"Josh!" Upon seeing Josh, David''s eyes gleamed enthusiastically as if he had found a sliver of hope.


    Separated by a long table, David was about to limp over to Josh when the policeman on the watch


    hurried over to pin him down out of concern he mightsh out again.


    Josh remained seated, but his disdain for his criminal brother was on full disy from his back-leaning


    posture, vignt gaze, and downturned lips. To him, familial bonds had always been the most useless


    thing in the Schmidt family.


    In their youth, David had been Josh''s ymate, but as adults, Josh regarded the foolish David merely


    as a tool. He had cleaned up David''s mess multiple times and spoiled him to no end, all to prevent


    David from coveting his power.


    His strategy had been to tame David and render David a dependent believer of his.


    s, David was a dim-witted good for nothing.


    The more Josh thought about it, the more he felt disgusted by David. Even until now, he did not think


    he was in the wrong for framing David for murder. He''d done everything to save David, so it was only


    fair for David to shoulder the me.


    "Josh, why am I charged with attempted murder? I''ve not done anything like that," David rambled, his


    cracked lips trembling. "I''m innocent! They made a mistake! Someone''s trying to frame me. Who did I


    attempt to murder? I know nothing about that!"


    "Calm down, David, and listen to me," Josh said, adopting a stern tone as he cleared his throat. He


    spoke slowly as if addressing someone with difficulty inprehension. "The witness statement and


    evidence are against you. The man who worked for you, Magnus Vale, was caught in the crime. He


    confessed—said you instructed him to silence your victims via murder."


    "Silence my victims?" Stunned, David''s face turned white. "When have I asked him to kill to silence? I


    never did that!"


    Josh shook his head helplessly. "David, you have always listened to me. Why did you go down the


    wrong path at this critical time? Didn''t I repeatedly assure you I''d get you out? Lose your patience, and


    this is what happens. Even Dad can''t help you."


    "I did not! I did not murder. How many times should I repeat myself?" David mmed his fists on the


    table, spittle flying. "Call Dad now! I need to speak to him. He won''t give up on me—I''m his favorite!"


    "David, I won''t keep this from you. Dad also agreed with what I said just now," Josh''s patience wore


    thin, and he frowned. "I''ve done all I could for you, but you messed it up all the time, even getting into


    trouble with Alyssa Taylor and Jasper Beckett. No one could save you now."


    "What do you mean? Giving up on me?"


    "I''ll hire the best attorney for you and work on reducing your sentence. I''ll get the wardens to look out


    for you, so you don''t have to suffer. This is the best I can do for you as a brother." Josh shot a look at


    Cliff.


    Taking the hint, Cliff ced a file on the table in front of David. Being cautious, he did not immediately


    offer a pen as he feared that David might use it to attack Josh.


    As David''s eyes fell on the stock transfer agreement, a sharp pain gripped his chest. "Josh, you''re


    looting a burning house!"


    Panting heavily, David bellowed, "I''m not dead yet! I might make it out one day. How could you get


    ahead of yourself and eye my stock ownership? This is too much! Even if I''m dead, Dad is the first in


    ce to inherit my stocks, not you!"


    "David, you haven''t grasped the gravity of the situation, have you? Dad would have saved you if he


    wanted to. He''s utterly disappointed with you, and he''ll never give a care anymore." Sounding


    concerned, Josh added, "Money and stock ownership are fleeting material possessions—you can''t


    bring them to the afterlife.


    "There''s no point holding on to your stuff. You''re likely getting a life sentence; even if I appeal to reduce


    your sentence, you''ll likely lose all your assets. It''s a matter of time before you''re stripped of your stock


    ownership."


    "Even then, you don''t have a im to my stocks!" David gritted his teeth and fought the urge to hit Josh


    on the head with the prosthetic leg. "I finally saw this for what it is. You''re not here to save me—just


    here tough at me and get me to sign away my stock ownership. Over my dead body! Now, get lost!"


    Josh abandoned any pretense of being amicable. Snickering, he rose from his seat. "Josh, think over it


    carefully. If you refuse to transfer your stocks to me, you won''t get a reduced sentence. You''ll live a


    hellish life in prison as well."


    David tore the agreement into pieces and tossed it at Josh. "Fucking stop threatening me. Dad will take


    care of me without your help. Get lost!"


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    News of Josh''s visit reached Jameson promptly.


    "Mr. Schmidt, Josh looked upset when he left the police station. I even noticed him cussing under his


    breath. It looks like their negotiation has fallen apart," Carl, standing behind the couch, updated


    Jameson while giving him a massage with a look of glee.


    Jameson tasted the red wine with a rxed smile. "David has always worshipped Josh from a young


    age. Now that his idol has gone rogue, he must be super disappointed in Josh."


    "That''s for sure."


    "Once Josh has be a fodder, we''ll send help to David at the right time." While Jameson was


    speaking, his phone started to ring from the coffee table.


    Carl picked up the phone. Surprised at the caller''s name, he then worriedly handed the phone to


    Jameson. "Mr. Schmidt, it''s from Inigo Montoye."