Chapter 13: Chapter 13

When you have someone who is selfless, patient and understanding, know the person has genuine love for you; it's not infatuation.

- Grace Chanbee

[Justin's POV]

I sat on the wooden chair in the room where the interrogation was going on. The place was laced with cameras and the police officers there looked mean and didn't even make any attempt to smile.

I cracked my knuckles waiting for the so-called Detective Shawn to come in and start his work, thinking deeply on how Grams was coping knowing fully well I may be sent to jail just like my father.

After returning home the previous day, I had lied to her that everything had gone as planned and she had been singing praises and expressing her gratitude to God.

Although I felt guilty, I couldn't bring myself to tell her I was going down the same lane as my father had done, aware of how much pain it was going to cause her.

Aiden had proved to be the best buddy as usual by understanding the situation of things and being there for me. He had agreed to always check up on Grams and make sure she was doing fine. Apart from that, he had also agreed to break the news to Nelly and Grams.

I had lied to her that I was going to Los Angeles to buy new goods and had dropped my van off at Aiden's place. Detective Shawn had been kind enough to pick me up from Aiden's place with a warrant for my arrest after I had pleaded with him that I didn't want to see my grandmother see me taken away in a police van.

"Hi Justin," I heard a voice say.

I looked up and saw Detective Shawn dressed in his police uniform, all smiles. He was really a nice, patient and understanding man unlike Gilbert Sanders, the self-centered egoistic bastard.

I smiled faintly at him, acknowledging his greeting with a nod.

He took the chair opposite me and it was only the large table in between the two chairs that was standing as a barrier between the both of us.

"How are you today?" He asked, taking out a small jotter and a pen from his breast pocket.

"I'm okay, I guess. Please, cut to the chase," I said.

"Of course," He said, looking up from his jotter momentarily.

"So?" I urged him on.

He rested his back on his chair, obviously trying to seem as though he was relaxed so I wouldn't feel tensed as well.

"How old are you?" He asked.

"18," I responded.

"Ever gone to jail?"

I shook my head.

"So I did my findings and discovered that you're strictly into cotton and silk business, is that right?" He asked.

I nodded, affirming his statement.

"How did you get money to start your business?" Detective Shawn asked.

"Umm.. I worked as the doorman for an eatery for some months, saved up money and at the age of 15, I was already doing my own business and making enough money to sustain my household," I responded.

Detective Shawn smiled, looking really impressed.

"Have you seen Mr Gilbert Sanders before?" He asked.

"Yeah. I saw him about ten or twelve years ago then just yesterday," I replied.

"What do you think of him?"

I scoffed. "He's mean, cold-hearted and cunning."

"And why is that so?"

I swallowed hard. "That's easy. I lost my parents at a tender age because of his actions that he's still not sorry for," I said with a really firm voice.

"So do you feel any hatred in your heart for him?" Detective Shawn asked.

"Definitely."

"Have you ever thought of having a revenge on him?" He asked.

I thought for a moment then shook my head in negativity.

"But you just said you hate him."

"I hate him doesn't mean I have the time to waste on having a revenge on him for bringing my family shame and tarnishing our reputation," I countered.

"Mr Gilbert testified that you promised to avenge your father's imprisonment when you were six years old," Detective Shawn said.

I guffawed. "I don't even remember saying that. Dude! I was a kid and I saw my father get handcuffed and Nelly kept on crying while my mum was like it's all the fault of wealthy people like Mr Sanders. I felt like I had to do something so yeah, I remember I confronted him as he left the courtroom that day but I don't remember the exact words I used, I swear."

"So you're saying all this was a coincidence?"

"I swear on my late mother's grave. I didn't even know Amber neither did I know Mr Sanders has a beautiful daughter," I responded.

Detective Shawn honestly looked like he believed me but his hands were tied.

He cleared his throat. "Let's talk about Amber. How do you feel about her?"

I smiled without knowing why. "I feel genuine love for her. I keep wishing she was just an ordinary girl without a father like Mr Sanders."

"Okay then, another question. You already said before that you met her at the trunk of your van. Why didn't you report the matter to the police?" Detective Shawn asked.

I shrugged. "She was dressed so expensively that I knew at once the kind of wealthy family she came from. I was really scared about keeping her in my house but Grams insisted because she's all about doing good deeds. If I had gone to the police station, I was sure they were going to implicate me in an issue I wasn't a part of. Besides, I was scared that someone was still trying to kill her and without knowing her family members, what could the police do for her?"

Detective Shawn appeared thoughtful. "Let's assume you're saying the truth. You didn't want her to be in your house at first, did you make any attempt to chase her out?"

