~One week later~
Aiden puts a scoop of cereal in her mouth and gulps down the milk in the glass. She places the glass on the table and looks straight at Riley, who remains paralyzed, looking at the cereal floating in the milk. His eyes are slightly open, looking at an empty space, with his hands clasped together in front of his crotch.
"Riley," Aiden calls out.
She stares at him, her lips parted in disbelief. She tucks her hair behind her ears and exhales. She licks her lips, plasters a fake smile, and leans forward.
"Riley, nothing......," She stops when he stands and walks away from the table quietly.
Aiden slams her hands on the table and gets up from her seat, she follows him.
"Nothing is going to change just because you stay locked up in the room and eat less," she yells "It's been a week and you are...," she pauses as she jumps forward and holds Riley by his hoodie’s collar she pushes him on the couch. She pushes him behind when he tries to stand, she bends and lets out a sigh looking down at him.
“I understand how you feel, and there’s no need for me to stay here convincing you since it’s none of my concern,” she stands straight and removes her hands from his shoulders. “He was a wonderful man,” she adds.
 Riley stares up at her, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. “Bottling your emotions will only make you feel terrible,” she says, looking into his wet brown eyes.
His thoughts begin to relive the past; he realized that blaming his father for not being with his mother at the final minute was absurd, since he understood the responsibilities of a lawyer. He recalls his graduation day, the grin on Mintz’s face, and the pride he had for his son. His mind replays everything, making him feel even more guilty.
The smile of his dad displayed in his head; the sight of him at the corner of the crowd at his concert; the way Mintz comforted him when he comforted him in hard times. But he did nothing. He didn’t wish to live with his father after his mother’s death. He didn’t spend much time with him. He never knew when he was in hard times. His heart throbs to accept the reality, the fact that his dad passed away and he didn’t even get a chance to apologize for all that he did.
The most painful reality in the world is that we cannot stop our loved ones from dying, and once they are gone, all we can do is to miss them. Eventually, they become a faded memory.
A single tear rolls down his cheek, he chews onto his inner cheek his eyes well up instantly, a gasp leaves his trembling lips, letting his head drop. Aiden's hands move up but she stops, hesitating. Gut wrenching sobs tear through his chest as his low sniffles gets audible as he finds difficult to breath, his heart pounds. Aiden takes a step closer and slowly moves her right hand to the back of his head, pushing his head to her body as she moves her left hand to his back and rubs up and down.
"I... I," he stutters, his chin trembles as his words come out low barely audible "I...m..i..ss..h...im," he mumbles with in hiccups, he swings his hands around Aiden's waist resting his cheek on her stomach. He hugs her, his hands clasped tightly behind her.
He curls his quivering lips, his heavy breaths are the only noise in the room.
"I'm sorry," he mumbles.
"You know, your dad was never mad at you," She says "He loves you," she whispers.
They stay in the same position for a long time until his loud sobs turn into low whimpers.
"Feeling better," Aiden questions looking down at him.
He responds with a nod and unwraps his arms. He sits back and wipes his cheeks with the back of his palms, the tear stain on his cheeks still apparent.
He nods in reply and unwraps his arms, he sits back and rubs his cheeks with the back of his palms, the tear stain still visible on his warm ivory skin. He sniffles and looks up at Aiden.
"Thanks," he whispers.
The corners of her lips slightly twitch. “I’m heading to Mr. Mintz’s office.” She informs as she takes a step back, her body numb from standing for hours holding onto him, rolling down the sleeves of her t-shirt as she walks away to the guest room to change. After a few minutes, Aiden walks out of the room. A spontaneous grin makes its way onto her lips when she sees Riley waiting by the door.
"I'm going with you," he says, his voice sore and dry.
She nods in reply and takes the keys from the holder. "I'll drive," she walks out.
Aiden yanks the door and gets into the car. She peers straight through the windscreen. She mulls about her next move. She is concerned that everything will go wrong. She is doesn’t want Mintz’s hard work to fight against Aim’s will be in vain. She wants to do something she will never regret.
"You, Okay?" He asks softly knitting his brows.
Aiden lets out a sigh, she looks down at the steering wheel and back straight at the windscreen "I'm going to file a case," she faces Riley "Do you know what's going on?," she questions.
"Yes, I do," Riley nods "Dad’s reputation is tarnished and the media has painted him as an awful lawyer," he sits back and fiddles with his fingers "And....,"
"And what?" She asks.
He shifts his sight to his hands. "Evan told me that I can't perform anymore, my social media accounts are taken down and fan clubs are shut, even the articles and magazines about me are banned, even about us."
She exhales and starts the engine. "So, what are you going to do next?" She asks her eyes fixed to the road.
"Did you find a lawyer for the case?" He turns to his right.
"I should look for one,"
"You don't have to,"
"Why?"
"I can be one"
She pulls the brake by the side of the road and faces him "That's what your dad wished as well," she smiles and looks straight "Seems like we should be working together. It's going to be a rough road but still let's fight back together," she cheers with no excitement and drives ahead.
Numerous notes and flowers from clients are by the entrance of Mintz’s office.
"He was indeed an excellent lawyer," Aiden mumbles to herself.
She walks to the door and gathers the notes "Let's put them in the cupboard," she orders and to read the notes while removing them from the door. Riley joins her.
"He was my role model," Riley says out of nowhere as he closes the door of the cupboard, he turns around and looks at Aiden.
She faces him. "You sure," she scoffs sarcastically "Seems like you have a long way to be like him.”
"What do you mean?"
"Your role model is on the top of the pyramid and you are at the by bottom of it," she states dryly.
"Am I that bad?" He raises his brow questionably.
Aiden nods spreading her lips to a snarky grin. She stares at him waiting till he retorts.
Slam!
The door swings open, Aiden and Riley turns to the doorway. Their eyes widen in astonishment when five men marches in , they stand together watching the other two on the opposite side.
“Destroy everything in here,” one of them instructs, as the others move around the little area separately.
"If you dare, pull that down," Aiden steps forward her gaze fixed on the individual who touches the frame of Mintz’s accomplishment.