Chapter 132 Mildred Williams Sentenced.

Chapter 132 Mildred Williams Sentenced.
DANDELION.

Mildred Williams Sentenced.

I sat comfortably on the edge of the sofa in my private dressing room, staring at the glowing television screen mounted on the wall.

The morning news reporter was reporting live from the central courthouse, and the headline running across the bottom of the screen read exactly what I had waited a whole month to see.

Mildred had finally been tried in court, she was the last person remaining who ruined my life.

She had played the innocent, perfect star throughout the whole time I was humiliated, completely hiding her wicked nature behind fake smiles and pretense.

But in the end, her own arrogant partner, my Ex, destroyed her.

Chase simply could not handle the reality of facing prison alone.

He finally cracked under the intense pressure of the federal investigation.

He confessed everything to my lawyers, revealing that Mildred had actively assisted in my public scandal.

She was the one who created the anonymous social media account to leak those terrible, private photos of me.

She thought she was smart. She had flushed the burner phone down a public toilet at a movie set, so there would be no physical proof.

But Chase had memorized the account login details.

So when Alexander’s private tech team hacked into the hidden account, they finally found a long trail of deleted messages between Chase and my step sister Mildred.

The messages completely exposed their sick, twisted plot. They had been sleeping together behind my back for months, even when we were still dating.

Mildred used her body and her cruel manipulation to convince Chase to go along with the plan to ruin my acting career.

And she had the guts to call me me a slut, when she's the real whore!

Anyways, the judge did not show her a single ounce of mercy. She was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by five years of strict probation.

Right before my eyes, Mildred’s glamorous life completely crumbled to dust.

Her agency dropped her immediately. Every single luxury brand terminated their contracts with her. Her social media pages, which she cared about more than anything else in the world, were flooded with thousands of angry, hateful comments from disgusted fans. She was completely ruined.

"Are you ready, Mrs. Graham?" my assistant asked, gently opening the door to my dressing room.

I turned away from the television, and smoothed my hands over the front of my elegant green maternity dress. My stomach had grown bigger and rounder and I'm so eager to meet my little bundle of joy.

"I am ready," I replied, smiling brightly, Smiling was now a usual for me since everything got settled.

We both walked down the long hallway and stepped out into the massive press room.

Hundreds of flashing camera bulbs immediately blinded me. The loud, chaotic shouting of dozens of reporters filled the room, but I did not feel panic, I got used to it.

I stepped up to the wooden podium, adjusting the microphone.

Today was the day I was scheduled for a press conference, to answer some important questions and what would happen to my career, since I had been on a hiatus because of the Grey incident.

"Dandelion!" a reporter in the front row called out loudly. "Now that Mildred has been officially sentenced, will you ever forgive her for what she did to you?"

The room fell completely silent, I guess they all had this same question, and were waiting desperately for my answer.

I took a slow, deep breath. As I thought about my childhood with Mildred,

"Out of my two step siblings, Mildred is the one i truly cared about," I answered, my voice ringing clearly across the quiet room.

"Even though we share different mothers, I truly tried my best to love her. You know She wasn't so bad before, she used to share her toys with me before and we never even fought for anything or any reason, unlike the way I would with Malcolm who already hated me from the very beginning.

"But eventually....her Mom, Margaret, poisoned her mind against me. I don't know the lies she filled her with, but she made Mildred hate me to the core.
And her hate just would not let her see that I truly cared about her....

"And even though she's done really inhumane things to me, I honestly hope she uses this time to turn a new leaf and find peace....But she will have to do that without me."

There was heavy silence in the room, as I finished my speech, which seemed to have triggered my hormones, and made me want to cry.

Another journalist raised his hand, politely. "That was a very touching speech, Mrs Graham. I appreciate your explanation. So now that the scandal is finally cleared and your name completely vindicated, when will you return to the movie industry? Your fans are begging for a comeback!"

A warm smile broke across my face. I looked directly into the cameras.

"As you all know, acting is my passion, and I love my fans deeply," I said with a deep smile. "And I do miss acting and my fans too. But right now, I am taking a step back from the industry to focus on motherhood. My baby is my top priority. But I promise to return to the screen when the time is right, but for now, I just want to enjoy this beautiful new chapter of my life."

A wave of supportive applause rippled through the press room.

They loved the honest, graceful answer. The media that had eagerly tried to destroy me was now completely eating out of the palm of my hand.

And honestly I didn't hold any grudge anymore, I just want to be happy.
..............

Later that afternoon, after I got home
I had decided to receive some fresh air, so I sat quietly on the wooden bench in the blooming garden behind I and Alex side of the estate.

The cool breeze rustled the flowers on the garden.

Soon Sophia came to inform me that my Dad visited and he wants to speak with me.

I hesitated at first but then after think it through I told her to direct him here.

I still can't believe I had agreed to a private discussion I never thought I would actually accept.

Soon, Heavy, slow footsteps approached me on the gravel path.

I looked up. Maxwell Williams, my father, stopped a few feet away.

I gasped softly.

He looked terrible. Even though the last time I saw him was at Mildred's trial where he was her representative and legal guardian, He seemed to have aged twenty years in just a month.

His clothes hung loosely on his thinning frame. His shoulders were a bit hunched, and his almost gray hair was a bit messy.

The arrogant, powerful businessman who had been n disappointed in me and took away my inheritance was gone. He was just a broken, lonely man.

"Dandelion," my dad called, his voice cracking with regret.

"Hello, Dad," I greeted politely.

He hesitated at first, but then took a step closer, he looked nervous.

"Dandy.... I'm here to apologize to you. I failed you as a father," He said and swallowed as he finally realized the truth.

"I let Margaret poison my mind against you. I believed her terrible lies over the word of my own daughter."

I stared at him. A small, painful ache bloomed in my chest.

I had spent my whole childhood desperately begging for his love and attention, only to be constantly pushed aside for his new, wicked family.

Now, they were all locked in prison cells, and he was now alone.

"Your mother would be so disappointed in me," He whispered dropping his head in total defeat. "I let a monster raise her child."

"Yes," I agreed, my voice firm mow. "She would be deeply ashamed of what you allowed them to do to me.... But she would also tell you that it is never too late to be a better man."

My Dad looked up, his wet eyes widening a bit with hope.

He looked down at my round stomach, and I could feel he was restraining himself from bursting into tears.

"Can I.... I mean" he stammered.

"Is there any chance I can be a part of my grandchild's life? Please, Dandelion....I really want to try and be a better person."

I looked at the broken man standing in front of me.

I could easily push him away from my life forever. I had every right to completely shut the door in his face, after everything he allowed them do to me.

But then holding onto a decade of bitter anger was incredibly exhausting.

And I wanted to build a peaceful, loving world for my baby.

I wonder how those vile step family of mine were able to do it.

"We will see," I finally said.

"I am not angry anymore, Father. But trust has to be earned. You have a lot of work to do before I let you hold my child." I said honestly, he shouldn't expect me to just accept him just like that, I would never tolerate any harm to my baby.

He nodded frantically, dabbing his wet face with a small hankie. "I will do my best. I promise you, Dandelion. I will earn your trust."

I nodded with a thin smile.

"Thank you for giving me this chance." He said gratefully, "Also I want to know if you'll accept our invite to the company tomorrow?"

I had thought about it already.

I nodded, "Yes I'll be there."

He nodded with a smile.

After a while he left.

As I watched him leave, I felt a massive weight lift off my shoulders. I was finally letting go of the painful past.