JASMINE’S POV

In the following days we waited for the police to give an official update report on the situation.

For one I was surprised to find out Diana was in the hospital. Apprantly Kolton had tried to kill her soon after she escaped from the Acland estate after the first divorce court hearing.

Once she recovers she will formly be arrested arrested and is awaiting trial for the conspiracy against the Acland family. Together with Edward who was already in in jail.

I asked if I wanted to speak with her but I firmly refused. I had nothing to say to her.

Perhaps if Marco wanted to see her I would go with him. However, he refused and was surprised to know she was alive.

When the final autopsy and police report was released I wasn’t sure what to feel.

What I was worried about the finidings of the bullet in Keith’s chest. It just menttioned a bullet wound in his chest. Not the direction the bullet was facing or any other details.

I told them Keith and Kolton fought and the police and they went with it. I mean they had no reason to question me about which direction the bullet in his chest was facing.

I was the only witness present and they had no reason to doubt me. I couldn’t bring up the fact I’d pointed a gun at him.

I would never know who’s shot had actually hit Keith. I would have to live with out knowing.

With the autopsy done Keith’s funeral preparations began. His mother was the one who initially planned it. However Keith’s father decided he wanted Kolton to be buried at the same funeral as well. would bury them all at the same time. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

I put down the report down and made my way through my apartment. It was just me and the boys at home. We had yet to figure out how we were going to proceed after all this.

Louis was at work with his family and staying at his apartment. He would would come occasionally. I was also out of work since our Garden House arrangement had changed.

Louis had to deal with the aftermath of helping me with his father. I felt awful since he’d ignored his family when we went to Kolton’s place.

I met Tony as I walked down the hallway.

"Mum," he said

Still it felt surreal seeing him so close to him again and waking to seeing him everyday. After weeks of not seeing him. Then there was the harrowing story of what Kolton did to him after he had kidnapped him.

"Hey, sweetie? How are you holding up?" I asked him.

"I’m okay," he said in a neutral tone.

"Uh mum," he then said.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Are we going bury dad soon?" he asked.

"Yes, we are," I answered and then lowered myself till I was eye level with him.

I wasn’t close to dad and he forgot about me but I didn’t want him to die," he said. He was still having a difficult time dealing with his father’s death.

"I know dear," I said to him. I too had mixed feelings about Keith and what happened between us. I feel awful that he’s dead. But at the same time if he had survived, I would have had a tough time getting him to let me go.

I would have been forced right back to his mansion, we were still married, he would have forced me annul the divorce. After esccaping from his home he I would never be allowed to breathe without his permission I fear.

And it’s when I thought of that, that the vents of that day came to mind again. Was I sure I pointed the gun at the wall? Maybe I subcosciously wanted to shoot him? No...Jasmine.

I watched Tony go over to Marco who sat on a couch in one of the nearby living rooms. They were technically on summer break so they didn’t have to worry about school.

About Marco... I had learned a lot about him int he last couple of days. He was a polite and quiet child. He was very comfortable around Tony but was very weary and nervous around Louis and I. I shouldn’t be surprised considering how Kolton and Diana were. He even seemed relieved his father was dead and his mother was gone.

I noticed from times I had the boys change out their clothes, or cut their their healing scars and bruises on his body.

The adults in his life had failed him. However, it broke my heart to see a child behave that way. He’s been through so much. The reason for his birth was solely for Kolton’s scheme. A fucked up situation.

With his father gone and Diana on the way to prison I was fully prepared to take custody of him. Especially since he appeared to be really good friends with Tony.

*********

The day of Keith and Kolton’s funeral a few days later was difficult. I put on the balck dress I had prepared in my bedroom and stared at myself in the mirror. Om my face was an expression of uncertainty. It was late in the morning and the funeral was scheduled to start midday.

The door to my dressing room opened and I found Louis entering.

He’d slept over in preparation for the funeral. "You ready?" he asked

"Yes," I replied as I finished adjusting my hair. He came and stood behind me and looked into the mirror with me.

Apparantly he’d worked things out with his family and was still working at the Carrington HQ. Still I felt bad for having dragged him into all this. I’m just glad nothing bad happened to him. Neither was he physically hurt at Kolton’s estate.

"Thank you for coming with me and for going through all this with me," I thanked Louis for the hundreth time.

"It’s fine Jasmine. you don’t have to thank me," he said to me.

He kissed my neck, my temple and then brought my hand up to his lips. "Let’s go," he told me.