Revenge Of The Hidden Heir.

Chapter 6: The Fall From Grace.

Sophia arrived home an hour later, her eyes filled with tears.

"Mom! I'm sorry I didn't believe you," Sophia cried, rushing to hug her mother.

"What happened at the police station, dear?" Mrs. Anderson asked, concern evident in her voice.

"He killed Grandpa," Sophia sobbed.

"Who killed Grandpa?" Leo asked, emerging from his room.

"Jonathan," Sophia replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I knew he was responsible for Aaron's death," Mrs. Anderson said, shaking her head.

Sophia explained between sobs, "The police said it was his plan all along. There was evidence of text threats and face-to-face confrontations. He also spiked Grandpa's drink with a drug called erythromycin, which caused his cardiac arrest."

"No one can be trusted," Mr. Anderson muttered grimly.

"I'm sorry I didn't believe any of you," Sophia said, her voice filled with regret. "I'm sorry I stood by that murderer all this time. I'm sorry I talked back at you because of him."

Mrs. Anderson embraced her daughter. "It's alright, my child. We're family. Now that we know who he is, we can't let someone like him come between us."

Leo, ever pragmatic, asked, "So what's going to happen to the managing rights of Anderson Corp? Did the police say anything about that?"

Sophia turned to him, anger flashing in her eyes. "How can you be concerned about that right now? We just found out that Grandpa was murdered right under our noses, and you're worried about managing rights?"

"Well, we can't leave the company in the hands of a murderer for too long," Leo argued. "Who knows, he might sell the company to buy his freedom."

Mr. Anderson nodded. "Leo's got a point. As long as Jonathan still has managing rights to the company, there's nothing we can do."

"The only way for us to regain managing rights now is for his case to go to court," Mrs. Anderson added. "When he's sentenced, the rights would be transferred back to us."

Mr. Anderson turned to Sophia. "I know you're hurt, but you have to be strong now. We must ensure he spends the rest of his life in jail for what he's done. Sophia, you have to make sure this case goes to court."

Sophia nodded slightly, still in shock, trying to process everything she had just heard and seen.

"You're better off without that loser, baby girl," Leo said, attempting to comfort her.

Not long after, a call came in from Jonathan's lawyer.

"Hello, Mr. Henry. It's good to hear from you. How have you and the family been?" Sophia answered, trying to keep her voice steady.

"I'm fine, Sophia," Henry replied. "I called regarding the divorce papers your husband requested. I've been trying to reach him, but his number isn't connecting. Can you help me relay this message to him? Also, I don't know why he's deciding to divorce you now. The few times I saw you both together, you looked good. If there's any way to save your marriage, please do, and tell him I called."

Henry hung up, leaving Sophia stunned. She laughed hysterically, bordering on madness. Grabbing her car keys, she rushed out of the mansion and drove back to the police station.

Forty-five minutes later, she arrived at the station and demanded to see Jonathan. As soon as he appeared, she approached him and slapped him twice across the face.

"How dare you!" she hissed. "So it was your plan all along, to reap where you did not sow? For how long have you been planning this? Was it since the first day we met, or years before that? Have you been carefully making your plans all this time?"

Jonathan stared at her, bewildered. "Soph, I don't understand what you're saying. What's wrong with you?"

"Oh, what's wrong with me, you ask?" Sophia's voice dripped with sarcasm. "I'll tell you what's wrong. The fact that I was so stupid to trust you and stand by you when my family saw through you – that's what's wrong with me. I can't believe I was this blind, unable to see who you really were. So, you planned on divorcing me after you took over Anderson Corp, right?"

"Divorce you?" Jonathan's eyes widened in disbelief. "Babe, this is definitely a misunderstanding. I don't know a single thing about what's going on. They won't let me see my lawyer so I could tell him to find ways to prove my innocence. I would never divorce you, and you know that, Soph."

"Oh, more lies," Sophia spat. "Well, Henry called me when I got home and said you asked him to prepare divorce papers. He called to tell you the papers are ready."

"Divorce papers? How? What do you mean he called you?"

"You would know better," Sophia replied coldly. Turning to the detective, she said, "Please, I need you to make sure this case goes to court. He can't go scot-free. I need him to rot in jail."

"No problem, ma'am. It's our duty to punish criminals. I promise he's going to pay for his crimes," the detective assured her.

Sophia cast one last disgusted look at Jonathan before storming out of the police station.

Jonathan felt as if he had lost everything. Though he still had managing rights and could do a lot with them, he was ready to go through trial, hoping they would see his innocence. He believed that using the managing rights to his advantage would only make it seem like it was his plan all along.

As he sat in his cell, Jonathan tried to piece together how everything had gone so terribly wrong. He knew someone had framed him, but he couldn't bring himself to believe that the Andersons, despite their hatred for him, could go to such lengths to remove him from their lives. He wondered if it might be someone from a rival company who wanted Anderson Corp for themselves, or perhaps someone who simply wanted to see the company fall.

Three days later, Jonathan was taken to court. He had no lawyer to defend him, as none were willing to represent an alleged murderer. Forced to defend himself, Jonathan stood alone before the judge and jury.

Due to the lack of evidence to support his innocence, Jonathan was found guilty as charged. 

The Andersons were elated by the verdict, especially since the managing rights were restored to Mr. Anderson as part of the judgment.

As Jonathan was led away to be transported to prison, he caught sight of Sophia. He stopped and fell to his knees, begging her to trust him and believe that he had been framed. 

But she didn't listen. Instead, she turned and walked away, leaving Jonathan to face the harsh reality that his life had just taken a drastic turn for the worse.

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