The Thornes

Chapter 10

Josephina gazing into the sky, smiled, and reminiscing all these memories, was still hopeful about tomorrow. She laid down for some time thinking about how crazy these past few months had been. Her mother came outside and asked that she go to bed since tomorrow was a huge day. She got up and again hugged her mum who assured her that everything was going to be alright. She encouraged her and reminded her how proud her Dad will be of her.

Morning came and before the mission would begin, Alithia asked Josephina that she invites three media personnel to pose as guests for the evening's event. Eliazer also communicated with Glenn and put together documents about the business and the property. Josephina and some lawyers in her law firm took care of all legal documents. She obtained an arrest warrant from the court, together with some police officers. She also invited her mechanic, Rakia, and her police friend to the gathering. Eventually, everything was set.

Alithia sat in her home very anxious and a bit sad. She took out some DNA results she needed to prove a point and confronted God for strength through a prayer. She believed that this was the right thing to be done. The Thornes in their quest for power had ruined lots of lives. There have been instances where Wyll's business competitors have gone missing without any trail. Alithia over the years had also gathered evidences of her own and added as a proof to convict him for pure evil. For the sake of power, Wyll was that man who'd do just anything and everything.

It was a calm evening and everything was staged, all persons involved prepared. Glenn knowing what was about to happen, sent his son to a friend who stayed in town. She gave Anthony the excuse that, she did not want his son to be anywhere near the noise. She also made it clear that she didn't want people talking bad about her. Anthony agreed.

At exactly 8pm, guests started arriving at the mansion; all business partners, close friends, and relatives inclusive.

Josephina wore a sexy pink dress and red heels. She did her makeup and looked flawless. Her mum also wore a dress with a touch of pink, looking beautiful as well. At exactly 9, Alithia and her team arrived at the mansion. Eliazer and Glenn were inside waiting for them. Josephina pushed Alithia's wheel chair as the others followed. When the butler opened the door, Josephina held Alithia's hand and whispered, "the time is now". Josephina with a smile entered with Alithia and immediately Elora Saw her, she dropped her champaign glass. People turned to look at her. The rest of the people came in. Anthony began to shake as if he had seen a ghost and when Wyll saw Alithia and Josephina, his heart skipped series of beats for he could not believe his eyes. Notwithstanding the fact that Elora and Anthony did not recognize Alithia as she had aged so much.

Wyll then called the security guards to escort Alithia's party out as they were unwelcome. According to him, he was expecting some important guests and this was no time for him to entertain drama but Josephina would laugh hysterically and introduce Alithia as that important guest he was expecting. At that moment, Wyll realized he was on the verge of losing everything. Though frightened, he put up a strong front as if he was not affected. He offered a lukewarm apology for his earlier act and welcomed them. Alithia however asked what necessitated such a gathering since she thought this was a simple meeting. Wyll ignored the question and asked that they come to the dinner table. Wyll then directed the rest of the guests to the other part of the house to continue with the celebration as he was about having a meeting. Alithia then asked them to stay since this had now become her house. She asked that there be total silence in the room as she had lots of things to say. Josephina saw Elora leaving for her room and after few minutes, she came back differently dressed. She ignored her though, and Alithia continued with her speech.

She further told Elora and Wyll and everyone that the mansion now belonged to her and they were not going to get it back. Elora interrupted, telling her that there were lots of other mansions they could buy since their father still had money but the response was nothing like she'd expect. Alithia apologized to the guests for allowing them see what was next. She appealed for their discretion that they excuse themselves if they felt uncomfortable. Most of them left realizing how intense the atmosphere was and could be. Alithia then asked that they get seated at the dinner table. Shortly after the real meeting began, the media personnel were already recording whatever that was going on. The policemen were also alert and on standby to intervene should anything go south.

