Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 302: Favour Or Punishment?

Chapter 302: Favour Or Punishment?

When Talia woke up, her lips curved reflexively seeing Arthur lying next to her, deeply asleep. His hands were wrapped around her hands and there was a frown between his eyes. She gently pulled her hand and ran her index finger through his eyebrows and watched his frown disappear.

Placing a little kiss at the tip of his nose, she stood up carefully so not to disturb Arthur. It seemed like he didn’t sleep well last night and he’s dead tired.

Placing her feet on the rug, she stretched herself. After her sleep, she felt really at peace - like she was standing still on a raft in the middle of a sea. She didn’t feel abandoned, but that silence around her made her feel peaceful as her mind was clear.

She wanted to know what happened in the press meet today and searched for it in the computer and she wasn’t surprised she was trending in Esteria and Rosandale that day.

But that’s not what she wanted to learn.

Talia, as expected, found Lord Lockhart’s entire announcement and she listened to it carefully. She could see even Cyril was surprised when his father mentioned that she is not involved in the murder of Cyrus.

Talia saw how everything made sense when Lord Lockhart explained the ’findings’ if their investigation.

He said that day after seeing the short clip of Cyrus’ death, he was furious and wanted the cops to arrest her. But the cops didn’t find any residual gunpowder in her hands and the cops couldn’t find any evidence other than the video to say how Cyrus died. Lord Lockhart also talked about ’experts’ who believed that by the angle of everything, Talia couldn’t have made the shot. Someone who was standing behind her must have made the shot.

Lord Lockhart explained how she was sent in the care of Rosandale Royals, since her life was in danger by the same person who killed Cyrus. They wanted for the killer to come out in open to make sure he is caught and so Talia was used as a bait with her permission. In the end, no one expected they’d be looking for clues for ten long years. But then when Jared Cooper went after Talia once more, they were able to catch him and now they have every details. Jared Cooper hated the Brunton family and orchestrated the kidnapping of Talia when she was little, but his plans were thwarted by Cyrus and so Jared’s anger extended to Cyrus too. And that’s why Jared waited for the perfect plan and he almost won without facing any repercussion.

But he is now caught with the help from Talia. With Talia made the primary suspect as Jared expected and with all the scrutiny against Talia in her motherland, Jared became more confident enough to make a slip up as he tried to hurt her again. And that’s how he was caught.

Talia was surprised that Lord Lockhart even had a picture and name for the guy who supposedly shot Cyrus. He was a teenager at that time with some grudges against Cyrus and he was planted to be close with Raymond Sinclair, by Jared Cooper. At first Jared Cooper wanted to use Ray to kill Talia, but then Talia was protected by Cyrus once more and so Jared came up with another plan to involve Cyrus himself and still didn’t succeed in getting Talia. Even after finding out the truth, Lord Lockhart had to keep it secret and let Talia take the blame because he wanted to make sure there are no other involvement. Everything took a turn when Talia wanted to return to Esteria to meet her grandfather, and Lord Lockhart had to act quickly as possible. They had clues that Jared could be responsible for Cyrus’ death, but they didn’t have any hard evidence. And when Talia was attacked at that time, A- country had helped arrest Jared Cooper and investigations had revealed all the facts. Cyrus’ other phone was found with the help of the guy who became a full-time member of Jared’s gang, after his successful initiation ceremony of taking the life of Cyrus. He was arrested after trying to kill Arthur Sinclair and later he confessed to all the crimes his boss and he, did.

Cyrus’ phone exchanges revealed that Talia was forced to kill Cyrus in exchange for the life of his child. But Talia couldn’t take the shot and in the end, Cyrus still died in the hands of another, but got blamed nonetheless. Even she who was a child and delirious at that time, believed it was her who took the shot. But the truth was revealed by other security footages and the lack of gunpowder residue in her hands. In fact the weapon of murder was Cyrus’ handgun and they found out that it wasn’t even loaded when Talia pulled the trigger. That’s what the ’investigations revealed’.

It all made sense. For an average outsider, these explanations are enough for them to believe that Talia didn’t kill Cyrus. Lord Lockhart had spun a story do tight without any loopholes. He explained every question of the reporters patiently and calmly as he reinforced the credibility of the report he produced.

Lord Lockhart actually changed the actual history and made it make sense. This is the official story and this is how history will remember the death of Cyrus.

A hit done by Jared Cooper to ruin the Brunton family, by implicating Talia for murder.

Her mind was clear, but then there was this bagging feeling in her heart.

Is this right? Is it right to hide the actual truth from the public like this? Shouldn’t people know I took the shot, because I was forced to? Shouldn’t they be allowed to judge me with the entire truth at their disposal?

It all made sense and the case of Cyrus’ death is officially closed. Anyone who questions this claims will be labelled a ’conspiracy theorists’ even if they are right.

Is this right?

But then, it was Lord Lockhart who made this decision to not reveal the truth as it is. What should she do about it? She was willing to accept any punishment Lord Lockhart gives, but this is what he did?

Talia stared at her laptop screen for a while that displayed Lord Lockhart’s face from the video as it was paused.

At first glance, it seemed like Lord Lockhart had done a big favour for her. But how could he forgive his son’s killer?

Then she realised it...

This is my punishment, isn’t it? To live with the truth buried deep in my heart. If I reveal the truth, everything will burn. People will lose their faith in anything and everything the government and the Council does, and chaos will ensue.

I cannot speak the truth and that is my punishment.

Everytime I look at Thomas, I will know what I did, but I won’t be able to apologise to him for taking his father from him.

There will be certainly some unbelievers who question the truths in this report and there will be many who’d believe the report since it is the ’official report’. She, the one with the truth will have to quietly watch them fight, but can’t do anything about it.

What is a better way to punish someone who says she feels guilty? It is to make her feel more guilty.

Ha... Haha...

Talia laughed in her heart and laid on her back on the plush rug in front of the fireplace.

Lord Lockhart.... I will accept your punishment.

She heard the ruffling of the sheets and looked to her side. Arthur had woken up and she could see the worry in his face as he looked at her, lying on the floor.Talia felt a tug in her heart seeing his worry.

Should I still make everyone around me worry this much?

She extended her hand and gestured him to come to her and he sat beside her. Placing her head on his lap, she asked. "Did Lord Lockhart say why?"

"’For Thomas’ he said, ’ And I really want Cyrus to rest in peace’. I think he meant it." Arthur said running his fingers through her hair as she laid on his lap.

Talia closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.

If I reveal the truth in the future to Thomas, will there be a start of a new feud between the Brunton and Lockhart family? It doesn’t take a lot for a feud to form, but a murder... It surely will.

" What do you think?" Arthur asked seeing her silent for a long time. She looked like the surface of the deepest ocean. But are there strong undercurrents she is hiding under this calm exterior? He knew she won’t be able to accept this result. But it would be better if she did.

"I think this is a punishment," she said opening her eyes and looking at Fred. His hands running through her hair paused and he looked confused. "To make me feel more guilty," she added.

A sigh inadvertently left Arthur’s lips. Leave it to her to find reasons to blame herself!

"Oh, don’t worry," Talia flicked his forehead that got furrowed. "I will accept it." she said rubbing where she hit him with her thumb. She seemed so calm.

Her eerie calmness that was a contrast to how she was before as Mrs. Grey mentioned, gave him some fright, but he was glad she is talking to him.