When Love is a Question Mark
Chapter 111: Shattered ambitions

Chapter 111: Shattered ambitions

Revilo’s mouth pressed into a thin line. "Samuel doesn’t deserve that company," he muttered bitterly. "I’ve been there, building it from the ground up. I earned my place."

The detective sighed, placing his pen down and meeting Revilo’s eyes. "Let me tell you what’s really happening here, Revilo. You’ve crossed every line—accessing a trust fund you had no right to, manipulating people with lies, and, most disturbingly, putting someone’s life at risk."

Revilo didn’t respond, his gaze fixed on the table.

The other detective leaned back, folding his arms. "Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re facing charges for orchestrating Zinnia Lopez’s kidnapping. That’s one count right there. Then, we’ve got you on fraud and unlawful access of James Lucas’s trust fund. You’ve committed financial crimes and put people’s lives in jeopardy. If this goes to trial, you could be looking at years behind bars."

Revilo’s face hardened, but the resolve in his eyes seemed to waver.

One of the detectives rose from his chair, gathering his files. "We’ll give you a chance to cooperate. Maybe it’ll lessen your sentence. But if you don’t, this case will go forward, and you’ll face the full consequences."

Revilo looked away, his mind racing.

Revilo clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as he processed what they were saying. He’d always imagined himself as untouchable, untouchable as long as he kept his wits about him. But now, cornered, he could feel the weight of every decision he’d made crashing down around him.

The door opened, and another officer stepped in, signaling for the detectives to wrap up. They both stood, one of them looking down at Revilo with an unreadable expression.

"Think it over, Revilo," the detective said, voice steely. "You might think you’re just caught up in ’business,’ but the courts aren’t going to see it that way. And when this all becomes public, you’ll be remembered for this—not for any legacy you thought you had."

The door shut, leaving Revilo alone for a moment in the cold, unfeeling room. The realization hit him hard: his own desperation, his drive to undermine Samuel, had led him here. The betrayal he felt from his own family was raw, fueling his hatred, but now it seemed foolish, reckless. Was this how it would end?

He barely had time to gather his thoughts when the door opened again, and a young officer stepped inside.

"Mr. Lucas," he said, gesturing for Revilo to follow, "you’re being transferred to holding. They’ll let you know when bail arrangements are finalized."

Revilo stood, shoulders tense, but he followed, his mind a mixture of anger, regret, and helplessness. As he walked through the precinct, he felt the curious, judgmental stares of officers and civilians alike. They knew who he was—or, at least, they thought they did. To them, he was just another criminal in cuffs, yet another powerful man who’d finally been exposed.

Just as he was about to be led down a hallway toward the holding area, a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Revilo."

He turned sharply, and there, just outside another office, stood Samuel, his expression cold and unyielding. For a moment, the two locked eyes, and the tension between them was palpable.

Revilo felt a surge of anger, but before he could say anything, Samuel stepped forward, his gaze sharp. "I know everything, Revilo," Samuel said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Everything you did—to Zinnia, to the company, to James’s memory."

Revilo smirked, though it was more a show of defiance than true confidence. "You have no idea what it’s like, Samuel," he hissed. "To be cast aside over and over again, treated like you don’t matter. All for you to just waltz in and take what I worked my entire life for."

Samuel’s eyes didn’t waver. "So that justified everything? The lies, the money, putting Zinnia at risk? You’re so focused on yourself that you don’t see the damage you’ve caused."

Revilo scoffed, bitterness twisting his features. "The damage I caused?" he echoed mockingly. "You wouldn’t understand. You were born into favor. You have no idea what it’s like to fight for every scrap of respect."

Samuel’s expression remained steady, but his voice grew colder. "Respect? Respect isn’t something you get by tearing other people down. It’s something you earn. And everything you’ve done just proves you were never worthy of it."

Revilo’s jaw tightened, his hands clenched into fists. "One day, you’ll see, Samuel. One day, they’ll realize who really kept that company together. Not you, with your privileged title and your fake humility."

Samuel shook his head, looking at Revilo with a mixture of disappointment and disgust. "You were given every opportunity to prove yourself. But instead of building something real, you tried to destroy everything around you. You might’ve been able to justify it to yourself, but no one else is buying it."

Before Revilo could respond, the officer guiding him cleared his throat. "That’s enough. Let’s go."

Revilo shot Samuel one last glare, his face a mask of resentment and bitterness. He wanted to shout, to defend himself, to explain everything he’d done in the name of family pride and ambition. But in that moment, standing there in handcuffs, he realized it didn’t matter. No words could erase what he’d done.

As the officer led him away, Revilo couldn’t help but feel that Samuel’s expression would be the last he’d see of the life he once knew. A life that, in his mind, had been stolen from him by the very people he thought he was trying to surpass.

Samuel’s phone vibrated in his pocket as he watched Revilo being led down the hall. The caller ID flashed Zinnia. He took a deep breath, then swiped to answer.

"Samuel?" Zinnia’s voice was soft but laced with concern. "Are you alright? I saw the news—it’s all over. About Revilo and Walter Cain."

He closed his eyes briefly, the tension of the day settling heavily on him. "Yeah, I’m okay," he replied, keeping his voice calm. "We’ll talk about it when I get home. Are you still at work?"

There was a slight pause before she answered. "I’m leaving early today. I’ll be home soon too. We can talk about everything then."

"Alright," he said, a hint of relief in his tone. "See you at home."

"See you there," she replied, her voice gentler now. They exchanged quiet goodbyes before ending the call.