Chapter 19

The days went by quickly. On the day they had their first snow, the court sentenced Simone, who was charged with theft, murder, and other severe crimes, to six years in prison. When Preston was informed of the news, he was completely intoxicated. He could not be bothered with what happened to Simone. For the last six months, he had been drowning himself in alcohol. There was rarely a moment where he was fully conscious. No one managed to persuade Preston to stop drinking. Every time he got drunk, Preston would start mumbling Jolene's name. His friends would exchange glances, yet none of them dared contact Jolene. More specifically, none of them had the nerve to risk upsetting Cedric. After all, the reporters had managed to take photos of the couple enjoying their honeymoon abroad on several occasions. The two of them looked perfectly happy as a newlywed couple. As New Year's Day was drawing closer, Cedric and Jolene ended their honeymoon trip and traveled back home to celebrate t