty.Peering at the wall of the building they entered, he noticed its façade featured large, arched windows framed by ornate trim, allowing glimpses of the warm light within.At the top of the building, he read to himself the inscription on the wall like a scholar unraveling the secrets of an ancient text. “The Lantern Grove Bistro.”With the large windows on the wall, he was able to see through them as they walked in through the glass door and observe the angle at which they took their seats.Once seated, he watched as Mark waved to the waiter,
"Am I not talking to you, you poor thing?" Jessica fired again, and Julius only turned his eyes to her.Immediately as he turned his eyes to her, he saw Mark equally seated at the same table as Jessica.Since they were freshmen, he had always seen Mark around, but they had never spoken. However, it did not mean that Julius did not know a little or more about him."Hello, Mark? How do you do?" Julius smiled at him from his seat; however, Mark's response was a lie. To say that Mark hated him as well was an understatement. He did not like him at all for most of the reasons people hated him."How dare you open your poverty-stricken mouth and greet my boyfriend? How dare you?" Jessica wouldn't take it anymore. It was not enough that Julius's presence in the same restaurant disgusted her to the bone marrow. She saw him as pretending to be rich."The worst thing of all is for a poor bastard like you to pretend like he is rich. How many people have you scammed today, huh?"Hearing this, Juliu
Hearing the people laugh at them, ex-ranger Jackson saw Jessica grab Mark by his wrist in vexation and walk out of the restaurant like a wounded lioness, leading her wounded cub away from a pack of hyenas.Even as they walked in anger, it didn't mean the people in the restaurant stopped laughing at them at that instant. They continued to laugh, and as they walked out through the door, the door host bowed at them.Seeing how the door host bowed at them and how they both understood the sarcasm in that gesture, the people poked and grinned at them more. It felt good for Julius to see how Jessica felt a bit of what she and her friend had always made him feel all these years. With this, Julius continuously drank his coffee until he was done with it, feeling satisfied by the recent scenario of making Jessica and her boyfriend a laughing stock.When he was done with his coffee, he rose up gently and fastened his suit button into the right hole, and then Mr. Turner bowed to him immediately l
Outside the restaurant, Mr. Turner quickly opened the back seat door of the Cadillac Escalade parked right outside. As Mr. Turner opened the door, Julius stepped into the cocoon of its luxurious interior. Behind him, ex-ranger Jackson also stepped in, and thus, slowly but swiftly, Mr. Turner closed the door for them and stood guard outside. The interior of the Cadillac was so luxurious that ex-ranger Jackson had never been in such an expensive car before. The white interior exuded sophistication as plush leather seats embraced them in comfort, their immaculate surface gleaming under the soft ambient lighting. Similarly, ex-ranger Jackson observed how Julius reached for the bottle of wine nestled in the center console. With a graceful twist, he saw how Julius uncorked the bottle and poured a generous amount into a pair of exquisite crystal glasses resting on a polished wood tray between them. “Here,” he heard Julius offer him a glass of wine, and with this, he stretched his hand
“Thank you, Ms. Benedicta, for the opportunity to speak in this interview session about the recent happenings in our society. And yes, a prenup is a short prenuptial agreement. This is a legal contract entered into by a couple before they get married. It outlines the division of assets and financial responsibilities in the event of divorce or separation. This is the case with Rebecca, according to her agreement in the prenup; she won’t get anything from the assets after divorce.“Now, regarding whether she is right to be happy as her husband has been sentenced to life imprisonment, I want us to understand that, first of all, it is a person’s right to be happy. A person who is not happy deserves to be happy. However, the cause of being happy can vary. To some, money makes them happy; to others, their husbands or wives make them happy; and to other people, the aroma of food and the sound of sexual talks make them happy.In the case of Rebecca, I can relate to her when she says she was ha
Answering that question, the screen boldly showed reporter Alfred, who then said, “Our dear viewers, you have heard from Rebecca herself. She has filed for divorce with Mr. Thornton, and she is the happiest that justice has been served. Right now, we will be transitioning to the studio, where Ms. Benedicta will take over this discussion. But before that, don’t go anywhere.”As reporter Alfred said this on TV and smiled, the screen transitioned into a commercial break. A renowned soccer player was seen on TV kicking his ball and finally kicking it hard into the sky. Suddenly, the ball speedily changed into the Pepsi logo, and then a bottle of Pepsi was shown on the screen.After the commercial, the TV transitioned back into the studio, where a woman was shown wearing a short-length suit. Her hair was somewhat red and very short. She held a pen and a notepad and smiled boldly into the camera.Beside her were five men in different colored suits. One wore blue, another black, another grey
The news of this soon spread across every blog, every news station, and on social media, with the caption, “Mr. Richard Thornton, the same man who set out to compete with Master Julius Sabbath's luxurious hotel, has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term.” As for this, the news broadcasters have it on their TV screens, like:“Hello, dear viewers, We are back again to give you the latest news in real-time. As always, you are our priority, and we make sure to keep you updated.Just a few minutes ago, Mr. Thornton, who wanted to compete with Master Julius Sabbath of the great Sabbath family, was sentenced to a lengthy prison term. We heard this from the judge himself when he pronounced the sentence in court.Among the testifiers in court who shared their experiences with Mr. Thornton were his neighbor, Master Julius Sabbath himself, his two daughters, his wife, his ex-wife, and three of his employees.While they shared their experiences with the court, each of their testimonies aligned
