Stolen Honor Chapter 06
August had expected Denise to do what she always had-apologize, comfort him, and wrap him in her arms.
Instead, his parents slapped him across the face before she could even move.
“Who are you calling a criminal?” Eddy shouted. “Graham was a hero. He solved countless major cases. He was the pride of the Rodriguez family! He’s already dead, and you’re still trying to smear his name?”
Denise slowly rose to her feet. She stared at August with icy eyes, hatred simmering beneath the surface.
“Was Lily wrong? If you hadn’t stolen Graham’s credit and framed him as a traitor, he never would’ve been driven to jump off that roof. You killed him.”
August pressed a hand against his swollen cheek, staring at them in disbelief.
The whole world had gone insane. Just that morning, these people had treated Graham like he was nothing. So why were they suddenly acting as if they’d loved him all along? Just because he was dead?
His voice cracked with grievance as he shouted back, “I know you’re all hurting because Graham’s dead, but you can’t blame me for it!
“If he’d just handed the credit over to me, would I have needed to go live and expose him as a traitor? This is all his own fault! His selfishness is what got him killed!”
“Enough!”
Denise and his parents struck him almost at the same time. For the first time, they truly saw the kind of man standing before them.
Graham was his own brother.
To steal Graham’s credit, August had personally branded him a criminal and driven him to his death.
And even now, he didn’t feel a shred of remorse. Instead, he blamed Graham for not surrendering the credit willingly.
How could anyone be so utterly without a conscience?
The barrage of slaps left August reeling. He clutched his chest, coughing violently as the taste of blood filled his mouth. Every inch of him felt like it was burning.
Confused and shaken, he looked one last time at the woman who had once loved him and the parents who had always favored him.
Then he limped away into the darkness.
8:00 p.m.
August sat alone in a private dining room at a restaurant. After a long hesitation, he finally swallowed his pride and sent a message to the family group chat.
[My awards ceremony starts soon. The department’s leadership will all be there.]
[Mom, Dad, Denise, bring the kids and come too. This is the most important day of my life. I want all of you there.]
[Let’s call today even. I won’t blame any of you.]
