The Unknown Billionaire

Chapter 28

It was a nightmarish situation for Vere, as he became the prime suspect in the investigation into his wife Mira's death. And now his confidant and trusted friend, James, was nowhere to be found, as he was only the hope for Vere, leaving him isolated and desperate. 

To make matters worse, Vere was unable to bid a final farewell to Mira, as Mr. and Mrs. Fuentez denied him that closure. All his efforts, all he had done for Mira and their envisioned family, had crumbled due to unforeseen issues in their marriage. It was a deeply distressing ordeal for Vere.

It was the seventh day in the cell for Vere, who was informed by the police that he had a visitor.

 He was taken to a visitation room, where he saw Mr. and Mrs. Fuentez waiting for him. Vere greeted them out of respect as their son-in-law, but they ignored his greeting.

 "Mrs. Fuentez, how could you? After all that you've done for our daughter, we trusted you completely, but it turned into a mess," Mr. Fuentez lamented.

 "If you can remember those days when Perry caused devastation in our lives, look at it now. We thought you were the person our daughter deserved, but it was all wrong. My daughter loved a criminal man who led her to her death." 

Vere countered, "No, that's not true." "You're worse than Perry, and we regret having a son-in-law like you, a murderer, a criminal," Mrs. Fuentez bitterly stated.

"You don't know what the whole truth is," Vere added. "What truth? The investigation shows that all the evidence and proofs are clear; we regret having you as our son-in-law," Mr. Fuentez said. "You want to play a game, Mr. Vere, but you can't bring back the precious life you've taken," Mrs. Fuentez said.

 At that moment, he couldn't take his emotions. Vere seethed with anger at the words he heard from Mr. and Mrs. Fuentez. "Believe whatever you want to believe," he retorted.

Vere stood up and called the guard to take him back to his cell, saying, "I'm the only one you're accusing; why don't you investigate your own child who started this problem?" As he was leaving the room, even the guard heard Mr. Fuentez say, "So because of that simple problem, you killed our daughter." 

Vere looked back at the Fuentez couple, shook his head, and walked away.

On that same day, Vere was informed that he had a visitor, a lawyer. While he was speaking with the lawyer, Vere requested that they find James and convey his message. 

Lawyer started, "Hi, Mr. Vere, I'm your lawyer, Atty. Clark. I'm here to offer my services. I've heard about your case, and I've handled cases like yours before. If you allow me, I'll start studying your case so we can proceed with the necessary legal procedures."

 Vere began, "Yes, I do, and please do me a favor. Please locate James and deliver my message to him. He's my trusted personal assistant. Thanks." 

At that moment, Vere fell silent, lost in his thoughts, as he recalled the words of Mr. and Mrs. Fuentez. After conveying his message to the lawyer, he stood up and signaled to the guard to return to his cell.

That night, Vere couldn't sleep as he contemplated the hope that tomorrow would bring a resolution. He was sure that his message had reached James. Vere thought to himself, "Tomorrow will be a better day. I'm confident that my message has reached James." This sense of hope provided him with some comfort, as he desperately awaited a positive outcome.

The following day, the attorney made his way back to Vere's cell with a heavy heart, carrying disheartening news that would shatter what little hope remained for Vere. “Mr. Vere, I have some profoundly worrying news to share with you about James, your personal assistant, he has been in a major accident, and he is currently in the hospital.”

“And he is still unconscious and battling for his life.”

The weight of those words hit Vere like a sledgehammer. That time Vere couldn't hold the feeling and Tears welled up in his eyes, and he couldn't hold back the overwhelming surge of emotions that flooded over him. In this moment of despair, he needed James more than ever. James had not only been his trusted assistant but also his confidant, his pillar of strength during these tumultuous times.

 Vere realized the magnitude of the situation, and the gravity of not being able to express his gratitude and repay the profound debt of loyalty James had shown him weighed heavily on his heart. The guilt gnawed at him, knowing that he might never get the opportunity to convey how much he valued and appreciated. 

After the attorney informed him the attorney leftIn the dimly lit cell, Vere's mind was clouded with a deep sense of despair. He yearned for James to recover, not only for his sake but for the chance to show James just how much he meant to him. 

At that moment, Vere found it inexplicably painful to bear the weight of his emotions. A turbulent mixture of anguish had been building since he lost his mother and then, tragically, Mira. And now, the news of James, the one person he could rely on in his personal life and various businesses, added another layer of agony in his heart. In the darkness of his cell, Vere's thoughts raced, and his heart ached with an overwhelming sense of loss. 

The void left by Mira's absence had never truly been filled, and James had become the steady presence that anchored him through the turbulent seas of life. "James," Vere whispered softly to himself as if the mere utterance of his name could summon his friend's presence. He thought about all the times they had faced challenges together, navigated through the intricacies of business deals, and shared personal stories during late-night conversations. 

For Vere, James was not just an assistant but a confidant, a loyal trusted friend, and an integral part of Vere's life. The pain Vere felt was compounded by the fact that he couldn't be there by James's side during his time of need. The helplessness of his incarceration only deepened the despair that threatened to consume him. That time Vere longed for the day that he could express his gratitude to James for being his unwavering support system, for being the one who had, in many ways, saved him from complete despair and always be on his side at any time he needed him.. 

As the night wore on, Vere still held onto a glimmer of hope and prayed That James could get through the situation. He couldn't explain the source of this hope, but he clung to the belief that tomorrow might bring better news, a positive resolution that would reunite him with the one person he couldn't bear to lose.

A month later, after a sad hearing in the courtroom, Vere was found guilty of all accusations brought against him, and the judge's gavel boomed with finality, sealing his doom. 

His life would change drastically as he faced the possibility of serving time in prison alongside other detainees because he was now formally regarded as a prisoner of the state. 

As the courtroom emptied that time, Vere's attorney approached him, his expression laden with regret. 

"Mr. Vere, I'm very sorry. I tried my best, Mr. Vere, but it seems the jury decided against you. You'll have to be ready for your time in prison for the time being, but we'll look into the possibilities for an appeal if we can.”

 Vere, though devastated by the outcome, nodded in acknowledgment.

 "Thank you for your efforts, attorney. I appreciate everything you've done." 

The reality of his situation began to sink in as he was escorted out of the courtroom while seeing the face of Mr. and Mrs. Fuentez were happy as they won in their case.

 And headed straight to the prison. As the heavy iron doors clanged shut behind him, sealing off the outside world, Vere found himself in a stark, unforgiving environment, surrounded by other inmates, each with their own stories and circumstances.