Alithia now shared her story and told Wyll about how she had waited for this day. Anthony immediately proposed that they allow them leave the house since it didn't belong to his father but Josephina shouted at him to shut up before she'd do anything crazy and sarcastically asked how they'd feel about prison being their new home. Thereafter the mechanic was to speak. After he had spoken about how he was hired to tamper with Josephina's car to possibly cause an accident, Anthony and Elora stood there dumb. According to her, she had deemed both to be smarter but this only showed utter foolishness. She wondered how they could leave trails of evidence just like that.

Indeed, her car was towed to the scene of the accident, verily smashed by another vehicle, and properly destroyed; but all that were staged. She had made her friend take pictures of the car and called Anthony who believed everything he was told. Josephina laughed, telling them everything and Anthony could not believe it. To put more icing on the cake, Glenn turned to Anthony, smiled wide and asked, "how does it feel to be manipulated?". Consequently, she left Anthony's side and stood with Josephina. She now looked at them and dropped the bombshell, told Anthony about the company and how Alithia now owns 80 percent to the shares. Technically the Thornes had left nothing but Wyll outrageously pointed out he still owned the remaining 20 percent.

Adding salt to the injury, Rakia informed her father how she had used that twenty percent to pay their lawyers for all the lawsuits that would be filed against him with Glenn dropping all the documents on the table. Wyll, sweating and extremely nervous, went through them and realized everything was true. He just was not ready to give up, he still spoke about how he was going to rise again after he was released from prison. Just then, the police detective came up and started listing their charges. Wyll, Anthony and Elora Thorne had been charged with the attempted murder of Alithia and Josephina, the murder of Harletta and Maxith. Wyll was also charged with the murder of one Stephen Hay, the driver who was hired to murder Maxith. The detective now performed the customary right of arrest, affirming the fact that, all had equal rights to remain silent as anything else being said would be used very much against them in the court of law.

Just before the policemen would handcuff them, Elora pulled out a gun from God knows where, pointed it towards Anthony, and blaming him for everything that had happened to their family. For the record, she disagreed with Anthony for marrying Josephina, blaming that decision of the marriage for bringing such mess to the family. Sadly, the polices' efforts were not enough to prevent Elora from pulling the trigger. She shot her brother dead.

After Wyll and Elora successfully handcuffed, Alithia handed the policemen documents of some shady deals and lives Wyll had ruined in his course of pursuing power. This time round, Wyll admitted it was all over. He apologized to Alithia and the rest, giving them a popular excuse that his actions were because he wanted to protect his children and give them the best. He then looked at Eliazer, admonished him for how proud he is that he didn't follow his path but Eliazer smile, and told him that was because they were not related.

Eliazer was not Wyll's son. Alithia had paid one of her doctors to do a fake paternity test and linked the mother of Eliazer to Wyll's old girlfriend who died during childbirth. Apparently, they lied to Wyll that the baby did not die but survived. When Wyll heard these words, he fainted, and his soul run out of him. The ambulance that Glenn called came and picked up the lifeless body of Anthony. While all these were happening, Dofia was in her room engaged with something else. When she came downstairs, Alithia introduced herself as her mother. She was so excited that she didn't even ask about his father.

Three weeks after the arrest of Wyll and Elora, the court heard the case and with the solid evidences presented, Wyll and Elora were sentenced to death by hanging. Rakia was very excited about this as she felt justice had indeed prevailed. When they were being sent away, Josephina had the chance to see Elora for the last time, stood there reminding her that her face, the last thing she'd seen before being sentenced. Josephina asked that she sends her regards to her brother in the land of the dead, made mockery of her and eventually walked away.

Alithia later sold the mansion, as she couldn't stand reminiscing all those terrible memories.

Josephina and the rest of the family lived their lives with the pain, hurt and anger from their experiences, but the reproach to their lives was the irony of tomorrow's uncertainty, hoping that there be better days ahead. Nonetheless, they'd never take the good for granted.

THE END

APPRECIATION

Thank you for reading THE THORNES. Very grateful for the love and support. To my editor, Justice Kojo Avornu, God bless you.