While I asked Jen to attend to Steve, I spend my time with Talia as a new complication was there. While she is pregnant, the De Bouborn family has filed a case against me for public humiliation and manipulation of a mentally challenged person. The hell with it.

While the papers and tabloids took glory in explaining the conflict between me and the De Bouborns, my family decided to make things more complicated for me.

"Sarah, things have gotten out of hand. Send an apology to this family, and drop the matter. Not like this girl you are trying to save can actually have a life" that was my step father.

"How do you know?"

"How do I know what? That the De Bouborns will drop the case? Well, I will speak to them"

"No, how do you know Talia will not and cant have an actual life? Are you some sort of a saint who is blessed with future vision or are you hallucinating? Since you cant be a saint, I say, better I check you out. Perks of having a psychiatrist at home, ha?" I said sarcastically, knowing well this is going to blow out of proportion.

"How dare you?" that was my mother.

"Dara I what mother? Can you give me some breathing space please? I am doing what religiously and consciously right. Now if your moral compass is twisted, that is not my problem. Let me live my life. I don't come and tell you all how to live. Now do I? Then why meddle with every damn thing I do? Did I ask your help? No. I said, I will handle it" Rania and Rana are warming up to attack me. I can see that.

"Daddy she refuse to marry Hammad" that was Rana. If looks could kill, mine would have done it.

"I am going to sleep. These few days been hectic and I am exhausted. I am not marrying Hammad even to escape capital punishment" I told them and turn to walk away.

"Oh yea, then you will end up marrying that guy who is given capital punishment" both sisters started giggle with that.

With a smile as bright as the sun, I looked at them and told them in my most cheerful voice "What a great idea. I ought to marry Steve. That's it. Thanks for suggesting" and left the room while the room was pin drop silent from my response.

It's Friday already, and I am exhausted. Talia is a darling. No wonder Steve loves her so much if what he said the other day at the court was true. She is very helpful and looks after everyone. But making her to talk about the bruises and pregnancy was difficult.

Every time I speak about the bruises, she would say "When Steve come he will punish those who hurt me". I tried by giving her sweets, promising to take her to the moon to see the rabbit and all that but she wouldn't speak. The police officers who come to get the testimony were feeling restless with time, as the pressure on this case is high since it involves one of the most powerful families in the country.

"Officer, is there a way we can get Steve involved in here? She keeps on saying she will only tell these stories to Steve. Can we get him to speak to her?" I asked.

"I don't know doctor. Since he is in death row, I wonder if the authorities will allow it"

"But this is a special case. Can you see all these bruises? inhuman. isn't it? Can you speak to the police commissioner and then coordinate with the prison authorities are get back to me?" I didn't give them room to argue.

I cant go to the prison tomorrow for my weekly schedule as Talia is now my responsibility. I informed the authorities I need some time before I resume work. At the meantime Jen is working on with Steve. And things are getting more complicated according to her.

I am pretty tired. And I fell asleep like a baby.

***************************************

Sarah didn't come to see me for about a week now. I kept asking Jen on updates on Talia, but sadly she doesn't know much or refusing to tell me. I became very impatient and irritated with each passing day. Even when Jen is struggling to gather evidence for the case, I know things aren't as easy as I initially thought they would be. The only person who saw the murder and how it happened is nana Luisa. The old aristocrat who is my grandmother. She is an old thing who is very keen on family legacy and duty to family legacy rather than family itself. No one can get her to speak unless she decides to speak.

I told Jen everything.

I was the managing director of one of the companies De Bouborns owned. It was given to me on the insistence of nana Luisa. I came out brilliantly well in everything I did, and this company which is in to real estate was a loss making one. The board were deciding on weather to close it down when nana Luisa insisted it should be given to me. By this time I had enough experience on doing things on my own. I was the second hand man of Albert and Harry, which means I do all the work while they get the credit.

Albert and Harry objected, as it means they have to pull their own weight from then on. But no one is more powerful than nana Luisa. So we agreed. I was 27 then. Within 2 years I made this loss making, bankrupt company in to a profit making one and with another year a 40% profit making entity.

It was during this time I met Laila. She was working for an interior decorating company I hired to do the interior for the company I was given and also for the building I make. And her father owned the Liliac Interior. She was a beautiful girl but I didn't have any personal interest on her. But her father kept rubbing us together and one day, I took her out. And that was it.

I fell deeply in love or so I believed I did with each passing day with her compassion for children, homeless people, mentally challenged people..etc and generosity..etc.. But little did I know that some people are born to fake and I am nothing but a fool when it come to women.

I have dated women before but I am always careful. I had Talia on my back. Whoever I want to date or be with, I make sure their love and compassion extend to not only to me but to Talia as well. The few women I have brought home, Talia took an immense liking. But they didn't quite manage Talia well. So eventually the relationship came to an end. Talia took an immediate dislike of Laila when I first introduce them. But I saw Laila managing Talia quite well which really impressed me. And I sealed my fate that day.

Laila keep visiting the quarters me and Talia were staying which is attached to the main manor. I believe it is one of these visits she met Philip. I don't know when she started to cheat on me, but by the time I realized that, I have drowned up to my throat.

Albert and Harry tried many ways to get me in trouble during this course of time. They charge me with cheating on company finances and other bizarre accusations. But nana Luisa knew I am faithful to the family. She never really liked me. All my years before I was given the company to run, she would have spoken to me barely 10 sentence. But there was always some understanding. Her husband died before I came to the house. So I never knew the man. But I had respect for this woman.

However, one day 3 years ago, nana Luisa called me and I went to see her. I saw Laila was with Philip and it took sometime for me to understand what was going on. I saw Harry crying on the floor and a gun beside him.

"Take a drink Steve and we will talk about what happened afterwards" and she offered me the drink. And the next thing I know was, I woke up in a prison cell charged with murder.