CHAPTER 01. SUICIDE

News reporters swarmed the area, moving from one employee to another, eager to conduct interviews. Photographers snapped pictures of the lifeless body of the woman who had fallen from the scaffold at the law firm. Meanwhile, videographers captured the crime scene, their camera lights flashing rapidly, capturing every detail. The front of Archer's Law firm was a chaotic scene, as reporters vied for valuable information about the case to report for their respective news outlets.

"Oh, look, it's the Archer family!" a reporter exclaimed, pointing towards Mr. Damon and his family as they exited the firm. This sparked a frenzy, with every reporter rushing towards them, their camera lights flickering as if it were a red carpet event. The Archers were known as one of the most influential families in Europe, with a vast conglomerate and a prestigious law firm under their name.

"Mr. Archer, how do you feel? Can you provide any details about the victim? Did you know her? Was she a client of yours? What are your intentions moving forward? Do you have any information about her? Was she pushed off the scaffold? Should her death be classified as abetting or aiding suicide? And Miss Diane, what do you have to say?" The reporters fired off their questions rapidly, but Mr. Damon remained silent and entered his car, slamming the door in frustration.

Meanwhile, a knock on the door interrupted Harry, prompting him to quickly descend the stairs to see who it was.

"Hi, Mr. Harry. This is the cake you ordered," the vendor said, offering the cake with a gentle smile.

"Thank you," Harry replied, returning the smile as he accepted the cake before closing the door.

Today, Harry celebrated his wedding anniversary with Diane, the esteemed daughter of the Archer family. Five years had passed since they exchanged vows, and his love for her still burned brightly within his heart. However, the reality of those five years was marred by constant humiliation and insults from his in-laws, particularly his mother and father-in-law. Their superior social status made Harry feel inadequate, but his love for Diane persevered, shining through the darkness.

In Harry's eyes, Diane's actions were always influenced by her parents, and he chose to shrug off the hurtful acts, believing that her love for him remained genuine. Their love story began six years ago when they met at her father's firm, where Harry started as an intern. Unknown to him, Diane had married him solely to avoid the arranged marriage her father had planned. She desired a partner she could control, and Harry became her chosen vessel while keeping a facade she couldn't no longer keep again.

Despite his rise within the law firm, becoming a top attorney over the years, Harry's father-in-law refused to provide him with a paycheck. Instead, he blackmailed Harry, exploiting their familial connection to benefit the family's assets. Yet, through the generosity of clients, Harry managed to save enough to surprise his wife on this special day—their anniversary. The entire house was adorned with roses, their delicate fragrance filling the air, as he hoped to sweep Diane off her feet.

As the minutes ticked by, Harry's anticipation grew, and he found himself constantly checking his watch, acutely aware of the passing seconds. Another knock on the door interrupted his careful flower arrangements on their bed. Nervously, he hurried down the stairs, holding onto the hope that this anniversary celebration would unfold differently from the previous attempts that had ended in disappointment. The first anniversary saw Diane failing to return home, offering flimsy excuses, while the second anniversary was disrupted by his father-in-law, who coerced him into attending to an urgent client, spoiling his plans.

Butterflies fluttered wildly in Harry's stomach as he descended the stairs. His heart raced, and his palms grew damp with perspiration. Trusting his instincts, he made his way down with the cake and a bouquet in hand, finally opening the door.

"What took you so long—?" his mother-in-law, Mrs. Freya, began to snap, but her words faltered as she glanced around the sitting room, adorned with vibrant red roses. Mrs. Freya blinked rapidly, as if trying to refocus her gaze, her features softening in the face of the romantic scene that unfolded before her.

As Harry laid eyes upon Diane, his heart fluttered within his chest, as if delicate wings had sprouted. "It's our fifth anniversary, babe," Harry said, a warm and gentle smile spreading across his face, reflecting the deep affection he felt for her. He approached Diane, choosing to ignore his mother-in-law's presence, but Diane scoffed dismissively.

"Fifth anniversary, you say!? Is that all you know?" she retorted, her frustration evident in her disdainful tone. "Does this atmosphere look like a place to celebrate our anniversary?"

"But, babe, I thought—" Harry began, his voice tinged with confusion.

"What's there to celebrate? Get this out of my face!" Diane snapped angrily, cutting him short as she walked past him with a swagger, her head held high and her movements purposeful.

"Celebrate an anniversary with such a cheap cake and tacky decorations! You must think I'm that low," she added, her anger palpable as she knocked the cake from Harry's hand, causing it to fall.

In a fit of rage, she snatched the bouquets and mercilessly smashed them against the tiles in the sitting room.

"Lunatic!" his mother-in-law, Freya, cursed, making herself comfortable on one of the plush couches.

