Chapter 7- The Day His World Collapsed

It was around evening when someone knocked on the day..

It was not a friendly knock or a knock that sought permission or approval from anyone inside the house.

So loud that is disturbed the peace of mind of everyone at home.

Maria suddenly woke up from her bed with shock because she was scared of the loud sound she was hearing. After some minutes, the loud sound continued.

Voices followed.

Authoritative. Cold.

She knew.

While she stood up to go towards the door, it opened immediately

Walton was the one standing there, oina black suit but very calm, so calm that his appearance terrified her. He came close to her

“They have come to take me,” he said.

Her stomach ached with pai “Police?”

“Yes.”

She stood firmly with bold eyes and said, “I’m coming with you.”

“No.”

The word was firm. Whyhy do you want to do this now?” she said, in fear. “Why do you want to shut me up now?”

He then startedlooking like he was afraid behind his composure, his voice started breaking.ng

don't want you to see any of this.”

“Do you know I’m married to you?” she said. “I already see it.”

Another knock echoed through the house, followed by, “Open up! This is the police!”

He exhaled slowly. “Stay close.”

The living room was filled with uniforms.

Detectives. Officers. They came with their arrest warrant and were very serious aboutwhat they came there for.

Maria came out from the corner before Walton and stood in front of him. She was protecting him at that point, even thoughh she was shaking inside.

“Mr. James your under arrest for the murder case of Daniel Kesser,” the inspector general said. “You have no right to speak, or what you say or do will be used against you in the court of law”.

“But the truth is I did not kill him,” he said.

The inspector giggled  and said, “You can tell that your lawyer.”

They brought metal chains and wore them on both hands

The sound tore through Maria.

“Calm down, Mr. inspector,” she said as he came forward. “You cannot just come and carry my husband like that”.

The inspector looked at her, unimpressed. “Ma’am, step aside.”

He looked at her, walked a little closer

“Don’t do this now he said gently. “Please.”

She was crying, and he said thatMa  ria responded, “I will wait for you when you come back.”

He smiled once.

Then they took him away.

They went outside and got him into their vehicle and drove off at speed out of the compound, and then the gates were locked.d

Now again, in another level of silence filled the house, more than she experienced before.

Not quiet.

Hollow.

All the news station was on the matter, and everywhere had the same headline about the case.

Before evening, His face was everywhere around town. The headlines were harsh.All-time Multi-Billionaire Arrested Finally Arrested

The wife of a billionaire does nothing to save her husband

Was the Marriage a Cover?

Maria could not watch further, she turned the television offinh fear.

She did not want to go any other round. Her eyes were already painful.

Not again

They started the interrogation process, ss which went on for hours

He was not comfortable with the sharp light that was placed in front of him or the handcuffs in his hands; he was just treated so rudely.

They showed him photos. Old emails. Financial records twisted to tell a story he didn’t recognize.

“Your partner dies, and you inherit his shares,” the detective said. “That’s motive.”

“I didn’t want his shares,” he replied.

“You had an argument the night he died.”

“Yes.”

“Witnesses say you left the building minutes before the time of death.”

“I left because we were done talking.”

The detective leaned in. “Or because you were done killing.”

Silence.

He kept a very straight face at the table.

“Repeat it,” the detective pressed. “Tell me you did not do it.”

“Why on earth will I lie, I did not do it,” he said.

Maria waited.

She was just receiving a notification, but she was not interested at that point.

When his lawyer arrived, panic followed.

“They’re pushing for remand,” the lawyer said quietly. “The evidence is… convincing.”

Maria’s heart dropped. “It’s fake.”

“I know,” he replied. “But proving that takes time.”

The door finally opened.

He stepped out looking smaller somehow. Tired. Exposed.

Their eyes met.

She stood immediately.

“They are holding me,” he said, “for forty-eight hours most likely.”

She could not hold it again, she left her seat and hugged, ed forgetting the contract and everything at that moment,, ent but Walton was all she wanted

He just froze immediately

Then he held her.

Tight.

He held her so tight like that was the last thinwouldd will touch on earth

“I’m very sorry,” he said into her ears.

“For what?” she asked.

“For dragging you into this.”

She looked up to see his face and theymet a, nd she said. “You did not drag me. I chose this.”

His eyes glistened.

They took him again.

This time, she watched until he disappeared.

