C3 Chapter three

The weeks came and went in a blur of legal activities. Harper and her mother remained indoors, hidden away from the outside word except when they had to appear in court. That didn’t stop the incessant whispers or the prying eyes of the media, there was the constant noise of the news helicopters, or reporters hiding in nooks around their house some camping in front waiting for them to make the slightest move.

With the continuous deliberations and summons in court, one fact seemed to be clear to Harper – Her father was going to prison. The Evidence built up against her father, made her realize the extent and severity of his actions. Her father was a criminal. She shook in horror as each evidence, was placed before the judge and jury. The final nail that would officially seal his coffin. They would be lucky to have his sentenced reduced.

The trial was open to the eye of the public, every new website carrying details of the proceedings, fueling the publics aggression towards her family. Harper and her mother sat through the proceedings, their faces gaunt from the emotional stress and trauma of the past weeks, masked with despair and disbelief. Her Father , stood before the jury, he seemed to have aged this past weeks, his countenance droopy. He looked towards Harper and her Mother, offering a silent apology, his words filled with regret.

“I committed a great harm against you both, if only I had not let my judgement be crowded by greed,” he said, his head bowed and his countenance that of regret “ I am so sorry for the harm I cost, I would do everything to atone.’

The jury, however, didn’t seem to spare him any pity. After a brief break was taken by the Jury to deliberate, they returned with the verdict.

The final result of the jury deliberations was read by the judge “ on the Allegations of Securities fraud, I hereby pronounce Mr. Kings guilty, he is sentenced with 18 years imprisonment with a fine of a quarter million dollars, his assets and accounts seized.”

Harper her mom and dad all stood in a daze , her mom losing all the strength in her body and fainting , Harper quickly snapped out of her daze and rushed to support her mother’s weight to stop her from falling on the ground. Her Father was led away by the bailiffs, she took a long look at him waves of nausea hitting her.

Soon she heard the sounds of an ambulance, a paramedic rushed to take her mother from her hands, someone must have called over the ambulance Her Family’s lawyer looked at her and shook his head in pity, his face filled with apology, Her eyes welled up with tears but she couldn’t fault him. Even the best lawyer couldn’t win against the stark of evidence presented against her Father.

Her Father’s lawyer offered to take her to the hospital her mum had been taken to, she let out a sigh, tears still streaming from hers and followed him. On getting to the hospital, she was told that her mother was still unconscious and she had suffered a heart attack due to stress and emotional trauma.

“ Ms. Kings from our analysis, your mom is suffering from heart failure triggered by stress. I’m so sorry but we would have to keep her on observation.” Doctor Myles said, looking at her with pity.

“ Thank you so much, Doctor” Harper said as she inhaled a lungful of breath, “ Is it okay if I go see her now? “ She asked. “ Yes, she’s asleep but you should be able to see her now.” The doctor Said.

Harper walked into the room her mother was placed in, she looked at her mother frail and exhausted body hooked up to different machines. She let out a whimper, tracing the stress line on her forehead. She sat down beside her mother feeling a barrage of emotions. Anger and betrayal towards her father, pity and finally sadness for her family.

A week later, Harper led her Mom into the house and got her settled in . She had taken on the role of care giver, as well as the head of the family. She was thrust into the sea of endless paperwork’s, and mounting bills. The court had frozen all their assets and accounts, they were left with nothing except bills waiting to be paid . They suddenly couldn’t afford their basic need talk more of the Mansion they were staying in.

The house her parents had prided on a symbol of their wealth and status, had now become a huge liability they could no longer afford.

“ Mother, we can no longer afford this house, we need to move to a smaller place”.” Harper said bringing a steaming cup of tea to her mother.

Her mother’s eyes opened wide with disbelief and Consternation “ How can you say that Harper, this house is part of our legacy and the very place you spent your childhood, we certainly can’t give it up. It’s all we have left.” Her Mother stubbornly rebuked her.

“ I understand you mother, but we can no longer afford to keep it running, we’ve exhausted our resources on your medical bills. The least we can do is move into a smaller place and then when we rise back up we can buy it.” Harper said trying to persuade her mother.

Her Mother was right, the house was more than just a house, it held all her family’s happy memories . It was their legacy, a symbol of their family’s status.

Her mother reluctantly agreed and she started reaching out to agents to put up the house for sell. Her and her mother spent the days arranging all the properties they considered very important selling out the rest .

She took a tour round, the house something she hadn’t done in months, her fingers gliding through each of their properties as if committing it to memory. Each furniture, Art flower vase, grand Piano … reliving the happy memories they held. Tears streamed from her eyes, her heart overwhelmed with grief, yes this is what their lives had come to, they had lost all this.

Her Mother drew her into her warm embrace “ It’s going to be alright Harper, we would make new memories and regain all we’ve lost.” Her mother consoled her.