Claire’s POV
I stood frozen, my eyes glued to the TV screen as the shocking revelations unfolded. Evander had promised two days—that he would find and punish those who dared to harm . But I never imagined it would involve Mia and Brian. Was this all part of his plan, or just a coincidence that their cris were connected to Diana?
I didn’t know for sure, but one thing was clear: the heaviness I had carried for so long and the weight of injustice that had suffocated was finally lifting.
My chest tightened as the faces of Mia and Diana’s face flashed on the screen, their once-smug expressions replaced by fear and panic. It felt surreal. The sa people who had tornted and made question my worth were now being dragged into the light for everyone to see.
For the first ti in years, I felt alive. A small, cautious sense of relief began to settle in.
Evander’s voice broke through my thoughts. "Are you okay?" he asked, his tone steady yet gentle.
I turned to him, my emotions whirling within . "I... I don’t know what to say."
"You don’t have to say anything," he replied, his gaze unwavering. "What matters is that they will never hurt you—or anyone else—again."
His words felt like a promise, which I believed with all my heart. For the first ti, I felt truly safe. And for the first ti, I allowed myself to believe that maybe, just maybe, I could leave my past behind.
Brian’s face turned ashen as the evidence piled up. He stamred, "Th-this isn’t true! It’s all lies!"
I was still looking at the TV when I heard Brian’s voice and looked toward him.
Zaniel chuckled darkly at his words, his glasses catching the light of the TV screen. "The truth always cos out, Brian. You and your accomplices made a career out of ruining lives. Did you really think there wouldn’t be consequences?"
Damian leaned in closer, his smirk returning. "Enjoy your last few monts of freedom," he whispered mockingly.
Sissy clung to my arm, her face pale as she tried to process everything. "Did they just say...?"
"Yes," Evander said, cutting her off as his eyes softened montarily. "And now it’s over. They won’t hurt anyone again."
The guards moved forward, handcuffing Brian and Mia as they protested and cried out in vain.
Evander’s POV
I was seething with anger as I gripped the steering wheel, my foot pressing harder on the accelerator. My mind raced as I dialed Zaniel’s number. Most of the malls in the city were either owned by Damian, myself, or run through our partnership. However, all operations were discreetly handled by Zaniel, ensuring no one knew who the true bosses were. And now I needed him on-site urgently.
"Hi Siri, call Secretary Zaniel," I instructed sharply, and the call connected within monts.
"Boss?" Zaniel’s composed voice ca through, as steady as ever.
"Is everything ready regarding Mia and Brian?" I demanded, my tone leaving no room for hesitation. I glanced at the ti as I calculated. Pri ti was just around the corner. Most viewers tuned into the news after dinner, and I wanted this exposé to hit the perfect slot. However, now I needed to change the plan.
"Yes, boss," Zaniel confird. "All the evidence is prepared and ready for broadcast."
"Good," I said, my voice clipped. "Change of plans. Let them start the show now. I am heading to the Royal Mall, and I need you there imdiately."
"Understood, boss. I will be there shortly," he replied without missing a beat.
Ending the call, I slamd the steering wheel lightly, trying to control my frustration into focus. Claire had already endured enough because of those snakes, and now they dared to show their faces again. I couldn’t let this slide.
I wouldn’t give a damn what they were doing, but since they ssed with my Claire, I wouldn’t let them be alone! I would ruin them, and I was planning that for a long ti. But the ti would co this sooner, which was what I had not expected.
By the ti I reached the Royal Mall, I noticed Brian’s smug expression, as if he still believed he held all the power. But little did he know, his ti was up. I had already sent my people ahead to ensure Claire and everyone else were safe, and now I had taught him a good lesson.
However, how could I forget about Eliam? The little man who helped the most.
I stepped toward Claire as I looked at Eliam, who stood beside Claire, his small fra trembling slightly as he clutched the hem of her dress. He looked so scared that it made my chest tighten. Yet, despite his fear, he had acted bravely when it was tough.
