Chapter 477 Never to Meet Again in This Life
Fiorello showing up got Kimberly's family all riled up.
"Fiorello, what's the deal? Your grandma died horribly, and I hear you're defending the killer, not pressing charges. She raised you for nothing."
"Unbelievable. That was your grandma. Today, you need to give us a solution and make the murderer pay."
Someone started fake-crying. "Poor Kimberly, such a good person, dedicated to this family, and look how it ended. Fiorello, you can't protect the killer." The speaker was Fiorello's grandpa's brother.
Fiorello just sat there, stone-faced, listening to them all.
Seeing him stay quiet, the elders started throwing their weight around.
"Fiorello, say something. Your wife killed Kimberly. An eye for an eye."
"When you married that woman, I heard your grandma wasn't happy. Looks like she was right. That woman doesn't deserve to be the hostess of Flores family."
"She gets violent over an argument. Are we supposed to be scared to speak now?"
"This whole thing has really hurt Visionary Futures. Fiorello, as the head, you need to fix this."
Holden was worried seeing the elders gang up on Fiorello.
These people wanted Maggie dead to calm their anger.
Fiorello's gaze turned icy. "Are you all done talking?"
His presence was intimidating, and the room went silent. No one dared to speak.
The temperature seemed to drop, and the atmosphere was tense.
Everyone looked at Joseph, their eyes warning him.
Thinking of Kimberly, Joseph was genuinely upset. He slammed the table and stood up. "Fiorello, you can't talk to the elders like that. Maggie killed your grandma, that's a fact. If you keep defending her, you're not fit to be a Flores. The whole family is here. You need to recognize your place."
Joseph didn't realize he was being manipulated.
He wanted Maggie to pay for Kimberly and wanted Fiorello to know his place.
Seeing the tension, Holden quickly said, "Dad, calm down."
Eleanor added, "Why are you scolding Fiorello? No one wanted this to happen. Whatever punishment Maggie faces, the law will decide. You should stop talking."
In his rage, Joseph said, "You're still defending him? Fiorello, you should give us a solution today. Are you going to press charges against Maggie or not?"
Seeing Fiorello being cornered, Benjamin, who came along, was also worried for him.
Fiorello's lips curled into a cold smile, his eyes sharp as he looked at Joseph. "I said, no one is allowed to hurt her. If you all want a solution, I'll give you one."
Fiorello signaled to a man beside him, who was from Visionary Futures' legal department and Fiorello's personal lawyer.
Fiorello's voice was cold. "Robert, hand out the documents."
"Yes, Mr. Flores." Robert Lewis handed out the documents to everyone.
These were psychiatric evaluation reports from a mental hospital. According to the evaluation, Maggie was diagnosed with a mental illness. Everyone was shocked when they saw the report because they knew it wasn't genuine.
This was a report Fiorello had arranged to exonerate Maggie.
Fiorello's expression was icy. "As you can see, this is Maggie's psychiatric evaluation report. Maggie was diagnosed with severe depression a few years ago. Her doctor at the time also said Maggie was highly likely to relapse. This time, Maggie lost her kid and was heartbroken, and her emotions were triggered, causing a relapse. All her actions were done in an uncontrollable state."
Joseph read the report and lost it. "Fiorello, this is your solution? Are you even thinking about your grandma? If you don't press charges, I will."
The other elders jumped in right away. "Fiorello, this is disgraceful. You don't deserve to lead the Flores family. You'll ruin us."
"I can't believe this. For a woman, you ignore a deep-seated grudge."
"My poor Kimberly. This is the Fiorello you loved. You died tragically, and he defends that woman."
"Kimberly, it's not that we don't want justice for you. We're old, and our words don't carry weight anymore. Fiorello's lost it and won't listen to us."
The room turned into a chaotic mess, everyone ripping into Fiorello for being ungrateful.
Holden was anxious, Eleanor couldn't get a word in, Joseph was fuming, and Fiorello just sat there, stone-faced.
When the shouting died down a bit, Fiorello pulled out a fruit knife, scaring the old folks. They backed off, thinking he might go nuts and attack them.
Joseph's face went pale. "Fiorello, what are you doing?"
Fiorello stabbed the knife into the table, his voice icy. "The document was my explanation for Maggie. As her husband, I failed to protect her. Now, here's my explanation to my grandmother. How about I trade my life for a life?"
Before anyone could react, Fiorello raised the knife and stabbed himself in the chest, shocking everyone.
Holden and Benjamin were stunned, not expecting Fiorello to go to such extremes.
Blood gushed out, and Eleanor screamed, "Fiorello!"
Joseph's face changed, and the others were too shocked to move.
Fiorello pulled out the knife, blood splattering. He sneered, "This stab is my atonement to my grandmother on behalf of my wife."
Barely holding on, Fiorello raised the knife to stab himself again. Joseph, closest to him, grabbed the knife, and blood flowed from Joseph's hand.
The bloody scene almost made the elderly faint.
Holden shouted, "Fiorello, Dad."
Eleanor's legs went weak, but she quickly stepped forward to support Fiorello. "Fiorello. Holden, call an ambulance, hurry."
"No one is allowed to move.." Fiorello pushed Eleanor away, enduring the pain, looking around at everyone, and finally fixing his gaze on Joseph. "Dad, if you want her life, you have to take mine first. This is what I owe her, and what the Flores family owes her."
Fiorello didn't care about the others' opinions, but he had to give Joseph a solution. As the head of the Flores family, he had to show some resolve.
Only if Joseph stopped pursuing the matter would Maggie be safe.
Joseph's hand, holding the knife, was bleeding badly. He looked at the blood on Fiorello's chest and saw his determination.
Both had lost someone dear—one a mother, the other a kid.
Joseph thought of Fiorello's painful scene in the morgue, holding the kid's body. He couldn't let Fiorello trade his life for a life.
Joseph tried to take the knife, but Fiorello wouldn't let go. The silent struggle between them made everyone's hearts race.
Joseph finally gave in. "I won't press charges against Maggie and will issue a letter of forgiveness, but you must divorce her and never see her again. If you can do that, I'll spare her life."
Eleanor cried. "Fiorello, agree quickly."
Holden was also shocked. "Fiorello."
Fiorello's eyes were filled with pain, his mouth twitching into a bitter smile. He struggled to get the word out. "Okay."
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