Chapter 87: Crystal's Fate

(Edited)

Zarah wanted Xavier to get off the car first. However, her husband had other plans in mind.

Chris opened the car door. Xavier got off first. He didn't walk away but waited for Zarah outside.

"Are you ashamed of me?" Xavier feigned that he was hurt.

"No!" She dismissed his thought immediately.

It was the other way around. She was ashamed to be seen with Xavier outside of work.

She felt so small and somehow unworthy to stand beside him.

She looked outside and saw a few students had started to gather around the open parking lot.

She was sure they were there for Xavier.

It would not take much time for this small group to become a huge crowd.

Xavier's handsome face was so attractive to the female students.

Xavier knew and respected her wish to keep their marriage private.

However, it disheartened him to see his wife uncomfortable around him.

He started questioning his decision.

For the first time, Hope arrived at the open parking lot with her car.

She got out of her car and locked the door after grabbing her bag.

However, she frowned when she saw Xavier standing outside by the car a few meters from her parking spot.

She called Christian's name to get his attention.

"Chris!"

Chris turned around after he heard someone calling his name.

Hope came to the rescue.

"Bro- Xavier, why are you here? Is sister inside?" Hope corrected herself before she had a slip of the tongue.

Zarah heaved Hope's voice, and she heaved a sigh of relief.

She got off the car in haste and almost bumped her head.

"Careful!" Xavier's loud voice caught everyone's attention.

"Thank you, and I'm sorry," Zarah whispered the last phrase. She grabbed Hope's hand and prepared to leave.

"Thank you for the ride, Chairman Lockhart," she said in a professional tone.

She was hiding the guilt she felt. She was hoping that Xavier would let this incident slide.

Xavier nodded, although he was disappointed by her actions.

"See you later," she told him.

Both parties walked in separate ways.

Zarah and Hope went to their building while Xavier and Chris headed to the administrative building where the conference room was.

Hope looked at Zarah with curiosity.

"Don't start with me, Hope. I didn't know he would come here, too," she explained.

"Oh!"

"Are you afraid that there will be another issue about you?"

Zarah sighed in response.

She knew it!

"Your lawyer came yesterday. Crystal received a court order," Hope narrated.

"My lawyer Kelsey Dawson is very efficient. I'll introduce you to her. She's someone I knew very well."

Hope was touched. Zarah would willingly introduce her to her circle. Hope was motivated to work hard even more.

"I doubt those rumors about you will come back now that Crystal's in deep trouble," she said.

Speaking of trouble, Crystal and her lawyer were waiting for Zarah in front of their building.

"You bitch!" Crystal glared at her.

Zarah didn't pay her any attention and sternly said, "Move."

"Miss Jansen, I'm Attorney Bower. Can I speak with you for a moment?" the lawyer interfered.

He was a middle-aged man with a beer belly and was wearing eyeglasses.

His physical appearance didn't deceive Zarah. He was oozing wisdom and confidence.

She would gladly hire him on her team should she be given a chance.

"I have nothing against you, Atty. Bower. If you have anything to say, talk to my lawyer," Zarah said. She tried to push them out of the way but Atty. Bower didn't budge.

"Miss Jansen, my client wants to settle this before the court. Just give us your terms. My client will willingly give it to you."

Zarah looked at Atty. Bower in surprise.

"I have an important class this morning, but you're blocking my way Atty. Bower. That's very unprofessional of you. Don't you think so?"

Atty. Bower's lips twitched when he heard Zarah's stubborn response.

"Atty. Kelsey Dawson represents me in this case. Her words are mine. Should she want us to settle, perhaps I might think about it. Blocking my way would not help you and your client Atty. Bower."

The next thing that they would want to have was a restraining order.

It would not do good for Crystal's image.

Atty. Bower reluctantly moved aside to let Zarah pass.

Crystal wanted to stop her from getting inside, but Atty. Bower stopped her.

He shook his head to warn her. His actions made her furious!

"You're such a useless piece of shit! Are you sure you're a lawyer? Why did you let her go?!"

Atty. Bower shook his head in disbelief and mockery.

"Miss Gil, may I remind you that should you not control your temper, you might be behind bars the next second," Atty. Bower reminded her.

Instead of appreciating his reminder, Crystal dared to fire him.

"You're fired!"

She thought that it was easy to find a replacement.