"Co here, son!" I called, my voice softer than usual. Eliam peeked at from behind Claire before toddling toward on his tiny feet. I bent down, scooping him up into my arms. "You were really brave today," I said, patting his back gently. "If you hadn’t called , I wouldn’t have known what was happening here."
"What?" Sissy gasped her expression a mixture of disbelief and awe. Claire turned to , her wide eyes filled with questions she couldn’t seem to voice.
I chuckled lightly, looking at my little boy. "Yes, my son is incredibly clever," I announced proudly, my gaze shifting between Claire and Sissy. "He used the E-watch I gave him to call when things went wrong. That call let hear everything happening in real-ti."
"You did that?" Claire whispered, her voice filled with emotion as she looked at Eliam, her hands trembling slightly in excitent.
Eliam nodded shyly, burying his face against my chest. "Mommy was in trouble," he mumbled. "I didn’t know what else to do."
Claire’s lips quivered as she ca forward to et his eyes, her hands gently brushing his hair. "You are my little hero," she said softly, her voice thick with gratitude.
"Indeed he is," I added with a small smile. "And he is not just your hero, Claire. Today, he proved that bravery doesn’t need an age! So, be brave, and don’t ever take a step back if you are being wronged."
Brian’s smugness was long gone, replaced by a pale, anxious face as he realized the walls were closing in on him. Sissy seed at a loss for words, her expression changing between admiration for Eliam and disbelief at how quickly the tables had turned.
Claire stood, her hand still on Eliam’s shoulder, as she looked at . "Thank you, Evander," she said, her voice steady but her eyes glittering. "For everything."
"No need for thanks," I replied, my tone firm yet warm. "This is what I had planned for a long ti, but things weren’t in my favor."
"Can you guys stop your family ti and go back ho? I am starving!" Caspian whined, dramatically clutching his stomach like he hadn’t eaten in days.
I shot him a glare, but as usual, he remained completely unfazed.
"Don’t you guys have work to do?" I gritted through clenched teeth. "Since everything is settled now, you can all go back to your respective places."
"What the hell!" Damian rolled his eyes. "You use like so disposable sidekick, and now you want to leave? Not happening!"
"You better leave, Damian," I said, narrowing my eyes. "And while we are at it, how dare you claim my wife’s friend as your future partner?"
"Why can’t he?" Caspian chid in, clearly enjoying the chance to stir up trouble. "You and Claire don’t even look at each other half the ti, and you are calling her your wife. So why can’t he court her friend? Makes sense to ."
"Wh-what!?" Sissy sputtered, her face turning as red as a tomato. "Why would Claire and Evander do that, and why am I suddenly soone’s future partner?"
"Exactly!" Claire crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow at . "And since when am I not looking at you, Evander? I look at you all the ti!"
I blinked, caught off guard. "You... do?"
Caspian groaned loudly, throwing his hands in the air. "Oh, great! Now we are back to Evander being clueless about won. This is going to take forever. anwhile, I will just starve to death."
"Don’t be so dramatic!" Damian said, shaking her head. "We will eat soon."
"But will we?" Caspian asked with mock seriousness. "Because it looks like Evander’s ego is cooking up sothing spicy over there."
I glared at him again as Claire’s words were still echoing in my ears. She said she looks at all the ti! I thought and took a deep breath as I responded.
"Fine!" I threw up my hands in defeat. "You guys do whatever you want. Let’s go find a burger or sothing. And Sissy..." I hesitated, looking at her, "Just don’t listen to these idiots."
"Gladly," Sissy muttered, still flustered.
Damian leaned back with a smug grin. "See? I knew you couldn’t live without us."
Caspian clapped him on the back. "We are basically his emotional support and chaos agents. Without us, he would be boring and miserable."
I wanted to ignore them, but how could I? Caspian’s words, as annoying as they were, carried the truth. He had stood by during my darkest monts—when my brother died and when Claire left .
Damian, despite his carefree nature, had given up everything just to keep company during those days. They had both been my pillars when I had nothing left to hold on to.
So, no matter how much they irritated , I couldn’t bring myself to throw them out. Instead, I let out a sigh, letting them do what they wished.
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