Eighty Nine

CHAPTER 89

THE DEATH SENTENCE THAT HAD BEEN GIVEN TO ACE BLAKE HAS BEEN COMMUTED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT. ACE BLAKE'S LEGAL APPEAL WAS APPROVED BY THE JUDGE.

One year later.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

A knock on the door made Alicia turn her head. She looked at the closed door of her flat, then turned to the television in front of her.

The anchor had just broadcast the latest news about Ace Blake's murder case. One year on, Ace had filed an appeal to reduce his punishment. The CEO of Golden Group was not sentenced to death and received a mitigation. His punishment has been changed after he passed a twelve-month trial period.

A lot of judgment went into Ace's success in receiving leniency. But Alicia didn't expect Ace's sentence to be reduced this quickly.

"Wait a minute!"

Alicia switched off the television, walked towards the door which made another sound.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

And when Alicia opened the door, her blue eyes found Nicholas standing in his black clothes.

"Nic?"

"We have to talk now."

----

The smell of vanilla and flour mixed together greeted Alicia when she arrived at Nicholas' house.

This was the first time Alicia had visited Nicholas' house. He lived with his parents, but Alicia knew nothing about this.

"Come in, I'll get something."

The girl in the red off-shoulder-dress had not yet spoken, when Nicholas suddenly left her in the living room. The smell of flour and sugar baking grew stronger as Alicia stepped inside. It was the smell of baking! It was familiar, but... what kind of cake?

"I'm baking waffles."

The female voice managed to make Alicia turn around quickly. She had that cautious attitude because of a bad experience in the past. And that naturally-occurring worry, had changed. Alicia lowered her gaze. The old woman in a dress made famous in the eighties was holding a tray with both hands.

"Hello, Alicia. I'm Emma, nice to meet you," she said kindly. Emma then placed the tray with the pastries on it, onto the table. She clapped her hands together, then smiled for Alicia. "Nicholas told me everything, and he... talked a lot about you."

Sensing that Emma was a nice woman, Alicia smiled at her. "Hello, Emma."

"You can choose one. I make cookies, waffles, pastries and-"

"He didn't come for a visit, Mom," Nicholas said, then kissed the top of Emma's head. Emma snorted lazily, but Nicholas laughed at that. "This is an important case. We'll try the cookies when we're done with everything."

Emma rolled her eyes lazily, then folded her arms across her chest. "You have to be polite to guests, Nicholas."

"All right. Can you leave us alone?"

"Really?"

"Come on, Mom."

Emma looked at Nicholas, then at Alicia. Smiling at Alicia, she said, "You'd better tell me if this guy makes you angry. Okay?"

Alicia smiled awkwardly and nodded her head. "Okay."

Nicholas shrugged his shoulders as Emma left the living room. Emma looked like she was fifty years old. She had a very classic, authentic and natural style of dressing. Looking at her natural make-up and not using many colors in her make-up, Emma seemed to be a typical simple woman.

Alicia took a cookie with raisin topping on it and sat on the sofa, after Nicholas had sat on the sofa first. "Is that your mother?"

"Although she is very talkative, yes, she is my mother." Nicholas picked up the waffles on the plate, then lifted them into the air. "But she's very good at cooking. She would be fine even if there was a third world war in this world because of her cooking."

Alicia's smile was perfect. She was quite happy to get to know Nicholas' parents. Nicholas never talked about anything about family, or his views as a man for his future family. But Alicia could already conclude that Nicholas was a family man who cared deeply about his family.

"I brought you here after hearing the news on television... it was about Ace." Nicholas' tone turned serious, he lowered his voice, as if worried about offending Alicia. "You heard the news, didn't you?"

The remaining cookies in her mouth were now chewed up by Alicia. She swallowed them quickly, then cleared her throat. "Yes, I did. Is this bad news?"

"I didn't know that this news would be immediately broadcast all over the media. It could be because Ace is the replacement CEO for his sick father. But, that's not why I asked you to come here." Nicholas took out a few papers from a brown folder and laid them out on the table. "You remember them, don't you?"

Alicia's brow furrowed deeply when she saw the photos of her friends at Golden High School arranged by Nicholas. The girl mumbled her agreement, then nodded. "Of course. They are my friends. What's wrong?"

"Do you think it makes sense that schoolchildren like them can access dark websites, sell drugs, conduct large money lending transactions and even... murder without any serious punishment from the school?"

Nicholas' words made Alicia think. She was still watching Nicholas as she recalled the incident that happened at her school a few years ago. Alicia mumbled without saying anything.

"This is strange, Alicia. And now that I think about it, this could be because Wilson Blake supported Ace's activities during his crimes."

Alicia rubbed the back of her hand, and then expressed her opinion to Nicholas. "I guess that makes sense. But what's the problem and you must think it has something to do with Ace's reduced sentence in prison, right?"

"Amanda is missing, we need to find her to solve this case." Nicholas looked at Alicia with a fiery gaze. He was very enthusiastic, while Alicia was still thinking about other possibilities. "Amanda planned a crime for you, and so did Ace. The two of them must be working together."

"I don't know what case you mean, Nicholas."

Nicholas sighed. "Do you believe that Ace did all this on his own?" the man looked at Alicia straight on. "Then you should double-check everything, Alicia."