"I've always said this boy is useless. Imagine celebrating an anniversary at this critical time. Well, I don't blame you. What would a useless low-life orphan understand?" she added, twisting her face in disgust.

"What has this anniversary brought that calls for celebration? Nothing! Only disappointments," Mrs. Freya sighed, the weight of her words hanging heavily in the air. The room grew heavier, the atmosphere thick with melancholy. Harry could only hear the sound of his own silent whimper echoing in the ensuing silence as the corners of his mouth drooped, forming a deep frown.

He stared blankly at everyone in the room, lost in the sea of his own thoughts. His mind swirled with confusion, like dice in a chaotic game. He struggled to comprehend why everyone's faces seemed so pale, attempting to make sense of it all, but it felt like solving a puzzle with missing pieces. So, he stood there, feeling as lost as a lamb without a shepherd.

The insults had become a familiar occurrence for him over the past five years, and he had grown accustomed to the verbal abuse. Despite being an asset in his father-in-law's law firm, he was still treated as insignificant.

"Diane, what happened?" he whispered finally, his face reflecting concern.

"Don't you have a phone, you fool?" his mother-in-law interjected, frustration evident in her voice. "Oh my God! Diane, where did you find this guy? Such a nuisance!"

"It's all over the news. A young woman fell off a scaffold. No, she committed suicide, and now the media is focusing on the firm," Diane explained weakly, not willing to elaborate further.

Harry quickly retrieved his phone and clicked on one of the news websites. The headline read, "Lawyer Accused of Assisting in Suicide: Was It a Crime of Passion or a Professional Hit?"

He leaned in closer, squinting his eyes as if trying to confirm the reality of what he was seeing. Raising an eyebrow in disbelief, he asked, "The news says it was an assisted suicide. Was she a lawyer?"

With an eye roll, Diane sighed. "Don't you know how the media distorts things?"

Harry pretended not to hear her and continued searching for videos of the victim. When he found one, his hands instinctively flew to his mouth to stifle a shout. He stumbled backwards, nearly tripping over his own feet in astonishment as he saw the image of the woman he had met just a few hours ago.

"Do you know her?" Mr. Archer leaned forward upon noticing Harry's astonishment, eager to hear his response.

"Yes, sir. I met her earlier today at the firm. She asked for my help with a particular case, but I directed her to other lawyers," Harry answered, recalling his brief encounter with the lady in question.

It was nearly 2 PM when Jane burst into his office, her entrance marked by rudeness. She was petite and dressed elegantly in a customized Burberry outfit, paired with Jada Dubai Passion Diamond Stilettos, one of the most expensive silhouettes. The pendant around her neck bore the name 'Jane,' suggesting her identity and indicating her affluent background. She had approached Harry, asking him to take on her case, but when he declined and directed her to other attorneys, she unleashed a storm of insults upon him.

"She asked you to help her with a case?" Mr. Damon asked, seeking confirmation. Harry nodded in affirmation.

"What did she tell you about the case? What does she want? Did she provide any documents?" Mr. Damon bombarded Harry with questions, his brow furrowed as if trying to conceal something.

"No, sir," Harry replied, taken aback by the sudden barrage of questions and the intense scrutiny from his father-in-law, Mr. Damon.

"What about the surveillance camera?" Harry turned to Mr. Damon, who dismissed the idea with a hiss.

"We could potentially identify her killers from the surveillance footage and clear our name. I'm certain her death is related to the case. Someone may have pushed her off the scaffold," Harry suggested once again, but Mr. Damon didn't even spare him a glance.

"What a useless surveillance camera!" his mother-in-law bellowed. "Just be quiet if you have nothing sensible to say."

"Harry, you can go. I'll handle this with my parents," Diane said dismissively, but Harry refused.

"I am a part of this family too. We'll figure it out together!" Harry knew he might not be able to offer much assistance, but leaving them alone would only reinforce the perception of his own uselessness.

"Harry," Mr. Archer began, his voice nearly inaudible and his face pale. "This will impact the entire Archer's group, not just the law firm. It will affect all of us, including my political career and especially the law firm."

"I am aware of that, sir. How can we help?" Harry asked, eager to hear his father-in-law's response. He had always longed for this moment when Mr. Archer would involve him in crucial matters and seek his assistance as his son-in-law. It was an opportunity for Harry to prove his worth to his in-laws and defy their negative perceptions of his marriage to their daughter.

"Are you willing to take responsibility?" Mr. Archer asked, fixing his gaze upon Harry, who nodded in agreement.

"I want you to shoulder the blame," he ordered, and Harry's eyes widened in astonishment.

"Sir!"

"Yes! Take the blame. Accept responsibility for her death, whether aiding or abetting, whichever you prefer," he repeated.