"Yeah. I sent her to the local Psychiatric center but she ran off. When they called that she was missing, I had to go looking for her and when I found her, I knew there was no letting her go again," I said with a smile.

Detective Shawn smiled back. "Why was there no letting her go again?" He asked even though I was sure he knew the answer to that already.

I shrugged. "Love happened."

"Nice story. If you didn't want to let her go again, why were you willing to let her go after her disappearance became a public affair?" He asked.

"I was scared of having any issue with Mr Sanders again because I knew it wasn't worth it as he was going to win against me anyway. It hurt me badly and I just wanted to let her go because her family needed her even though I stood the chance of never being able to see her again," I responded.

"Commendable. From our little discourse, it's obvious you do care about her a lot," Detective Shawn noted.

I gave a half smile. "Yeah, I really do. I've never felt love for someone the way I feel for her and I love her a lot, detective. It all happened suddenly but if there was a way for me to have Amber by my side forever, I'd have done the needful."

Detective Shawn shook his head. "No, I wasn't talking about Amber. I was actually talking about your grandmother, or should I say Grams?"

"Wait, what?"

"You do care about your grandmother a lot, don't you?" He asked.

I nodded in the affirmative. "Of course. She's the closest relative I've got, I do care a lot about her," I stated, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Good! Will you like her to see you go to prison for a crime you're so very much convinced you didn't commit?" He asked.

"Of course not. Why are you asking?"

Detective Shawn sighed. "If you must know, attempting to murder then trafficking someone is attached with a very long sentence. You can spend up to twenty years, if not more, if tried and proven guilty."

I swallowed hard, unsure of what to say.

"By the time you're out of prison, you won't even know the direction to take....."

"That's if I don't commit suicide like my father did. Scratch that, go on," I said.

Detective Shawn seemed somewhat shocked at my outburst but ignored it and went on with his statement.

"By that time, Amber will have moved on and will have a successful career and will be very happy. Your grandmother may possibly be dead and all you'll feel is hate and resentment," He concluded.

"Why are you telling me all these?" I asked.

He smiled and held my hands. "Listen to me, Justin. Mr Gilbert has decided to clear you of all charges..."

"Seriously? Are you kidding me?"

"He has a condition..."

"Well, of course," I said, rolling my eyes.

"You must convince Amber to return home by saying you lied about her father being wicked simply because he sent your dad to jail for embezzling money, then he'll set you free and you must never see nor speak to her ever again," Detective Shawn said.

I withdrew from his hold, mouth agape, heart thumping, brain calculating of what to do.

Detective Shawn grimaced. "Don't tell me you're actually thinking of what to do. For crying out loud, both of you are still teenagers. Who knows if all these is mere infatuation?"

"It isn't infatuation!" I yelled.

Detective Shawn scoffed. "Whatever it is, are you willing to risk your future for a girl you know will never be yours to keep?" He asked.

I swallowed hard, contemplating on the answer to give.

"Boy, I'll give you fifteen minutes to think and give a reasonable response. Don't jeopardize your future for a girl you barely know," He said, rising from his chair.

He looked at me with an expression I couldn't quite grasp then walked out of the room, leaving me behind with the officers that stood as guards.

I was in a daze and it felt like my brain couldn't think no more because I didn't seem to be able to know exactly what to do.

On one hand, I loved Amber to the moon and back that I could do anything to have her with me. I felt happy that she had refused to go home with her father but had stayed with me instead.

I wanted her to go back home but certainly not with her thinking of me as a preposterous liar. How was I to live knowing fully well that the one girl I had loved with all my heart hated me and saw me as a sly golddigger?

On the other hand however, Detective Shawn was right! I barely knew Amber and with her father's nature, we could never ever be together no matter how hard we tried.

Why then was I to hold onto her? She deserved better with her good nature and class. I was just a lowlife who deserved someone like me, probably a country girl.

Amber was too good for me. I may even be holding onto her but what if she got drawn to material things and abandoned me? What was I to do then?

Nelly needed her brother to fight for her and Grams needed her grandson to help her around the house and provide all she needed.

Was I really ready to jeopardize everything for a girl that was probably not worth it and may not do the same for me had I been in her shoes?

I didn't think so.

*******

[Amber's POV]

I sat on a long bench in the lobby waiting for Justin to be done with his interrogation so we could leave together.

The previous day, he had stopped his van just in time like I had expected, and despite the stern look my so-called father flashed at him, he still took me home with him.

He had drove off feeling really pissed with me but I didn't mind. I had the intention of going with the pathetic man who claimed he was my father till he talked down on Justin and the detective said he was going to get an arrest warrant for someone who had practically saved my life. I mean, who does that?

