Rowland's scrunched face brightened up.
"Thank you." He quickly turned to his wife with a final warning glare.
"You are not to speak unless spoken to. And the only thing that must co out of your mouth is an apology and nothing more. Have I made myself clear?"
Eunice nodded her head while wiping her reddened eyes, her heart completely shattered by Tina's confession.
When the family of three entered the room, they were slightly stunned to see Blaze laughing at whatever his wife was saying.
However, his smile didn't last for long as it suddenly disappeared when he tilted his head to look at them.
"Please, have your seat," Alia said calmly, observing them intently. She noticed they were usually humble, with the word guilt clearly written in their facial and body expression.
"Thank you, Mr and Mrs Anderson, for giving us a second chance," Rowland spoke up, his gaze hovering over the couple. "Let start by apologizing for my wife's earlier behaviour and I promise it won't repeat itself."
"Apology accepted," Alia replied, her tone businesslike. "I have a reason to believe that you have spoken to your daughter after you left here."
"Yes, we have." Rowland lowered his gaze, his shoulder slumped.
"I also have cause to believe that she has told you how she ca between my husband and , leading to so many ugly trends in our family."
Rowland nodded, words falling him.
Even Kelvin wasn't bold enough to look Alia in the face as he kept his head lowered.
"In that case, I'm going to be very blunt."
Alia's voice was soft but stern, her gaze sharp and cold.
"I'm not the type of woman who disrespects her elders. But when soone spits in my face or challenges my parents, I won't hesitate to tear them apart."
Blaze smiled inwardly, his proud gaze fixed on his wife.
"Mr Rowland, I'm not going to pretend like I care about you or your family. To be completely honest, I detest your presence. The only reason you are seated here before my husband and is because I believe in fair hearing. But do not take my simplicity for granted. My bark is worse than my bite."
Blaze chuckled inwardly, having tasted both sides of the coin.
"Point taken Mrs Anderson."
"Now back to the matter at hand." Alia continued her gaze shifting to Eunice. "It beats my imagination to see a young woman who is lucky to have a mother lead such a wayward lifestyle. Which mother in her right senses would push her daughter to go after a married man or destroy another woman's ho? Now look at how things have played out."
Alia slowed her breathing as anger rose in her heart, seeing Eunice shed those crocodile tears. She knew Eunice had been the one supporting Tina to go after Blaze.
"My mother-in-law is in the hospital because of Tina's interference. My father is currently admitted with a dislocated hip joint because of Tina's interference. I almost lost my pregnancy because of Tina's interference. My marriage was almost destroyed because of Tina's interference. A friendship of decades almost got ruined because Tina ddled."
Alia paused for her words to sink in.
"Now tell , Mr and Mrs Stevens, if you were in my shoes, what would you do to the family of the lady who has done nothing but wreak havoc in your ho?"
At those words, Eunice fell on her knees and started begging for Alia's rcy while Rowland and Kelvin joined her.
Blaze clenched his fist infuriated by their noisy plea. He already knew why they ca and he had no plans of making things easier for them.
"Please, sit down. I'm not God." Alia said drily to Eunice.
"Thank you." Eunice stood up and sat down, her gaze lowered, sniffing occasionally.
"I have co to realize that crying doesn't solve anything. If it did, then my mother-in-law will be awake by now. Also saying sorry doesn't solve a problem. But like my father rightly said, saying sorry is always the first step to conflict resolution. The next is restitution. Your daughter has destroyed hos, broken marriages and even friends. She has to face the consequences of her actions. And you have to compensate everyone she has toyed with."
"That is fine by ," Rowland replied without blinking. "I am a strong advocate for justice and I will not shield anyone from facing the law if they are found guilty of an offense."
"Then why do you need my help to erase evidence to cover up for your son?" Blaze's cold and viciously intimidating voice overshadowed the room taking the family of three by surprise.
Even Alia was stunned by this new piece of information. She didn't know Kelvin was in trouble.
"You already know!" Kelvin's eyes widened.
"I make it my business to know everything, especially with my friends and foes." Blaze scoffed, his expression grim.
"But my son is innocent of the charges," Rowland interjected his heart hamring in his chest. "Soone was trying to get back at my son for the accidental discharge of his weapon. He was set up with those hard drugs, making it look like he smuggled them into the base. And with the solid evidence presented, I don't think he stands a chance during the court-martial."
"Is this the reason you asked to see us?" Alia didn't bother masking her anger.
"We ca to apologize for Tina's misbehaviour and plead for your husband's help," Rowland replied, feeling at a loss as he observed the rising anger in Alia's tone.
"I need you to answer one last question Mr Rowland before we let you go." Alia's tone was steely.
"In all honesty, If your son wasn't in trouble, would you have co to apologize on behalf of your daughter?"
"Hmm..." Blaze's lethal gaze narrowed at Rowland, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.
Rowland was stunned by this question. It finally dawned on him that he wouldn't have probed into his daughter's criminal affair if it hadn't been for his son's problem. He thought briefly, sparing his son an apologetic look before replying.
"No. I'm sorry."
Alia smiled bitterly.
"I thought so. Have a good evening, Mr and Mrs Rowland."
Alia turned her face away, her heart drumming in her chest as the broken family left with Eunice sobbing miserably as if they had all been issued a death sentence.
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