Chapter One Hundred and Thirty Four

Chapter One Hundred and Thirty Four

HERMIONE

Mom and Dad are in the heat of an argument when I arrive. They stop instantly at the sight of me. While Mom nails me with a glare, Dad offers me a sympathetic look.
Mom attempts to storm away, hissing in outrage, but I promptly intercept her path.
"Ectogenesis, is it?"
Her eyes flash, her lips pursed into a deep scowl. Her reaction confirms my suspicion; it has been her plan all along.
"Why did you do it?" I demand, my voice cracking.
"He deserved it," Mom scowls. "He deserved to die over and over again—him and his lying tongue."
"I’m not talking about the Senator," I hiss. "I’m talking about Aiden. You..." I jab a finger at her, my emotions rising again. "You took him away from me. This was your plan all along. That was why you were asking me about having babies with him. You had your eyes set on the Mendes wealth from the outset."
Mom twists her mouth but doesn't counter my conjectures. That means I am right.
A gasp tears from my throat. "Why did Aiden have to die?"
"You’ve gone insane, Hermione," Mom states, her voice quiet. "Go home. When you’ve moved past your grief, we will talk." She begins to leave, but I yank her back.
"We’re not done talking!" I growl.
Mom glares at me, a gesture I reciprocate as we stand toe-to-toe.
"You killed Aiden. You have been nurturing that bastard child of yours experimentally. You anticipated Aiden would be inaugurated as Chairman, and you had a baby ready to take over following his death—another tool to manipulate for your agenda."
Dad observes the two of us from where he stands, silent. A devastated look is on his face—or is it resignation? Faced with the height of his wife’s nefarious dealings, he is left speechless. Ezra Watson Pierce is worse than any of us anticipated.
A sharp, mocking laugh bursts from Mom. "Just listen to yourself, Hermione. I anticipated Aiden would be inaugurated as the Mendes heir? I am manufacturing a baby in anticipation of today? I killed Aiden?" She scoffs. "I have nothing to gain from your husband’s death. That family has enough trouble on its own."
"Then why did you make me marry into them? Why did you force me against my will to marry Aiden!"
"Weren’t you happy? Didn't you find happiness being with him?" Mom shoots back.
I shake my head. "You can’t keep doing these terrible things in the name of my 'best interests'! Did you slowly kill the Senator for my best interests, too?"
"Hayes broke my heart. He rejected me when it didn't suit him, and he dared to try to manipulate me into submission." Another scoff. "Nobody manipulates me. No man will force control on me. I do the controlling," Mom declares, her eyes wide with rage. Her skin is heavily flushed, veins popping, and a sheen of sweat covers her face as she barks the words.
Silence falls between us as my thoughts process slowly. Mom may not have been involved in Aiden's death. She may have indeed paired me with Aiden with no ulterior motive—although I find that difficult to believe. Or perhaps Aiden’s death simply sparked the idea of naming her own child his heir to take over the family business.
I am struggling to decipher how her mind works, but one thing is certain: she was involved in Senator William’s accident.
I look at Mom. "Senator Williams' accident. Were you behind it?" I ask in a low, quiet voice.
Mom responds with a blank expression. I vaguely remember the Senator's accident occurring during his campaign. At the time, suspicions were that his opponent had been behind it. However, since there was no proof to tie his opponent to the incident, the case had gone cold over time.
I look at Dad. "You said the Senator came back for me. That he needed me for his campaign."
Dad confirms with a nod, realization flashing in his eyes. He looks at Mom, disbelief etched on his face. I don't want to believe it either, but knowing everything Mom has done, there is no doubt she is capable of ordering a man’s execution.
"Ezra..." Dad breathes, huffing in shock.
"Dr. May already confessed, Mom."
She offers no reaction.
"Injuring him wasn't enough; you made me operate on him. I questioned my own abilities when he wouldn't wake up," I scoff, "unaware that you were sabotaging his recovery. I accept that you didn't hurt Aiden. But you tried to manipulate his death to your advantage while the pain of losing him was still raw. Lives clearly mean nothing to you. You wouldn't have done this to the Senator regardless of whatever heartbreak he caused you unless you were simply pure evil. I am only here to issue a final warning: come clean to the public. Turn yourself in. Then, maybe, I will consider forgiving you."
I excuse myself from the premises, a heavy weight settling on my chest. Noah is waiting for me at the car. He asks no questions; he only opens the door. I slide in, and he closes it behind me, driving me back to my condo.
________________________

Everything around me is silent, a stark contrast to the chaos raging outside.
I didn’t expect Mom to heed my warnings. Not only did she apologize to the public for her lies regarding Aiden's non-existent heir at his funeral, but she also admitted to being the mastermind behind Senator Williams' accident. She confessed to all her other crimes and officially stepped down from her position as the foundation's director.
Dr. May forwarded an apology to me via text as well, claiming she was turning herself in for her actions. Meanwhile, Lachlan Mendes' trial is underway, sparking debates over the inevitable sentence he will receive.
Through all this chaos on the outside, I sit in the serenity of my condo, merely receiving updates. The world feels empty despite the storm of activity. My thoughts flicker to Chairman Mendes; he must have known about Mom's lie at the funeral. Although he will be disappointed, I'm relieved the truth is out. Aiden has no heir, and everything is in an uproar.
Yet, I can't find it within myself to act. I live through each passing day like a ghost, listening to every news update. My responsibilities are piling up, waiting for me. With my mother’s arrest and resignation, the succession automatically falls to me, but I feel no inclination to step out and shoulder the role expected of me. Not now. I don't know when.
I wonder if, truthfully, everything Mom did was for my sake, as she claimed. Does she really care for me? Was she hurt by my words? Was that why she turned herself in? Perhaps Ezra Watson Pierce isn't a cold bitch after all. Perhaps within that icy exterior lies a beating heart that can actually feel.
I lie back, hugging a throw pillow to my chest, and close my eyes. My thoughts are swarmed with memories of Aiden—his smile, his laughter. I tighten my lips into a wry smile. I miss him.
\--------------------
LACHLAN
(Months Later)

Mom will undoubtedly have an aneurysm when she hears of my sentence: life imprisonment with hard labour.
As the warden leads me into the cell, my skin crawls at the sight of what my life will henceforth be. I would have gladly accepted a death sentence instead; the ride of shame from the court, through the gauntlet of the media, and down to this place was enough to make me want to die. Now, I have to share this filthy, tiny space with two others.
The warden shoves me in from behind, impatient, and quickly locks the door before exiting. I stand by the bars, briefly scanning the others for any potential threats or bullies. Mercifully, they ignore me. I recline into a corner, my stomach churning at the stale air and the state of the cell. Silence settles heavily around me, my sentence echoing in my head.
Not long after, the rattle of chains draws my attention back to the door. I raise my head as a familiar figure in a matching prison uniform steps inside. The man stops short at the sight of me, then a slow, crooked smile spreads across his lips.
My hands ball into tight fists over my knees as I glare at him, my jaw ticking.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" His smile widens. "A huge pleasure to meet you again, Mendes."