Chapter 118 Resurfacing Guilt

• Xavier~
• "Bella, thank you. Since the beginning, I have had complete faith in you to bring justice to Laila." Aunt Lily hugged Bella tightly, tears streaming down her face after hearing the judge's verdict in Bella's favor. Her voice cracked with emotion.
• I sat frozen in my seat, paralyzed by the enormity of what had just unfolded. My mind replayed Laila's voice from the recording, her sobs, her pain, and her sacrifice to protect me. What was I doing all this time? Protecting her killers rather than fighting for justice for her death. The shame was unbearable, and I regretted every choice that had brought me to this moment. Fear had consumed me—fear of Jordan Lucas's threats, fear of losing my family—and driven me to betray my conscience.