The Rise of Redemption (𝕋𝔼𝔾𝕊𝔸)

003. Regrets and What Ifs

Chapter 003: Regrets and What Ifs
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After Damien recovered from the bombing incident and had a spiritual conversation with his mother, he decided it was time to take a step back from his work. Craving peace and the soothing embrace of nature, he requested a month-long vacation from his firm, yearning for a place where silence reigned and natural beauty surrounded him.

There, in the quiet solitude of his retreat, Damien found himself reflecting deeply on his mother's words from the dream. His past selfishness and pridefulness bore down on him, haunting his thoughts as he grappled with the consequences of his actions.

"I'm not half the man I used to be," Damien murmured, the words heavy with regret after a long sigh. "I was once sincere, willing to help anyone, no matter their economic status or ethnicity."

"Mum was right—I had changed and lost myself in the process," he added, his eyes fixed on the scenery in front of him.

For many years, the name Damien Lane was synonymous with legal triumph. With a hundred cases won, Damien was celebrated as one of the best in his field.

His mother, Eleanor Lane, had been a revered lawyer herself, known for her dedication to justice and her formidable courtroom skills. Her untimely death in a devastating building fire had left Damien not only bereft but also burdened with the expectation to surpass her legendary career.

The fire that claimed Eleanor's life had also destroyed her office and crucial evidence from a high-profile case she was passionately fighting.

In the years following her death, Damien had channeled his grief into achieving professional success, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something important was missing from his life.

One afternoon, while rummaging through Eleanor's old archives, Damien came across a dusty envelope tucked away in a forgotten drawer. The envelope was marked with Eleanor's neat handwriting. Intrigued and a bit apprehensive, Damien opened it and discovered a letter dated a few months before her death.

In the letter, Eleanor expressed her fears, regrets, and hopes.

Hey, Damien, if you ever read this letter, I know something has definitely happened to me. I've fulfilled my duty of bringing my clients to justice, but there's one case that still haunts me-a wrongful conviction I fought to overturn but couldn't fully resolve due to lack of evidence. If it's not solved by the time you read this, I hope you'll finish this case in my stead.

My dear son, I hope you find fulfillment not just in achieving success, but in making a real difference.

Moved by his mother's words, Damien felt a surge of determination. For the first time, he saw his mom not just as a paragon of legal success but as a woman with her own struggles and unfulfilled dreams.

Resolving to honor her memory, Damien decided to take on the case that had remained unresolved.

The case involved Thomas Reynolds, a black man wrongfully convicted of a crime he didn't commit. Eleanor had been working tirelessly to prove Reynolds' innocence, but crucial evidence had been lost in the fire that consumed her office.

Damien threw himself into the investigation, poring over old files, interviewing former colleagues, and revisiting the courthouse archives.

His search led him to a neglected storage unit that contained important documents related to Reynolds' case. Among these documents was a file labeled "Witness Statements."

Damien discovered that the key piece of evidence—a witness account—had been buried for years. The witness, Margaret Hughes who once served as their former master's maid, had seen someone else at the scene of the crime but had been too afraid to come forward at the time of the trial.

Damien tracked down Margaret, who was now living in a remote area, far from the bustle of the city. Margaret was hesitant to speak, her fear evident as she recounted her experience.

"Please, Mrs. Hughes, you have the power to free this man," Damien pleaded earnestly to the elderly woman, his voice filled with sincerity as he stood before her for the third time.

The court hearing was set, and the atmosphere was charged with anticipation. The courtroom was filled with reporters, activists, and members of Reynolds' family, all eager for justice.

The courtroom fell into silence as Damien called the witness to the stand. "Mrs. Hughes, please state your name and your connection to the Reynolds case," he requested.

"My name is Margaret Hughes. I was employed as a maid in the Rutherford household, where Thomas Reynolds worked as a driver," Mrs. Hughes said.

"Thank you, Mrs. Hughes. You were there the night of the alleged robbery, correct?" Damien asked.

"Yes, sir. That's correct," Mrs. Hughes confirmed.

"Can you tell us what you saw that night?" Damien continued.

Mrs. Hughes paused, her hands wringing nervously. "I remember Mr. Rutherford had many visitors that evening. I was busy in the kitchen, but I heard some commotion from his bedroom. Later, when I went to clean up, Mr. Rutherford was shouting about missing jewellery."

"Did you see Thomas Reynolds at any point during that time?" he further questioned.

"Yes, I saw him outside, near the garage. He was washing the car at that moment," she replied.

"Did he seem hurried or out of sorts in any way?"

"No, sir. He was calm, just doing his job as always," the woman answered.

"Mrs. Hughes, in all the years you worked together, did Mr. Reynolds ever exhibit any signs of dishonesty?"

Mrs. Hughes shook her head. "Never, sir. Thomas was always trustworthy. Mr. Rutherford often praised him for his kindness."

"So, in your opinion, could Thomas Reynolds have committed the crime he's been accused of?"

"No, sir," she replied, her voice firm as if freed from the weight of years of silence. "I believe he's innocent. If there was a thief in that house, it wasn't Thomas."

Damien turned to the jury, his composure calm but resolute.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, we've heard from a reliable witness who knew Thomas Reynolds well and was present the night of the alleged crime," he said. "There's no evidence tying Mr. Reynolds to this act—only prejudice and assumptions. My mother, who once stood where I do now, believed in Mr. Reynolds's innocence. I ask you to see the truth as she did. Let justice be served by clearing an innocent man's name."

As Reynolds walked out of the courtroom a free man, tears of relief and joy streamed down his face as the courtroom erupted in applause.

As Damien walked through a park once cherished by his mother, he reflected on his journey. The past, once filled with pain and regret, now served as a guide towards a brighter future.

"I will make things right, Mom," he whispered, gazing at the sky.

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Authors' Note:

The message of the song "Yesterday" was used here.

The lyrics "I'm not half the man I used to be" from the song by The Beatles were quoted by the main character. The shadow that hangs over Damien is the regret stemming from his pride and selfishness over the past few years.

"Why does she have to go?" reflects his loneliness towards his mother, while "I said something wrong" represents regrets he might not be able to undo. He longs for yesterday, wishing he could make things right... And he did!

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕭𝖆𝖐𝖊𝖗 𝕾𝖙𝖗𝖊𝖊𝖙 𝕿𝖗𝖎𝖔
~ Lorainejd, Musebime, and Miffy ~