CHAPTER FIFTEEN- Betrayals, Confessions, and a Fractured Path to Justice

Daniel went to the police station to visit Mr. James and inquire about the "hit-and-run case of 1999."

"Mr. James, what happened in 1999?" and besides, if you commit such a crime, it means that my dad was with you when the accident occurred," Daniel asked curiously.

"I am to blame for the incident. We received a call, Dad, that your mom was in a critical condition and might lose her life. So we rushed to the hospital, and it was on our way that we accidentally hit the man. The boss told me then to take care of it as he rushed to visit your mom in the hospital. But when I checked his pulse, he wasn't breathing again. Out of fear, I left him and rushed to meet my mom, who was also sick. Since then, I haven't looked up to the man again. Your dad asked about the man I told him he had taken care of, to which I lied. "It's my fault, Daniel; it's got nothing to do with your dad."

"How could you do such a thing, Mr. James? How could you?" Daniel shouted at him. "You're a betrayal, having secret affairs with my stepmom behind my dad. Daniel said as tears rolled down his eyes.

"How did you know?" Mr. James asked astonishingly.

"I trusted you and love you so much; I even love you more than my dad because you're always there for me. But this is what I gained in return. Daniel said as tears rolled down his cheek.

"Don't forgive me, Dan; since it's all my fault, I should take the responsibility." Mr. James cried out.

"I will make sure I see an end to this; I will surely destroy you all. Daniel threatened.

Daniel left his side and went to meet Detective Anderson, who was in charge of the case.

"Mr. Daniel?" Detective Anderson asked:?

"Yeah! It seems you know more about me." Daniel said, looking curious.

"Yeah! I heard about you from Katherine. Detective Anderson proclaims.

"You are acquainted with Katherine?" Daniel asked, looking astonished.

"Yes, we were childhood friends and classmates as well. Katherine reached out to me when she found out about the recent developments in the case. She was determined to get to the truth." She also explained the relationship between you two. "And she's hurt; I will advise you to reach out to her." Detective Anderson explained, his gaze fixed on Daniel's troubled expression.

"No wonder she's not picking up my call; I think it's over between us two," Daniel said, looking anxious.

Daniel took a deep breath, the weight of the revelations sinking in. "I just spoke to Mr. James. He confessed, but it wasn't my dad who was driving the car that night. It was him. He made a terrible mistake, and out of fear, he left the scene."

Detective Anderson nodded, absorbing the new information. "This changes things. We need to reevaluate the evidence and statements we have. I appreciate your honesty, Daniel."

"But how do we proceed now? Mr. James confessed, but my dad is still on his sick bed," Daniel asked, frustration evident in his voice.

Detective Anderson sighed. "We'll have to conduct a thorough investigation to corroborate Mr. James' statement and reassess the evidence. It's essential to establish the facts and ensure that justice is served."

As Daniel left the police station, his mind buzzed with conflicting emotions. The truth, it seemed, was a complex tapestry of mistakes, fear, and the consequences of decisions made in haste. The journey toward justice became more intricate, and the layers of deception surrounding the hit-and-run case of 1999 were slowly unraveling.

Back at home, Katherine awaited Detective Anderson's return, her eyes reflecting a mix of anxiety and hope. When Detective Anderson walked through the door, she sensed the turmoil within him. Without words, he conveyed the latest developments, and they shared a silent understanding of the challenges that lay ahead.

The next chapter of the investigation promised to be a critical one. With the newfound information, Detective Anderson and his team would delve deeper into the events of that fateful night, determined to bring clarity and closure to a case that had cast a shadow over the lives of those involved for far too long.

The next day, Daniel was waiting for Katherine in front of her door after getting her home location from Detective Anderson. Katherine came out and saw Daniel waiting for her. She walked past Daniel without saying a single word to him.

"Katherine! Let me explain the incident to you," Daniel said, chasing after Katherine.

Katherine, her emotions running high, felt a mix of anger, betrayal, and confusion as Daniel tried to explain the shocking revelation. His words hung in the air, and she paused, her eyes searching his face for sincerity. The weight of the truth, as convoluted as it was, demanded her attention.

"Your dad killed my dad; what else do you want to say?" Katherine's voice wavered with a blend of sorrow and frustration. The revelation had reopened wounds that had never truly healed.

"I will make sure I get through with this," she declared, determination flashing in her eyes. The promise of justice, long overdue, fueled her resolve.

Daniel, desperate to bridge the widening gap between them, gripped her arm gently and pleaded, "Katherine, please, let me explain everything. Mr. James confessed, but it wasn't my dad driving the car. It was him. He made a terrible mistake, and out of fear, he left the scene."

The words hung in the air, and for a moment, silence reigned between them. Katherine, torn between the pain of her father's loss and the complexity of the new information, took a deep breath. "Explain," she demanded, her eyes locking onto Daniel's.

"Mr. James confessed that he was the one driving that night. Your dad and my dad received a call about my mom being in critical condition. They rushed to the hospital, and it was on the way that they accidentally hit the man. Mr. James was told to take care of it as my dad rushed to visit your mom. But when he checked the man's pulse, he wasn't breathing. Out of fear, he left him and rushed to his mom, who was also sick. Since then, he hasn't looked up to the man again. My dad asked about the man, and Mr. James told him he had been taken care of, which was a lie. It's all Mr. James' fault. It has nothing to do with my dad," Daniel explained, his voice tinged with sorrow.

Katherine, absorbing the information, felt a whirlwind of emotions. The intricate web of events, motives, and actions had woven a tapestry of deception. "How could he do such a thing?" she exclaimed, a mixture of anger and disbelief coloring her words.

As she looked into Daniel's eyes, she saw the turmoil within him. The journey toward justice was a path laden with complexities and emotions, and Katherine had yet to decide how she would navigate this newfound reality.

"Just leave me for now, Daniel. I can't bear all this, please," Katherine said as she stopped a taxi and took off.

Daniel was left alone, sad, confused, betrayed, and hurt by his loved ones.

Instead, Daniel walked into Katherine's room and took a look at the pictures she took with her family. I also saw the picture of her and her dad, her two siblings, whom she said are now staying with her aunt, as well as the picture of my mom. "What a happy family," he said.

Just then, he entered another room, where he saw her bedridden mom. Daniel was shocked. "I thought I was the only one in hardship." He said. "Is this what you've been going through, Katherine?" he said rhetorically.

Daniel fell to the ground and cried. "I'm so sorry, Katherine; I've hurt you so much," he cried out.

Daniel went to Mr. Johnson and submitted all the evidence to him, including the arson crime, the CCTV footage, the record pen, and the rest.

"You can proceed with the arrest," Daniel said.