The courtroom was tense with anticipation as Master Julius Sabbath stepped down from the stand. The judge, his face a mask of solemn contemplation, turned to address the room. The weight of the testimonies and evidence presented against Mr. Thornton hung heavy in the air."Mr. Thornton, please rise," the judge commanded. Thornton stood, his face pale, his eyes darting around the room as if seeking an escape from the walls closing in around him.The judge began, "After hearing the testimonies of multiple witnesses and reviewing the substantial evidence presented, this court must now deliberate on the charges brought against you. The accusations are grave and numerous, encompassing wage theft, domestic violence, sexual harassment, and corruption."He turned to the jury, ensuring their attention. "First, let us address the charge of wage theft. We have heard from multiple witnesses, including former employees, who testified to your consistent failure to pay wages on time. These delays an
As Michael Harrison left the stand, the judge turned to the bailiff. "Please call Master Julius Sabbath to the stand."Julius walked to the stand, was sworn in, and took a seat, facing the courtroom with a calm yet determined expression."Please introduce yourself to the court," the judge prompted."My name is Master Julius Sabbath," he began. "I am the heir of the great Sabbath Family who was once in poverty training when I met Mr. Thornton."The judge nodded. "Master Sabbath, can you tell us about your experiences with Mr. Thornton?"Julius took a deep breath and began. "When I first met Mr. Thornton, I was still struggling to make a name for myself and was undergoing training to improve my skills. Mr. Thornton hired me despite my circumstances, which I appreciated at the time."He paused, his expression growing more serious. "However, it soon became clear that Mr. Thornton had a very abrasive personality. He was always verbally abusive to his employees, especially the male ones who
A young girl, slightly nervous but determined, approached the witness stand. She was sworn in, and after taking a deep breath, she began her testimony."Please introduce yourself to the court," the judge prompted gently."My name is Emily Thornton," she said, her voice soft but clear. "I'm 12 years old, and I'm Rebecca's first daughter."The judge nodded. "Emily, can you tell us about your experiences with Mr. Thornton?"Emily took another deep breath, gathering her thoughts. "Mr. Thornton is my dad. At first, he seemed nice, but it didn't take long before he started changing. He would get really angry at my mom for little things. He would yell at her a lot, calling her names and saying really mean things."Her voice wavered slightly, but she pressed on. "One time, I heard them fighting, and I went to see what was happening. I saw him push my mom against the wall and hit her. She was crying and begging him to stop, but he wouldn't. I was really scared, and I didn't know what to do."E
As the court resumed after the recess, the judge called for order. The courtroom immediately quieted, and the judge addressed the court.“Thank you for your patience,” the judge said. “We will now call Mrs. Laura Thornton to the stand.”Laura Thornton, a composed woman in her late forties, walked to the witness stand. She was sworn in and took her seat, glancing briefly at her ex-husband before looking resolutely ahead.“Please introduce yourself to the court,” the judge prompted.“My name is Laura Thornton,” she began, her voice steady. “I was married to Mr. Thornton for three years. We have no children together.”The judge nodded. “Mrs. Thornton, please tell the court why you divorced Mr. Thornton.”Laura took a deep breath, her gaze unwavering. “I divorced Mr. Thornton because of domestic violence. For years, I endured physical and emotional abuse. Contrary to what Mr. Thornton has told everyone, that I extorted him and sex-starved him, the reality is that I lived in constant fear
---Emily, at this instance, took a deep breath, her eyes hardening as she looked at Mr. Thornton, and continued talking. “I worked for Mr. Thornton for two years. Like many others, I was drawn in by the promise of fair wages. But those wages were never paid on time. Sometimes they weren't paid at all. When we confronted him, he would dismiss our concerns, make excuses, and even threaten us with termination if we kept asking.”Her voice grew more intense. “But it wasn’t just the financial exploitation. Mr. Thornton created a hostile work environment through his constant verbal abuse. He would belittle us, call us names, and make us feel worthless. He thrived on our fear and desperation.”She paused, her expression growing darker. “And there was something even more sinister. Mr. Thornton sexually harassed me and other female employees. One day, while I was working late, he came up behind me and tried to touch my breast. I pushed him away and told him to stop, but he just laughed it off
In the early hours of the morning, this was the day every citizen had waited for, both young and old, men and women. The courtroom was filled with an air of anticipation and a sense of justice long overdue. The seats were packed with spectators, some standing in the aisles, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the proceedings.In the same manner, reporters jostled for space, their cameras clicking and flashes popping, eager to capture every moment of this high-profile trial.Reporters were both inside and outside the court. On this day, “Today is the day we have all waited for, the day Mr. Thornton stands trial for his fate, whether he will be sentenced to prison or become a free man. Do not forget that Mr. Thornton has been charged with wage theft and domestic violence against his wife, Rebecca. Will he be able to secure his freedom? We can only wait and see,” reporter Jasmine said on TV while she smiled, and the TV screen transitioned to the court proceedings.As the TV screen