An unexpected visitor

It's been four days since I lost my father. And for the whole four days, I had been put in this jail cell. My eyes had long been swollen from crying.

As I realised crying would do nothing, the sadness turned into regrets and finally, anger. Who would have thought that the people I referred to as my family would betray me this way??

And all for what? My father's wealth?? Worst of all, I wasn't even a bit aware of their plot. I was too stupid!

It wasn't the first time I had caught Andrew and Amara being so close to each other. Once I went there to pick up some files, I saw them hugging in the garden but Andrew lied that he was just trying to comfort Amara. I forced myself not to make a big fuss about it but didn't realise that was when my father started to get sick.

Andrew was always a better player in our marriage. He acted like a perfect husband in public but in private, I was always the one who had to give in. Yes, he never hurt me physically but he was good at ruining my confidence silently. He made me feel I wasn't a good wife. He made me feel I was not worthy of love.

Recalling all the stupid things I did for his so-called love, I couldn't help but smile sadly, feeling myself pity as well as stupid.

I had tried to appeal to prove my innocence but no one listened to me. They found me guilty because the nurse testified it was I who pulled the drip away from my father and that caused his heart attack to death.

I didn't learn that the nurse was Andrew's sister until Amara came to taunt me. I had never met Andrew's family. I didn't realise they already latched onto my family property like leeches a long ago.

Now I was in this dark cold cell, I bet they were partying and enjoying themselves with my father's wealth. Hatred grows within me as my nails pinched into the flesh.

Suddenly, I heard a clanging sound on my cell gate.

"Are they here to interrogate me again?"I smirked.

"You have a visitor." The female officer muttered as she opened the gate and pulled me out of the cell.

In the visiting room, I saw a man I had never expected to meet again.

Nicholas Armani.

I felt an urge to run. Why he was here? He must be here to enjoy my miserable situation, isn't he? After all, I had never been nice to him and Nicholas was never a man who forgave easily.

As I stepped back, his next words stopped me in my tracks.

“Catherine wait, I'm here to help you,” He almost yelled out, his voice was full of suffering.

Suffering? What can make the great Nicholas suffer? He was the one who dominated and gave others suffer.

I looked back at him, confusion was written in my eyes. Something flashed in his eyes when our gaze met. I couldn't tell what it was. Nicholas Armani was never a man to be read easily.

"W-why?" I murmured out, having no idea why Nicholas would want to help me.

"I'm sorry, Catherine," he sighed heavily. “If I had investigated Andrew sooner, maybe this wouldn't have happened to you.”

My eyes grew wide. Did he do that? For me? I felt my eyes watered.

"No, Nicholas." I shook my head as tears came out, "It's my fault. It's me who pushed my father to the wrong person. It's all my fault!"

“No, Catherine,” he grabbed my arms as he stated. "It's never your fault. You're the victim too. I know you didn't kill him. The Catherine I know would never kill a person, talk less of her own father."

The concern in his eyes didn't seem fake and I couldn't help but cry harder. After so many days, it was the first time someone believed in me.

"But...I was still the one that pushed him into their hands. If not for my decisions, my father would still be alive.”

Tears came back to me as I remembered my father's face. And then a warm hand wiped them away gently.

"If Mr. Dyson were still alive, he would never want to watch his precious princess languish here." He lifted my head, "Trust me, Catherine. As long as you want, I'll help you fight against them and get back what belonged to you in the first place."

His voice filled with power, waking up my confidence. Yes, I couldn't just sit here crying. Tears weren't going to help, I needed to find a way out and get back hard at Andrew and Amara.

“Then...what should I do?” I looked at Nicholas, who patted my hand soothingly.

“Just two more days, I'll get you out of here safe and sound.”

The guard came in, mentioning that visiting hours were over and I had to leave. I looked back for one more glance and Nicholas gave me a reassuring smile.

Did I do the right thing by choosing to trust him this time?

Two days passed quickly and as he had promised, Nicholas successfully bailed me out of the holding cell. The moment I stepped out of the station, I sighed deeply.

It's been just a week since I last saw the bright sun and felt the cool breeze from nature but it felt like centuries.

If it were in the past, my father would take me to a picnic in such nice weather but now, I no longer had such a chance forever. And this all was caused by Andrew and Amara.

I brushed my long ruffled hair down and put a fake smile on my face. Now that I'm out of here, I would work hard to be strong, strong enough to make my enemies pay.

Then I caught sight of the person I had termed my savior. Nicholas was standing next to his car which was a few feet away from me. I didn't expect he would come to take me in person. He was known to be a busy man.

As I spotted him, he smiled at me as if he had watched my every move for a long time. I somehow felt butterflies in my stomach.

I collected my feelings as I walked over to him. However, his smile suddenly changed into a look of horror and he screamed out my name while running towards me.

I stared at him in confusion and was about to ask what was going on when I felt a sharp pain from my neck to my chest area.

I looked down and saw a red stain on my blouse. I touched it and it turned out to be blood.

My legs felt weak and wobbly so I fell. I was about to touch the bare floor when Nicholas caught me.

"Catherine..."He called as he tapped me on the face.

My eyes were blurry so I really couldn't see much, just his teary and pained eyes as my life slipped away from my body.

So this is it? This is how I'm leaving this cold world. Without being able to fulfill anything? Without avenging my father.

I'm so sorry Dad. For disappointing you.For being the cause of everything.

If only I am given another chance, I will make sure to change all of the things that I did wrong. I wouldn't make these mistakes again.

Slowly and slowly, my eyes got heavy and I couldn't leave them open anymore despite Nicholas begging me to stay awake.

As my eyes shut closed, his voice started to get really distant till I couldn't hear it anymore.