The night came, and Maria went to her bed again, all alone

Now the bed felt so lonely, and she was so emotionally down

She could not sleep just looking at the ceiling and promising herself not let them hurt him again.

She said, “ I will not be quiet this time, I will fight, I’m not a weak woman”.

She will fight.

For him.

For the truth.

For her man, who has faced the hard part of life and refused to let people hurt him again

Somewhere in an unknown place, Walton looked at the ceiling and was imagining his life without Maria for the past few days since the incident started.

He did not want to lose her again; she found so much worth in her

The prison was not what he expected it to be; it was so lonely and cold

Not temperature this time, the quietness, he was left in a place far from his domain, where he had contrer.

He was sitting on a small bench that was so narrow that he could not stretch his whole body.

He could not run again this, like always

No boardroom to dominate.

No lawyers to intimidate.

No money to shield him.

Just him.

And the accusation.

He started remembering everything that happened that night,  Daniel’s face , the fight that happened between them, what they were arguing about, he started looking for where thing got wrong but could not find any, he left that night quietly.

All of a sudden, Maria’s face showed up in his mind

Her eyes when they took him away.

Her arms were around him in the hallway.

Her voice saying I chose this.

He just yelled out of frustration.

This was the most painful part.

Over there at the mansion, Maria was looking at the side of the bed where Walton needed to be, but he was  

She did not even change her clothes by this time; she was so lost in thought.

She hadn’t eaten.

She hadn’t cried.

Even the house knew its master was not around

While still standing, her phone buzzed again, and she just quickly picked it up

Unknown number.

She spoke quickly, then said. “Hello?”

Itwas a woman's voice she held immediately, “Mrs. Jam, es please keep a low pro.ile ”

Maria was shocked. “Who is this?”

“A friend,” the voice said. “And a warning. Your husband’s fall will be ugly. Don’t let it bury you, too.”

The line went dead.

Maria looked at her phone, scared and shaking.

Fear tried to rise.

She crushed it.

By the next morning,  ng she was up and ready for war. She went straight to the lawyer’s office.

“I want to know everything that happened that night,” she said, sitting and looking at him. “All documents, timelines, financial trails. Every person who benefited from Daniel’s death.”

The lawyer blinked. “Mrs.—— this is… extensive.”

“That’s what everyone is saying, they want to destroy him, and all he has worked for, ond I wositeat and let that happened”

He observed her for some minutes, and decided to open u..p “Alright. We start with motive. Then the opportunity. Then who stands to gain?”

Maria leaned forward. “Someone framed him.”

“Yes,” the lawyer said. “And they made it look personal.”

She swallowed. “Then we’ll make it look true.”

She visited him two days after at the detention center. She was ready to fight for him.

Security checks. Cold stares. Endless waiting.

Then he was finally brought out to the visiting room to meether, her heart melted

He looked… different.

Still strong. Still composed. But the arrogance was gone. But he was longerore proud. He wore a simple single, -shirtnd his hands were not on chains, but freedom was not the reality.

Maria stood immediately.

They were sitting opposite each other separate by a small table,, le and looked so quiet.

“I’m very sorry,” he said.

“Can you just stop saying '  hat,” she replied. “You did not.. I chose to stay.”

He studied her face. “They’re turning everyone against me.”

“I know.”

“My board has suspended me. Investors are pulling out. Friends won’t return my calls.”

“I know,” she said.

His voicis e weak. “I rebuilt everything once. I’m not sure I can do this again.”

She stretched forth her hands to holdhis, not minding the security man looking at her “then don’t build alone this time,” she said.

He grabbed her hands so firmly and not letting go

“I think you should leave anddod ow bllethis destroysyouo,u too,” he said

She rejected with her head. “It’s not your place to decide that, it’s in mine.”

He laughs, “You’re stubborn.”

“You noticed,” she said.

He smiled, after a while since he was arrested

People gathered outside the detention center, waiting for  Maria as she walked out

Cameras flashed. Loud voices everywhere.

“Did you know your husband was a murderer?”

“Was the marriage fake?”

“How much were you paid?”

She stopped.

Turned.

And faced them.

“My husband is innocent,” she said clearly. “And the truth will come out.”

That night, the headline changed.

Wife Defends Accused Billionaire, Stands Firm

She didn’t care.

