After the culprit had been taken away, Senator Gregory assembled his remaining frightened family mbers and spoke to them calmly. He acquainted them with his plans to address the matter discreetly to avoid any form of dia publicity.
The senator discouraged any one of them from planning to involve external lawyers in the matter, stressing the implications and consequences of doing that. He finally reassured them that the accused would be set free after they had all been made to pay for their cri, depending on their willingness to confess, level of involvent and repaynt plans.
At the end of the brief eting, the senator discharged everyone except his daughter.
"Take a walk with , my dear." Senator Gregory said, stretching his right hand towards Alia.
"Sure, Dad. Just give one minute." Alia turned her attention to Pascal, who was standing behind her.
"Where is my husband?"
"He left with the detective handling the case. I'm sure he's outside waiting for you."
"Okay, go to him and inform him that I need a mont alone with my father. If he can't wait, let him go ahead. I'll take one of my dad's cars ho."
"Okay ma'am, I'll be right back." Pascal left briskly while Clay remained.
"All right Dad, let's go," Alia said, smiling at her dad, who nodded in response.
The father and daughter slowly made their way out taking a short spiral staircase. They strolled out onto the elevated open terrace, which oversaw one-third of the mansion premises.
The distant rear and headlights of cars leaving the mansion made the senator release a sigh of regret. He stood silently for a few seconds, listening and watching, wishing he could turn back the hands of ti and stop his brothers from going astray.
"Dad!" Alia called softly, touching the back of his left hand lightly. She could see the agony in his wrinkled face and the pain in his eyes. If only she could take this all away and make him the happiest father alive.
"I failed them..." The senator said in a broken voice while fighting back his tears from falling.
"No, you didn't," Alia said, hugging him, equally emotional.
"Yes, I did. I was too busy working that I failed to see what my brothers had beco. It's like I don't even know them anymore. I don't even know what is happening in my own ho. I'm a failure as an elder brother, a father, a husband and even as a son."
"Don't speak like that, Dad." Alia rebuked harshly, pulling away from her father to look into his eyes. "No one is perfect. You may not have paid attention to the things happening in your ho but that doesn't make you a failure. When we fall, it's our ability to rise again that counts and not our mistakes."
The senator's lips stretched in a thin smile. "You are a good daughter and I'm sorry I disappointed you."
It's okay, Dad. Have a seat. You look really tired."
"Where do we go from here?" The senator asked, taking his seat on one of the wooden chairs. "Despite what I said to reassure other mbers of our family, I haven't quite figured out what to do with those ungrateful bunch."
"It's very simple, Dad. They will be prosecuted after interrogation. They need to learn from their mistakes and know that every action has a consequence."
"I completely agree with you, Alia. But they are still family and we can't let them suffer the sa fate as hardened criminals."
"Dad let's not talk about this now. You are not in the right fra of mind. Whatever I say to you right now may sound unfair and unjust. But you weren't the one who nearly escaped death twice because of the sa family's wickedness. Moreover, if you knew half of what I already know, you won't be this sentintal."
"What are you not telling ?" The senator turned to face his daughter squarely. "You know I'm on your side right and you can tell anything."
"Yes, I do. But this is not the right ti to talk about it. Let's address this matter one at a ti, starting with you taking a compulsory three-day casual leave."
"Casual leave?" The senator's eyes widened.
"Yes, You'll be taking a casual leave starting from this night. You won't be sleeping in this mansion. I have already arranged for you to spend the night in a VIP guest house. Afterwards, you're leaving the city on the first flight tomorrow to the island to clear your head. When you return from your leave, I will update you on everything we need to do."
The senator was left speechless for a while, shocked by his daughter's crisis managent skill. Here he was thinking she would be devastated just like him after the arrest. But she seed to be in perfect control of her emotions. This made him feel more miserable at the thought of Gwen not emulating the good traits of her elder sister.
Inhaling and exhaling repeatedly to calm his pounding heart, the senator said.
"Amy, I know you are looking out for even though it should be the other way around. Nevertheless, you don't expect to take a leave when my roof is on fire."
"I'm not asking you to take a leave, Dad. I'm telling you." Alia said sternly leaving no room for negotiation or refusal. "You can leave everything to including, putting this mansion back in order and getting you a new security operative. You an so much to and I can't afford you having an emotional breakdown. I have lost my mother to the cold hands of death. I do not plan on losing my father either. So don't argue with ."
The senator sighed. "Fine, I will take the leave. Thank you."
"You're welco."
"About your pregnant sister."
"What about her." Alia's tone turned caustic, making her father hesitate before speaking.
"I know she is as guilty as the rest of the others. But for the sake of her unborn innocent child, can we make an exception towards her?"
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