"You went to jail because you're a criminal, simple as that. " Justin chuckled and Zac moved forward to grab him, but suddenly felt excruciating pain radiate through his whole body.
He collapsed to the floor and convulsed as currents of electricity assaulted him from the taser gun that Justin had shot at him.
"How does it feel, Zac?" Justin said as he crouched next to me. "How does it feel to be reduced back to nothing, to be sent back to the streets where you came from. Look at you, dressed in rags and smelling like a dumpster." He laughed. "How did it feel to see the woman you love in my arms? We have a daughter by the way, a little bundle of joy. We're leaving for our honeymoon in a few minutes. How does it feel to know that you'll spend the night on a cold floor in a cell, while I have your woman in every position known to man on a soft bed in a different country? It was so nice of you to attend our wedding, Zac."
As he lay on the floor, he suddenly realised that Justin planned this. He knew that Zac wouldn't be able to resist coming here. He must have pulled some strings to make sure Zac was released today. It was just so coincidental, and Zac had foolishly walked into a trap. No one here believed his accusations against Justin, and now that he had caused a scene at the wedding, they could all claim he was violent, and sue him. He should have listened to Thomas and Hannah and just stayed home to work through his anger. He foolishly allowed Justin to manipulate him from afar.
"Why?" He asked weakly. Maybe if he got some justification, it would give the real Zachary closure, and Leon wouldn't have to worry about these overwhelming emotions.
Why would he do this when Zachary had been nothing but a good friend to him all the time they spent together.
"Why?" Justin leaned closer, and began to whisper so no other guest could hear this part. "I've always hated you, Zac. Do you know that my parents loved you more than me? They adored you. You were always so responsible, always at the top of the class, good grades and perfect records. You were the son they wanted. On the other hand, I was the bane of their existence. Nothing I did ever seemed to impress them, so I stopped trying and started planning. My mother was so heartbroken when you were sent to jail, but don't worry, I put her out of her misery. I duped my old man into willing everything he owned to me, then I killed them both, you should have seen their faces." He laughed.
The other guests were too far from us to hear him admit to his crimes. Even if Zachary yelled out, he doubted any of them would even believe him, or help him fight for justice. Most of them probably had their own skeletons in the closet to cover up, just like Justin.
"They looked so surprised like they never would have thought I had the guts to do something like that. But that's how it has always been, they have always underestimated me, and they paid dearly for it. I almost feel sorry for you, Zac, because you really didn't wrong me. It was just unfortunate that you stole my parent's love from me. Even Gaby. You took her from me, but now I have her back."
"Gaby was mine. She lov…"
"She was never yours. I saw her first." Justin hissed in anger. "But of course, you had to meddle before I worked up the courage to ask her out. You're always interfering in my damn life, so I got you out of it, and I have to say, seeing you at this low point is so satisfying. Remember all those nights she spent at the office, working overtime? She was definitely working hard on her knees for me, or bent over my desk. I took her from you even while you were both dating. She was already carrying my baby on the day you proposed to her. The only obstacle was you, so I removed you, simple as that. I hope knowing this hurts."
Justin wanted to hit Zac, but people were watching so he kept his composure. He didn't need a scandalous video that would ruin his good public image, it was bad for business.
"I was friends with her first, and you would have never met her if I hadn't introduced her to you. You stole her from me like you stole my parents' love. "
"I never stole anything from you Justin, you're delusional."
"Now, I've taken her back. We'll build a family together while you rot in jail. I'll send you back and make sure you stay there for a very long time." Justin paused in thought.
"In fact, no, I won't send you to jail. Jail is too good for you, you stayed in there and somehow managed to come out of it looking more handsome than you used to. You even earned yourself early release. I'll leave you as a free man, so it would hurt you more that you can't do anything to stop me. You're nobody, Zac. The earlier you accept it, the better. I was born royalty, you weren't even wanted by your parents that's why they dumped you in the garbage as a child. Piece of advice from an old friend, stop trying so hard to be what you're not." Justin said as he stood, just as more security guards arrived and picked Zac's limp body from the floor.
"Will you press charges, Mr Thorne?" One of the reporters that had been allowed to cover the event asked Justin.
Justin sighed like he felt sorry for me and moved closer to Gaby to hold her around the waist.
"No." Justin replied.
"But he's a criminal, an ex-convict. He attacked you, ruined your wedding, and you'll just let him go?" The reporter asked incredulously.
The reporter wasn't the only one taking a video, other guests were recording him too, waiting to hear his reply. Everything was happening just as he planned it.
"Yes, I'll let him go." Justin replied with a sad expression.
"Why, Mr Thorne?"
"Because, despite what he did in the past, he's still my friend. We've been best friends for a long time. He just got out of prison, I don't want to send him back to that awful place. He just needs time to heal and adjust. I'm willing to help him in any way that I can, if only he'll let me. He's upset with me because he thinks I took from him."
"That could be said to be true. I mean, you just married his ex-girlfriend. His business is now yours." The reporter said.
"You have everything all wrong. First of all, yes, My Gaby dated Zac for a while in the past." He kissed Gaby's forehead. "But she was never happy in the relationship. You see, Zac has serious anger issues and he sometimes took it out on her. You all just saw him. He's always been leaning on the violent side. I hoped prison would change him."
"Why was it never reported that he was abusive?"
"Because Gaby begged me not to, she thought that she was in love. But Zac manipulated the state she was in at the moment. She had just lost her father and her subconscious was trying to find a replacement for him in Zac. She just couldn't bear to lose Zac, till I talked with her and helped her break off their relationship."
"So they had already split up before Zac was sent to jail."
"Yes. I've never wanted to speak about all these because I just want it to stay in the past. But I'd rather it be the truth being circulated than rumours that would hurt my wife's feelings. As for the company, it was never his. It only had his name on it because I allowed it for the sake of friendship. I've been behind the success of the company, every project, every funding, it's been me all along. I just let Zach be the face of it because of our friendship. I had to step in after he almost ruined everything with tax fraud. Taking over was the right thing to do. Nothing wrong with taking back what was originally mine, right?"
All lies, but Justin told them all with a smile. Everything was going according to his plan.