Chapter 92
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This was insane.
Everything between Irvin and me had flipped completely.
Before, Irvin had been the classic jerk–the guy who made it big, got rich, and turned into a complete sleazebag. He treated Julianne—his so–called “true love” from childhood–like she was the center of his imiverse while tossing me, his wife who stuck by him through the hard times, aside like trash.
I was the poor woman who had given up everything to Help him bud his empire, only to be cast aside when the good times rolled in.
And how?
Now, he was suddenly the devoted husband who “loved me unconditionally” and protected me no matter what. Even if I’d supposedly ruined Julianne’s life–his childhood best friend, his savior–he still chose to shield me .
The same man who once humiliated me for Julianne’s sake was now begging me not to go to jail, insisting that all I needed to do was apologize.
The irony of it all was almost too much.
Was this what he meant when he claimed he had always been lenient with me? Did he actually think this was protecting me?
Sure, he wasn’t throwing me to the wolves, but was this really the kind of protection I needed?
Irvin seemed to think he was being magnanimous, giving me a way out by asking for a public apology instead of jail time. But what would that really accomplish?
If I publicly apologized and admitted to being jealous and set Julianne up with his father , what would happen?
There were only two possible outcomes.
First, people might not believe it. They’d think Julianne was lying about being a victim and that my apology was nothing more than me taking the fall for her and Irvin to preserve their reputation. If that happened, the backlash against Julianne would only intensify.
And Julianne couldn’t even handle the relatively mild criticism she was getting now. If things escalated, she wouldn’t be able to
handle it.
When that moment came, whether Irvin wanted to or not , Julianne or even Mom and Dad–would release the video. They’d use it to clear her name and prove that I was the one at fault.
The video would come out, and the narrative would flip. Suddenly, I’d be the undeniable villain. My confession, combined with the footage, would be enough to convict me.
No one would believe me if I tried to say I didn’t do it. The evidence would be too strong.
I’d go to jail. End of story.
The second possibility?
People might believe the apology outright.
But with the story being this big, someone would inevitably tag the police. And Julianne, who clearly wanted me gone, miss an opportunity like that. Even if the video wasn’t leaked right away, it would eventually “accidentally” surface.
The result would be the same–my confession would be used against me, and I’d still end up behind bar
Even if, by some miracle, none of this happened, why should I apologize for something I didn’t do?
If I went out there and admitted to something so horrible, even without jail time, how would people see me?
wouldn’t
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I’d carry that stain for the rest of my life. I’d never be able to hold my head high again.
It wouldn’t just ruin me. Mr. Holland, Grandma–they’d all be dragged down with me. People would whisper about them and judge them, all because of me.
Why should I have to live like that? Why should I accept a life of shame for something I didn’t even do?
So when Irvin kept insisting that all I needed to do was apologize, turned to him, my voice firm and unwavering .
“ If I’ve really done something wrong, let the law punish me.”
The room fell silent.
Everyone stared at me, stunned as if they couldn’t believe what I’d just said. The disbelief in their eyes was almost tangible, especially in Irvin’s.
“Emilia, what are you saying?” he asked , his voice filled with shock.
I met his gaze without flinching.
“I said,” I repeated, enunciating each word clearly , “if I’ve done something wrong, let the law punish me. ”
For a moment, Irvin looked like he might pass out. He staggered slightly as if my words had physically hit him.
“Emilia,” he said, his tone strained with frustration, “how can you still not see what you’ve done? That video–it’s proof of what you did! Are you seriously not understanding the gravity of this?”
He rubbed his temple like he was trying to hold himself together, then snapped, “Do you need me to spell it out again? Drugging someone and causing them to be assaulted carries the same penalty as committing the assault itself. Three to ten years in prison , Emilia. Is that what you want?”
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