In the end, Ethan finally gave in and confessed to his crimes. All of them. He however said that he didn't know how he got himself in that situation and that if he could correct all the wrongs he did, he would take the chance. He looked and sounded regretful and sorry for what he did. Paul mocked at his son. The disgrace and shame he had brought upon his family was just a bitter pill to swallow. He cared about his son, though. He cared about his own legacy even more. And at this time, none of those were doing him any good. He couldn't just believe what he was hearing coming from his son. How he got back on her after her bleeding thing was one of the things that made him zone out for a while before more and more horror episodes followed.
Paul eventually got tired of hearing what was being said in the room. He packed his things and left the two midway through the interrogation session. He was tired of pretending that he was an attorney and not a father before Ethan. And his son's words made the father's side of him come to the surface, and big Mufasa was not happy at all with little Simba! Ethan saw him walk out of the room even after he pleaded with him to stay. He turned a deaf ear to him and left anyway. Ethan broke down in tears. A twenty-six-year-old man crying for his father during his deepest darkest times. What else could he want? Jensen saw how broken he was and for about thirty minutes or so, he just let Ethan cry it all out. The guilt was too much. He understood him and he even gave him his space. Ethan would spend the rest of the day and night contemplating what he had gone through.
*******************
Paul arrived home at around seven to find his remaining family seated at the dining table just about to eat their supper. He talked to no one and he went for a quick shower before he would come down to join them. The day had been busy. He sat at his usual seat, Ingrid at hers, and Layla just where she usually sat. Ethan's seat was empty. The mood was all somber in the dining room. Nobody seemed like they wanted to talk. None of them felt like doing so. Ingrid had felt alone and scared that she had finally decided to join the family at the table for the first time in five days. They were having chicken wings with rice. The food itself was sweet but this night, it just felt like normal food. Even with all the added spices on top, they just couldn't seem to enjoy it.
"So, honey you went to the station?" started Layla placing down an unfinished chicken wing back on the plate.
"Yes…what about it?" he answered after a while. His jaws twitched beneath the skin as he chewed.
"How is he?" Layla asked. Ingrid was keeping her mouth to herself, as of now.
"He agreed to everything. He did force himself on her."
"And?"
"They have turned down his bail… he isn't allowed to have any visitors."
"And?"
"And what?"
"What are we going to do about it? What are you going to do about it?"
"He already knows what he's supposed to say. Plead guilty and will be out of prison in a short time. Maybe the time in there will make him think carefully about what he's done. It pains me to see that boy there, in his situation. But there's nothing I can do to help him. Let him waste his time there– for all I care!" Paul spitted out his anger.
"Paul! What are you saying?! He is your son! You need to defend him now more than ever! I can't believe what you're saying?!"
Ingrid stopped eating. She looked at the two argue with each other. The food wasn't really getting down anyone's belly easily.
"You can't believe what I'm saying?" Paul questioned her before he chuckled. "You should have heard the things that he did to her! Those are the words that you wouldn't believe! Not mine! That boy there is not my son!"
"So you're calling him a boy now?" Ingrid muttered.
"That boy is not my son!" Paul stressed out.
"He is!" Layla hissed out at her husband. "You fathered him! You raised him! You have loved and supported him your entire life! He is your son. So be with him, now more than ever."
"Layla I know it's hard, I know, but I'm not having this conversation anymore!"
"Don't you dare throw this away, Paul. People make mistakes. Ethan is just as human as much as you and I. For crying out loud he is your son! Your only son!"
"Dad, please… help Ethan get out. I don't want to lose my brother… please."
Paul looked at Ingrid. She looked dull and terrified. Dull from her pregnancy that they still didn't know of, and terrified for what was happening to her family. She wondered how of all the people in the world, Ethan would be the one on the wrong side of the law. The sweet innocent brother that she had known for her entire life. She thought of how he must have been feeling cold inside the cellars, and how he had wished for someone to talk to and he only had the company of the walls and police officers to keep him insane at night.
"Ingrid, did a similar thing happen to you?" He blurted out.
"What?" She asked seeming unsure of what he was aiming at.
"Did someone assault you, sexually?" His voice sounded so concerned. Layla looked at Ingrid still surprised by the sudden question.
"Dad no! What the hell!" she answered feeling so estranged by her father's question.
"You have been behaving so weird lately Ingrid. If that's the reason then please don't be afraid to talk to us about it. Did someone hurt you and got away with it?" he asked her.
"Dad, no! No one has raped me or anything if that's what you mean. I'm perfectly okay." She said as she stabbed her knife through her chicken wing.
"You don't look okay to me," Layla commented. "What have you been up to Ingrid? Why were you hiding in your room last week? What's wrong? Come on, tell us."
"Nothing mom. Nothing at all! I-I'm perfectly fine. Stop bothering me with all these unnecessary questions."
"And who are you talking to like that?!" Layla hissed at her. "Do you know that we are your parents little girl?"
Ingrid wasn't that little. She just looked okay for her age. It was the fact that she grew up being called a little girl and she used to love it. But when she finally grew much older, it became more of a nuisance to her rather than a sweet compliment. She hated it when people called her a little girl.
"You know what, goodnight." She finally said as she got up from her seat. "I'm so done with all this madness!"
"Sit down!" the two adults hissed at her.
She gasped at their bark. This wasn't one of those times where they would let her go easily after an argument. She slowly got down and sat on her chair. She pushed her plate away and some of the food fell on the table. Layla raised a brow. Paul was fumed with rage. Ingrid didn't care at all.
"You will sit here and hear what we have to tell you. Do you hear me?"
"Okay…" She mumbled.
"What is wrong with you? Did someone touch you or do anything to you?" Her mom asked.
"Ingrid we are trying to be helpful. What happened to Elena can happen to any girl out there, you included. So I need to know if you are okay."
"Help, huh?" She asked.
"Yes…" Paul answered.
"Help? Okay, how about this. Your son, my brother, sits in a police cell and you aren't even trying to do anything to help him with the situation. He's the one in need of help. Go help him."
"Paul, she's right-"
"Don't begin that topic again! Both of you! I did my best! The boy is too stubborn, he wouldn't listen. He ran out on me when we were in the interrogation! The balls! I did my part! Let the judge take care of the rest."
"Why are you being so rigid Paul?" Layla asked.
"Until you're man enough to be a dad to your son, don't budge into my life. You had the chance to be my dad, and you ran away either way. So don't start now." And with that, Ingrid got up from her seat.
"Where are you going?!" Layla asked.
"Sit down!" Paul roared. Ingrid's words had scorched him again. He feared her for that topic and it changed whatever was going on between them at the time it was ever brought up; good or bad times to bad or worse times respectively.
Ingrid continued in her movement as she ignored the two as they ordered her back to the table. Teenagers! She ran upstairs to her room and closed herself in.
"Where did we go wrong," Layla asked Paul. "Where did we go wrong as parents?"