"Well then, good luck with your case. I do hope that you can find a lawyer right away."

Atty. Bower looked at Crystal with contempt. She accepted the case because she owed the Gil family so much.

Now that their daughter fired him, Mr. and Mrs. Gil had nothing against him. They should blame their daughter's attitude.

She deserved to be in prison. Perhaps, the system inside the jail could discipline and help her better than her parents.

Her parents had spoiled her rotten hence she had a strong sense of self-entitlement and a superiority complex.

"Hmph! Just leave! I do not need an incompetent lawyer like you!" she said to spite him.

Zarah dropped Hope in her room before she went to her classroom.

"I won't be joining you for lunch today," Zarah said, and Hope became sad.

She forced a smile on her face and said, "Last time meant so much to me. I wanted to treat you to lunch to express my gratitude. Unfortunately, you have other plans."

"Silly. Aren't we sisters? Don't mention it."

Hope's heart skipped a beat and became tense.

'Did she find out? Did Olivia tell her? Will she hate me now?'

Zarah was unaware of the emotional and mental struggle her sister was in after she said those words.

"Are you okay?" Zarah finally noticed her odd behavior, and it made her frown.

"Don't you like me to call you sister?" She thought this was the cause of her odd reaction.

Hope, who snapped back to reality, shook her head in response.

"Of course! I love to be your sister!"

"Good! Anyways, I better go now."

"Okay!"

Hope walked inside the classroom and looked for a vacant seat.

She was trying to calm her racing heart.

That was a great scare for her.

"Are you alright?" her concerned classmate asked her.

She looked at the person who asked her and smiled in reassurance.

"Are you close to Zarah Jansen?" her classmate asked her.

"I'm her friend. I would not classify myself as someone very close to her. May I know why you asked?"

"I heard that she came to school today with Chairman Lockhart. Are they close?"

Hope could see envy and jealousy on her face.

'They have tied the knot and sleep in one bed every night. So are they close?' Hope answered inside her mind.

"Do you have a crush on Chairman Lockhart?" Hope asked her directly.

"Liking him is different than having a crush on him," she tried to explain.

"I see. Well, don't come at my sister out of jealousy. I'm not the right person to disclose the matter of their relationship. If you're so curious, go ahead and ask her nicely."

Their conversation halted the moment their professor barged inside the room.

Zarah was attending a smooth class while Crystal was in deep trouble.

Her time was running out. She had to go to court to submit her affidavit, yet no lawyer would accept her case.

Celia Mayer was fuming after she received her daughter's call. She was with the members of the board of trustees when Crystal called.

She had no other choice but to excuse herself.

"Why did you fire Atty. Bower?! Are you out of your mind?!"

"Mom! I don't like him!" Crystal complained to her mother.

"I'm sure you can find his replacement right away."

"No! Listen, Crystal. You're up against Zarah Jansen. Zarah Jansen managed to hire Kelsey Dawson. A f*ckin Dawson!"

Now she knew why the lawyers she called would decline to help her despite the handsome payment. Kelsey Dawson was behind it!

The Dawson Family ancestors were the founding fathers of this country! Their sphere of influence was not limited to the business circle but also politics and the military.

Even the President had to please this family to stay in power.

Crystal knew about this. That was why she was careful when meeting a Dawson.

"So what if she's a Dawson? I'm sure she's from the branch family."

The Main Family moved to Europe eight years ago. Only the members of the Branch Families remained.

"Still! We should not underestimate their influence." Celia Mayer strongly reminded her daughter.

She had to take a couple of breaths to control her anger.

"I'll try to talk to Atty. Bower. Don't look for more trouble while I'm on it."

Crystal failed to submit her affidavit, so a warrant of arrest was issued against her immediately.

The police came and arrested her while the students were watching.

When Celia Mayer heard of the news, she was enraged!

She came and looked for Zarah.

Zarah, on the other hand, was no longer at school.

She was eating lunch with her husband inside a five-star restaurant.

Kelsey called her immediately after the arrest.

"Leave it to me, Zarah. I'll make sure that she'll learn her lesson."

"Thank you, Kelsey. I owe you one," Zarah sincerely said.

"How about you treat me to dinner?" Kelsey teased her.

"Okay. I have a packed schedule this week. How about next week?"

"Okay! Next week then."

***