Chapter 730


    Everett''s stance was as firm as the ancient oak that towered in the family''s sprawling estate; when it


    came to justice, evidence was king, and he wouldn''t lift a finger to tip the scales. Nor would he allow


    anyone else to tamper with the fairness he had promised to Dorothy.


    He remembered her plea - all she wanted was fairness, to clear her mother''s name, and to see the


    guilty face theireuppance. It was a fair ask, nothing more.


    So, Everett handed over the most elusive evidence and key witnesses to Dorothy, doing his utmost


    to ensure she had a fighting chance. Beyond that, he refused to dwell on the messy tangles of


    what-ifs.


    "Murder?" The word hit Jonathan like a bolt of lightning, shaking theposure he was known for.


    He staggered back, his voice barely above a whisper, "Your mother... she couldn''t have..."


    "Heather and Dorothy''s mom had bad blood for ages. If she was going to act, she wouldn''t have


    waited this long."


    Silence hung heavy between them.


    "No one wishes more than I do that it wasn''t my mother involved."


    If only that were true...


    How perfect that would be.


    Everett bent down and scooped his son and daughter into his arms. "I''m here to keep my word, that


    is, to change theirst names."


    "Everett, you can''t just ignore what''s happening with your mother!" Jonathan''s mind was far from


    the matter of name changes. He stepped closer to Everett, his eyes pleading. "If your mother ends


    up in jail, it''ll be the death of her!"


    "She should''ve thought about that before sheid a hand on Dorothy''s mother, instead of leaving


    the problem at my doorstep."


    Jonathan''s face darkened. "Are you really going to turn your back on your mother for Dorothy?"


    "If she can prove her innocence with evidence, that''s what I want to see."


    More than Jonathan, more than anyone else wanted to see.


    Everett had wanted to confront his mother as soon as he''d heard the news. But he refrained,


    foreseeing the excuses they''d muster - denial, evasion. It was all so meaningless.


    "I''ll have a word with your mother today and find out what really happened!" Jonathan''s temper


    red, but he held back, asking once more, "Everett, if... if your mother got involved in Heather''s


    mess in a moment of folly, you can''t just do nothing, right?"


    "I wasn''t there to stop my mother from harming Dorothy''s mother back then, and I have no ce


    now to interfere with Dorothy seeking justice."


    "Even if she wronged Dorothy, your mother—she''s always been good to you!"


    A sardonic smile yed on Everett''s lips.


    "She gave birth to me, and raised me; I can''t argue with that. If she hadn''t caused this trouble,


    caring for her would be my duty. But pushing me to marry Heather, just to ease her own


    conscience? I can''t ept that."


    The Lopez family had indulged Heather enough over the years, granting her status, wealth, and


    influence tofortably live out her days. But Heather''s greed knew no bounds - and who could be


    med for that?


    Even if he owed Heather a life debt, Everett had paid it in full!


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    "You''re bewitched by that Dorothy!" Jonathan used. "You''re even abandoning your own mother."


    "Don''t you dare talk about Mommy that way!" Langston bristled with indignation, rushing to defend,


    "My mommy is the best person in the whole world!"


    Abigail, frowning, clung to her father''s neck and said, "Daddy, let''s go. I hate it here."


    Everett looked at his son and daughter, nodding slightly, "Alright, we''ll leave."


    He had said all there was to say.


    Because of his parents, he had already lost Dorothy. That punishment was cruel enough.