Chapter 64: The Truth
“That’s just a poem! A mere imagination, how come a law graduate would think art could be a piece of evidence?” She even insulted him but it appeared lame as to how she acted.
“Proceed to the last poem,” Benjamin said and everyone let him, some were holding their smile back, thinking Benjamin was just desperate to win.

“He’s high, but he’s low,
But he’s the best dad.
He loves me so much
And that’s all I know
So I hide the whistle
Cause I’ll Never Blow
Dad loves me
So I’ll be the good
Daughter as I should be.” He turned to Fera who was smiling in triumph.

“You are hiding the evidence,” Ben said but she shook her head.
“No evidence needed here, we can not win this by those lame poems, Ben.” She whispered but everyone heard it.
The door suddenly opens and Nick came in. He was holding a white porcelain jar. Her eyes widen as she saw it.
“I think I have the evidence.” He said and walked to Ben. He handed it to him and all of them saw how surprised she was.
“Mom,” she unconsciously said under her breath. “How dare you!”
Ben carelessly poured the jar onto his table and saw a flash drive in it. He picked that up and gave it to them, he order them to play it. They were all silent and waited for it to play.
“Are you guys deaf? I have claimed the crime, I am making this easy for all of us!” But no one was listening to her. They waited and the clip finally appeared on the screen. It was at his office in his house, there where Ben found the black wall clock Fera was talking to. He was sitting on his swivel chair and Mrs. Fuentes entered the room.
‘This is insane, Ferdinand! How can you drag our family into this mess? You knew what kind of trouble this is right?’ Mrs. Fuentes was talking but it was responded with a loud glass crashing.
Fera wanted to shrink in her seat not wanting to hear it again. “Stop the film!” She shouted but everyone was watching to clip intently.
‘Could you shut up! You’re not helping the situation!’ She heard her father’s voice again.
‘I can’t believe this! You have been keeping secret from me, I won’t be surprised anymore if a pregnant woman showed up claiming the baby was yours.’
‘I am not the one who’s secretly meeting a guy in a restaurant.’
‘Really? Are thinking that I am cheating on you? I can’t even have enough time for our daughter! While you, you have the chance to talk to her, play with her and make her feel that she is a child too.’
“Please stop! Please stop.” She fell to the floor, covering her ears and hiding under the table. Her cries were beyond control.
‘Are you saying that I am not being a good father to her?’
‘Yes, did you ever listen to her? She didn’t want a birthday party, she just want us to be with her and celebrate in private but what you did do? You even invited media, reporters to cover her birthday-’
‘Shut up!’
A loud gasp filled the room as he shoot his wife dead.
“Stop that! Please! Make it stop!” But everyone went silent. They still watched the second clip.
‘What have you done?’ It was his father’s voice again. At his office again, Fera was standing where her mother was standing.
‘I’m sorry dad, I’ll fix this I promise.’ It was Fera’s voice, it was far from her fierce voice and cold voice. It was calm and submissive.
‘Useless! I didn’t expect that you are reckless.’

‘I’m sorry-’ then he suddenly took a gun out from his drawer and pointed the gun at Fera. She flinched and cover her ears with her trembling hands. Mr. Fuentes widen his eyes when he realized what was happening, he remembered the exact situation when he killed his wife.
He put his gun down and unbelievably looked at himself, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry.’ Soon he became teary while looking at his daughter, Fera was crying silently and sniffing rapidly.
To her surprise, he pointed the gun at his head. ‘Dad, dad put that down.’
‘I have never been a good father to you.’
‘No! I love you. Put that down, dad.’ Her shaking voice went a bit louder.
‘I killed my wife, and I almost kill you too. I have done enough.’
‘Dad put that DOWN!’ And a gunshot entered Fera’s ears and made her close her eyes while covering her ears.
‘Dad!’ She ran to him and tried to stop the blood.
‘Go, promise to leave me here alone, Baldo will take care of my wake.’
‘Don’t say that, I’ll…I’ll call the ambulance.’
‘Promise me,’
‘To where?’
‘Anywhere safe,’
They didn’t finish the clip, that was enough to win the case. She was vindicated finally but they opened her wounds again. She was on the floor crying uncontrollably.
“NO! Ahhhhh!” No one could touch her, she would push anyone who tried to touch her.
They watched her face her downfall, all her lies and facade had fallen. She wasn’t truly the strongest girl, she was a weak little kitten behind the portrait of a lion she created and presented to the crowd.
She felt naked and bare.
Her cries weren’t only for her loss and the pain of her parent's death but the fact that she failed to protect her parent's image and reputation. She was vindicated but her father was exposed. He was idolized by many lawyers wanna but now he was more than a criminal.
Ben was half guilty and happy. He won but he broke her. He won but his client wasn’t satisfied with what he did. It was his best shot first-time win but couldn’t celebrate it in that situation.
Nick was there, watching her in her most vulnerable state. Silently breaking and sharing the same grief. He wasn’t sorry even if it affected it like that. They saved her.
Multiple flashes of cameras were blinding her the next minute while a man at the corner stealthily stood up and exited the room. Lora’s eyes were too fast and saw him. She followed the man but he was too fast so she ran faster and use the other way to corner him.
“Are you happy now, Fred?”