The Unknown Billionaire

Chapter 30

Days turned into weeks, and Vere had already adjusted to his life as an inmate.

 However, every day, he held onto the hope that a miracle would happen and that one day, James would surprise him, having overcome the coma from the accident. But he couldn't forget the events that had forever left a mark on his memory. One day, as Vere was taking a shower, he was unaware that danger was lurking nearby. Vere had thought that, after several days and weeks had passed, the conflicts would have subsided, but he was definitely mistaken, and that day would be his other day to be in trouble. 

Little did he know that some of his fellow inmates were still watching him closely, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

After Vere had finished dressing and left the shower area, he was in for a shock. The same group that had been causing problems for him in the mess hall in the past few weeks had confronted him. Five imposing inmates surrounded him, their hostility palpable. Without warning, they seized his clothes and began to punch him, focusing their blows on his abdomen.

The pain was excruciating, and Vere writhed in agony. Desperation and determination welled up within him. Despite the odds, he summoned every ounce of his strength and tried to fight back, landing a few punches in return. But the five men overwhelmed him, taking turns until Vere was left bloodied and his face battered. As he fell to the ground, bruised and defeated, Vere noticed one of the assailants holding a small knife. 

Fueled by a mix of his anger and desperation, Vere lunged at the man, managing to wrest the knife from his grasp. Without a second thought, he accidentally stabbed one of his attackers, causing the others to panic. 

Terrified of suffering a similar fate, they fled the bathroom, leaving Vere with the knife still clutched in his hand. Amidst the chaos, a jail guard rushed into the scene, alerted by the commotion. The inmates who had attacked Vere quickly reported the incident, attempting to paint themselves as the victims. 

The jail guard arrived to find Vere standing, bloodied, with the knife. "Drop the knife! Drop it now!" the jail guard shouted. "It's not what it looks like! They were attacking me!" 

Vere protested, panic in his voice. The cautious jail guard instructed Vere to put the knife down, promising to sort things out. Vere, realizing the gravity of the situation, slowly dropped the weapon. 

The jail guard immediately called for assistance, and soon other guards and medical personnel arrived to assess the situation. Vere's battered appearance and the knife in his hand made him appear as the aggressor, despite the truth of the matter.

 As he was detained and placed in handcuffs, Vere couldn't help but wonder how he would get out of this predicament and whether James would ever wake up to help him through this nightmare.

Shortly after, Tony, Johnny, and Ted, Vere's friends, arrived at the scene, but there was nothing they could do except watch as Vere, shackled and escorted by the jail guards, was led away. 

They followed him to a dimly lit cell, commonly called the "hole." Inside, Vere was overwhelmed by the darkness and isolation. It was a place devoid of any glimpse of daylight, and despair crept into his heart.

 As Vere sat in the gloom, his hands restrained, he couldn't help but cry silently to himself. He questioned himself about what he had done wrong and why he was being punished. He uttered these thoughts as if speaking to an absent higher power: "What have I done? Why am I here? Where is the Lord? Why doesn't He hear my prayers?" 

The darkness and silence of the cell amplified Vere's sense of abandonment, making him feel even more isolated and alone. In the midst of despair, Vere held onto a glimmer of hope, praying that somehow he would find a way out of this bleak situation and hoping that James would soon if he ever woke up, come to his aid.

It had been seven long days since Vere had been locked away in the dim and desolate cell, his hope dwindling with each passing moment. However, one day, a surprise awaited him as the cell door creaked open, and he was led out of the "hole." It was due to a significant visitor waiting for him in the prison's visitation room. Vere moved cautiously, almost in a daze, his vision still adjusting to the sudden light, and his spirit nearly crushed. As he entered the visitation room, Vere was astonished to find Mr. and Mrs. Fuentez waiting for him. Mr. Fuentez, with a cynical smile, greeted him, "So how's our son-in-law, the criminal? It seems like your fellow inmates are having a party celebrating you." 

Vere stood there, a mix of emotions churning within him. He had expected a visit, but he hadn't anticipated this. 

Mrs. Fuentez, her voice softer and more compassionate, chimed in, "Anyway, we came here for a reason, Vere. We want to help you, but we need something in return." 

Vere, just looking at her, was confused and couldn't comprehend why they would want to help him now. His own confusion turned into frustration as he listened to their conditions.

 "We can make your charges disappear, and you can walk out of here, but you must agree to our terms," Mrs. Fuentez explained.

 At that moment, Vere couldn't help but wonder why they were suddenly interested in his well-being and freedom. He responded, "Why would you want to help me now, and what game is this you are offering? Are you excited to have me locked up before, but suddenly you want me out? You accuse me of killing my wife, your daughter, and now why the change of heart?"

Mrs. Fuentez took a deep breath before replying, "Simply, we didn't fully understand your character before, and we regret the role we played in your imprisonment. We realized that you're not the dangerous criminal they made you out to be. We want to right this wrong and give you a second chance, but if only you will accept and agree. In exchange, you will owe us a favor, a significant one, when the time comes." 

Vere was taken aback by this proposition. He understood that life inside the prison was taking its toll on him, but he couldn't help but be skeptical of Fuentez's sudden offer. He contemplated his options, aware that any deal with the Fuentez family might come at a high cost or might put his life again in a horrible situation, but the prospect of freedom was a powerful incentive. 

Vere knew he needed to make a difficult decision, one that would determine the course of his life from this point forward.

At that moment, Vere stood up and turned away from Mr. and Mrs. Fuentez. However, as he was about to exit the room, Mr. Fuentez reminded him of something: "Don't forget, Vere, if it was not because of our daughter, you wouldn't have the wealth you mentioned." Vere paused and glanced back at the Fuentez couple, his face a mix of defiance and determination. "Yes, you're right, but if it weren't for my hard work, that wealth wouldn't have grown as it did. Perhaps you've forgotten the numerous times I've saved your company from financial ruin." 

The room fell into a tense silence as Mr. and Mrs. Fuentez absorbed Vere's words. The notion that their daughter might have played a part in the situation weighed heavily on them, and for that moment, they became left speechless.

 Vere continued, "If you can investigate me, then investigate your own company, so you can uncover the truth about what's been happening because of your daughter's actions." With that, Vere left the visitation room, instructing the jail guard to return him to his cell. 

As the heavy prison door closed behind him, Vere knew that he had made a powerful statement, one that had the potential to reveal the circumstances that had led him to this point. His fate remained uncertain, but he had drawn a line in the sand, ready to face the consequences of his actions and the choices he'd made in the tumultuous journey that lay ahead.