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He wanted me to rot in prison,atoning for her.
In the end it was Nathan who secured my parole.
On the day I got out,I stood outside the prison gates,dazed.
The warm sunset bathed me,blurring reality and dreams.
These two years felt like a bizarre nightmare.
"You look even thinner."
Nathan draped a coat over me,frowning.
"Your father asked me to look after you before he died.I'll have to cook more to put some weight back on you."
Warmth filled me.Though he was my lawyer,Nathan was actually like a father and friend.
Without him,I wouldn't have survived.
"Thank you,Nathan."
The first thing I would do would be recovering the evidence.
The explosion destroyed most of it,but I had a backup of the video Felix sent me.
I registered an account online under my name,announcing a press conference.
The post drew a flood of curses.
"People like her get out?Is there no justice?"
"Die,scum!Someone go and dig up everything about her?I'll pay!"
I ignored them all.Most people believe only what they see,not digging deeper for truth.I didn't blame them.
But I didn't expect Daniel to call.
"Anna,what are you up to?I don't know how you got out,but if you try anything,I'll put you back inside."
"Daniel."
I whispered his name,like the countless nights we'd fallen asleep in each other's arms.
"If I said Sophie planned the explosion herself,that she was the politician's mole,would you believe me?"
"No."
I gave a bitter smile,hanging up.
The press conference arrived quickly.
Over a hundred journalists attended,eager for the scoop.
Backstage,I was pale,weakened by late-stage cancer.Standing too long made me dizzy, I felt like I was going to faint anytime.
Nathan supported me,worried.
"Let me help you up there.Don't push yourself."
I gave him a reassuring smile,forcing myself to walk to the stage.
The flash from countless blinded me.I took the microphone.
"I'm Anna Clarke,a journalist exposing corruption."
Scoffing came from the crowd,some even shouted insults.
"I know you all think I'm guilty,but I was framed.The real criminal is someone else."
"The true culprit is Leo Harris,deputy finance director."
I played the video.
The politician's ugly crimes—murder,bribery—were all there,along with his dealings with foreign entities.
I listed his crimes one by one.For a moment the room went silent and I could hear nothing but the clicks from camera flashes.
"Ms.Clarke,is this true?"
"Ms.Clarke,if you were framed,why were you imprisoned in the first place?"
I lowered my eyes,ignoring the second question.
"I have a witness who can verify my claims."
Felix stepped forward,recounting the truth.
"Ms.Clarke is a good person.Back then I saw the politician kill someone and was hunted.She saved me."
"They took me to the factory.I passed out from blood loss,but luckily,I had a recording."
I stared at Felix,stunned.I hadn't known about a recording.
He gave me a shy smile.
"I feared dying and taking the truth with me,leaving the politician unexposed,so I hid a recording device in my clothes."
The recording played through the microphone,revealing what really happened in that factory.
"Anna,it's time you get a taste of this ugly world."
An explosion ended the clip.The room fell silent again.
The truth was out.
My taut nerves relaxed,suddenly the world spun before my eyes,and I collapsed.
