The CEO's Hidden Love: Midnight Temptations and Deep Desires novel Chapter 900

"Everett appealed?"

Jeff nodded, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "Yeah, you should have seen it. His mother was so mad back at the hospital that she almost went for round two with a knife!"

In criminal cases, both the plaintiff and the defendant have the right to appeal if they're dissatisfied with the verdict.

But clearly, the Lopez family was quite content with the initial sentence of one year of probation—no way they'd appeal.

Now Everett was essentially dragging his own mother back into the courtroom, risking a harsher sentence!

He knew that could mean Amanda might face a much longer sentence, maybe even the death penalty, yet he went ahead with it.

"I pushed him away because I didn't want him to carry that burden."

If he sent his biological mother to prison, the weight of public condemnation on Everett's shoulders would just be too much!

This wasn't what Dorothy wanted. She had thought of many ways to clear Everett's name and still get her revenge!

That was why, after the first trial, she decided not to appeal. Instead, she resolved to take Amanda down with her, so the scandal wouldn't taint Everett's reputation.

Once everything settled, Everett would still be the CEO of Lopez Corporation, and nobody would whisper about him betraying his own mother.

"Dorothy, do you have any idea how much he loves you?"

She was silent.

"If this keeps up, I swear Everett's going to keel over. Why don't you just end it at the hospital? Go out with a bang, together!"

Jeffrey was damn tired of it all. Time and again, he genuinely feared for Everett's life.

He'd come to a grim understanding: falling for Dorothy was a one-way ticket to heartache.

This woman's thought process was just not in sync with normal people! All Everett ever wanted was her trust, and she just wouldn't give him an inch.

Even after everything he'd done, Dorothy still didn't trust that he would ensure a fair trial.

She wasn't oblivious to Jeffrey's sarcasm, but she wasn't in the mood to retort.

"Go take care of Karen," she said, reaching for the car door.

Jeffrey was quicker, locking the doors before she could bail.

"Do you think I can let you out of my sight? What if you try to off yourself—"

Then Everett would be out for blood.

"I just need some peace."

"Well, you can find your peace right here in my car. No other options! You might want to die, but I plan on staying alive."

With that, Jeffrey fished a pack of cigarettes from the glove compartment, lit one up, and took a drag.

"You're not going to see Everett?"

Dorothy paused for a few seconds, then shook her head.

"The knife you stabbed him with didn't hit the heart. The docs said they could tell you pulled back when you saw him jump in the way," Jeff took another drag, "But his hand... it's bad. His old man flew Quincy in from overseas—said the tendons in his palm are severed. He might never be able to lift anything heavy with that hand again."

The thought of Everett being disabled in one hand...

"Why don't you go see him? You have no idea how broken he'd be if you didn't. When he woke up, the first thing he did was call me to find you, to keep an eye on you."

Dorothy bit her lip, silent.

Jeffrey could only sigh, "Love sure has a way of making fools of us all."

"Can you drive me to get some booze, Jeffrey?"

"Huh?"

She looked at him and repeated, "I want to buy some alcohol."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know how to face him sober."