I had slept in the basement without his grandmother's knowledge and had sneaked into the van in the morning without her noticing. He didn't want her to be worried about what was going on as he returned with me and tried to assure her that everything was fine.

This was all what Justin had been afraid of and that's why he had never wanted to be involved with me in the first place.

Now, I could never forgive myself if he went to jail for a crime he didn't commit. How could I possibly forgive myself? He had been nothing but kind to me and how could I even bring myself to see his life ruined simply because of the kindness he had bestowed on me? It just wasn't possible and it didn't even seem right at all.

"Babe," I heard Justin say.

I looked up and saw him towering above me, wearing a small smile.

I arose from the bench and gave him a tight hug while he hugged me back and stroked my hair.

I then let him go after I noticed the angry look my wicked father who was standing afar of had on. Justin was already in so much trouble, I couldn't afford to put him in more trouble than he already was.

"How did it go?" I asked, worriedly.

He nodded his head and smiled.

"Is everything fine?" I asked.

"Yeah. I just want you to know that I lied to you about being a good guy. Your father is a.. a very nice person and I was just angry that he had made my dad go into prison for something... For committing a grievous offence.." He hadn't completed his statement when he bit his lip.

I shook my head, knowing he was lying.

"Umm... Back to what I was saying... You should ummm...go back to your dad. He's a good man, okay?"

I grimaced. "Why are you lying to me? Who put you up to this?" I asked.

"I'm not lying."

"Don't be a coward, Justin, for once in your life! Now, tell me. Who put you up to this? Talk to me!!" I thundered.

He sighed deeply. "Amber, I can't tell you anything right now. Just know that if you leave with your father and forget about me, I'll be a free man," Justin said.

I swallowed. "That's the catch for you lying to me against your father, isn't it? Just for your freedom, you're outrightly selling your family's legacy? I'm disappointed in you, Justin. Don't you feel ashamed?" I yelled at him.

He shrugged. "As the saying goes, the shameless can't feel shame."

I stared at him, not knowing what else to say. His face was void of any emotion and he appeared like he had already fixed his mind on what to do and nothing could even change it.

"If I leave, you'll be set free, isn't it?" I asked.

He nodded in confirmation.

"This isn't easy for me, Justin, and I don't know how life's gonna be without you in it, but I understand, really, I do. I love you," I said.

He looked stunned, trying to register what I had just said probably because it was the first time I was making that statement.

"You know, when you love someone, you have to do things that are selfless just for their sake. I'm sorry for ever being a burden to you and your family, I hope you can forgive me," I said, tears dripping from my eyes.

I saw tears form in his eyes although they didn't trickle down his cheeks as he tried his best to maintain a tough composure.

I gave him a small smile and began to walk away, then suddenly and without prior warning, he held my hand stopping me from going further.

He pulled my hand, drawing me back to face him.

"I wanna kiss you so badly, but your dad will kill me," He said in a low tone.

"I understand," I said, still not getting why he pulled me back instead of letting me walk away.

"When you get back home, do not say a word about me and act like you detest me, please, for my own good. If you love me, please, understand," He said.

"But I don't understand," I told him, searching his eyes.

He sighed. "Just forget about me. I know we may never see each other again, but always have it at the back of your mind that I love you and I always will. The circumstances of things won't let us be together, but at least, let's part ways knowing it was for the best."

I nodded in agreement, wiping my tears as my heart ached after being shattered into so many pieces.

"Goodbye then," I told him, managing a smile.

He nodded.

I braced myself and walked towards the direction of my father who smiled at me.

I turned back to see Justin still standing there without even looking back at me.

I returned my glance to my dad and smiled back, a painful smile which was forced.

"Let's go, princess, your mum's waiting for you," He said.

I nodded, not saying a word as I walked out of the police station with him.

I turned around again and this time, Justin had also turned around, and our eyes met, both of which were sad.

He spun around quickly, aware that he had been caught in the act while I faced forward, channelling my mind into forgetting all about Justin and about the life I had with my wealthy folks.

Justin and I had only been played by the universe and we should have known that we were never going to work from the onset.

We got to the magnificent white car which was different from the one my father had come in yesterday and I was awestruck at how beautiful it was.

"It's a Ferrari, a convertible vehicle. It's your favourite, that's why I came with it today," My dad said, noticing my stunned expression.

"Really?" I asked, my eyes bulging in surprise, not remembering ever seeing such beauty before.

"Of course. We have many more at home and they are all yours because you're my only child," He told me.

I smiled and got into the car that had been opened for me by one of the bodyguards, admiring the posh and elegant nature of the car as my hands fiddled with the seatbelt.

It was time to forget about Justin and embrace my true identity.