The next morning, while sitting on the bench read the news headline

He was just looking at the article in shock

No one has ever stood by his side all his life, especially when it cost so much

Not publicly.

Not when cit osts something.

He was moved to tears

If he survived this…

He will never joke with her or treat her wrongly again.

Somewhere in the city, a man looked at the window and laughed with happiness, and said

“Very Good. Let them fight.”

The game just got started.

The man on the television was watching and smiled

He was so happy about what the news said, and he was happy that his plan wasworking out.

“I’m ready to fight until the.

He carried his phone and sent a message to someone

Phase two.

This time, he stopped smiling and looked like he had a bad plan.

While at the detention center, he was so reckless and could not sleep well

He was just moving and trying to get a little comfortable but its was not possible, its felt like the walls of his prison became smalitd was drawing closer to him.

He breathed heaviwereand sat up.

For the first time, he was so afraid to this extent.

Not fear of prison.

Not fear of disgrace.

Fear of losing Maria.

He touched his head with his hand backwardly, all his life and work, he believed that. All. All is controlled, dominating, he felt love wwasthe wea kweaksh ewas falling into it.

And yet, here he was.

Depending on it.

Depending on her.

Maria was so frustrated she could not go home after the interview that day

She was just driving around town, seeing her picture everywhere on billboards, tv stands, nenewspaperhops, just everywhere.

She went on and on until she reached a coffee shop where she stop to take a deep breath

Her hands were stoppedpeding behind the wheel.

“I’m so tired,” she said with so much pain

S..he was holding it back for long. Its crossed her minholdingr some minutes. What if we fafailWhat ifife cannot beat the m?”

She was tired of eveverythingnotifications did not stop disturbing her phone

This time, she recognized the number.

The.. lawyer.

“It’s like we have a problem, madam,” He spoke the moment she picked

Her heart melted. “What kind of problem?”

“One of Daniel’s accounts was accessed after his death.”

Maria straightened. “That’s impossible.”

“Exactly,” he said. “But the transaction traces back to your husband’s IP address.”

She became uncomfortable hearing that. “he was not even in the country at that time.”

“I know,” the lawyer replied. “Which means someone did it then to cover something”.

Maria was thinking about it and said. “Who else had access?”

There was a pause.

“Only three people,” the lawyer said carefully. “Daniel. Your husband. And—”

“Say it,” Maria demanded.

“His former legal advisor.”

Maria closed her eyes.

The thought of the last name came to mind, and she remembered she had seen that name before, around the mansion, on some documents.

Too observant.

“Send me everything,” she said. “Every document. Every timestamp.”

“Maria—”

“I’m not making a request, I’m giving you an order.”

She then visited the detention center for the second time

He noticed a change in her countenance;  he was quicker and more serious this time

“It’s like you have been searching for proofs,” he said.

She nodded. “Not proof. But a crack.”

He said, “You know you should not be involvedin this.”

“Too late.”

He took a deep breath. “If this goes wrong—”

“I know won't, it's better to try and fail than not try at all..”

He just sat there staring at her

“Do you know I have noticed you are stronger than you think?k??” he said.

She smiled and said. “So are you. You just forgot.”

The guard announced the time.

So he got up to leave but he did not want to go so he took a li,,ttle long to walk, then he turned and looked at her and as. ThenMaria what if the take everything I w,,orked,, for away fromtheyy”

She stood too, meeting his gaze. “But, they cannot take me, right?”

He swallowed hard.

He held onto her last few words, which gave him so much hope.

That night, the detention center erupted into noise.

Shouting. Footsteps. Orders barked through hallways.

His cell door opened.

“Pack up,” an officer said. “You’re being moved.”

“Moved where?” he asked.

“Isolation.”

His blood ran cold. “On what grounds?”

The officer did ot response or say a word.

They escorted him to the bus where he will be carried in handcuffs. He became very scared because this is n. Howthings are done and he does not know whose power is behind this because this is no more acan cused case it it's it's,s a framing.

This was pressure.

Someone was accelerating the plan.

Maria learned about the transfer from the evening news.

Accused Billionaire Moved to Isolation Amid ‘New Developments’.

Her stomach ached so badly on hearing this.

She grabbed her keys, fury overriding fear.

“Not him,” she whispered. “Not again.”

He sat there on the floor this time, no windows, concrete walls and the whole place had a bad. Now,  he knew whoever was framing him was not done yet.