Demi had only two minutes to look at Simon before she decided he was out of his mind and left the restaurant without even speaking to him about anything. Although she would have given everything just to save Diana, and if it was true that Marcus did have a secret which could potentially keep Diana at harm then it was better to tell Diana than conspiring against Marcus. If there is anything Demi was so good at then it was in identifying the power of billionaires and that didn't include their expensive jets and mansions. But also their influence on people, their guns, secrets, murder and lots of dirty things they like to do to people.
From the beginning Demi knew that Marcus wasn't all that he seemed to be, but yet her best friend somehow seemed entangled into his web. The next two days the whole country was in mourning, or better to say the fans of Shandla James couldn't keep it together and tear down in front of national television. The black community showed up in full effect with their "Justice for Shandla" banners after the news broke that she might have been killed at the party before she was thrown into the sea.
New York Police Department (NYPD) launched an investigation which aimed at looking further into what went down at the party, and this time Marcus made sure to collaborate with the police so as to catch whoever the murderer was. During the funeral Marcus and Diana stood side by side as the paparazzi took pictures of them holding hands - Diana was in a beautiful short black dress with black heels and black shades, while Marcus wore a black suit and black shoes. The funeral was televized and A list celebrities attended.
"They say she was stabbed during the party, I agree to disagree cause I saw her leaving the party" said Shandla's co-worker in the hit series, she was in Good Morning America TV show.
The reporter added "It seems everyone saw the late Shandla James leaving the party, and police officers have released a statement regarding the camera footages which were outside the mansion that she did leave the party before midnight"
"Yes she did, I saw her with my own eyes"
"So, do you think Shandla perhaps wasn't murdered at the party?" asked the reporter paying close attention to what he was asking.
"Hundred percent sure, as a black successful woman myself. I can relate to how we are always unsafe in the streets which we call home. Whoever murdered Shandla knew that she was at the party, and they also knew she never stays till late cause she gotta work in the morning, and that's when they decided to do what they did"
"Shandla never stays till late?"
"Never. You can ask anyone, she never stays till late" confirmed the actress and all that time Marcus was looking at the interview with a smile on his lips.
Somehow he felt relieved after the release of footages showing Shandla leaving his house, so that meant she wasn't murdered at the party, this cleared his name in front of the public and no one was worried about him anymore. Except for Simon who was in New York trying to bring his brother down, yet he wasn't aware how since he went from being a bad guy to a good guy in just twenty four hours. "Who should I kill next brother... You need to pay for what you did to our family" said Simon to himself walking around Times Square figuring things out.
Martin sat in silence with Marcus watching a documentary on Natgeo as per Martin's usual schedule but the silence alone indicated that there was indeed an elephant in the room and needed to be addressed.
"Sir, I..." Martin started but then Marcus stopped him by raising his right hand, and Martin stopped.
"Not now Martin"
"I made sure she was buried deep down in the ocean sir, I made sure of that"
"It's done Martin. There's nothing we can do now. Shandla is dead and now we need to focus on other things. I'm gonna need to focus on other things..." Marcus sighed then he grabbed his attention towards Martin "It's done" he said and walked upstairs.
There was no secret that Marcus was still angry and disappointed in Martin regarding what happened, yet he decided to focus on finding out who framed him for murder rather than be angry at his bodyguard.
The moment Marcus was inside, his phone rang. He picked it up and it was one of his spies.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Your lady sir, she's moving out with her friends"
"Diana?"
"Yes sir"
Marcus sighed "Let her go, she's harmless"
"Okay sir"
The spy hang up the phone, then Marcus sat on the bed and started thinking about what happened yesterday and the saga that almost had everyone on the verge of losing their minds - especially the ones close to his team. "Who killed Shandla James, and almost framed me? Who is it? Who could it be?" he thought out loud. Marcus had a piece of newspaper on his right hand and he couldn't read it anymore, he placed it on top of his face.
The days following their return to New York, Diana noticed the change of behavior in Marcus and also he didn't seem interested in her anymore. Perhaps he's already got what he wanted and Diana wasn't needed anymore - and this hurt Diana in ways she couldn't explain. The feeling of not being enough, not belonging to someone's life the way you would want to, drove Diana to a nearby bar with tears falling down between her cheeks. This time she really was into Marcus, yet he didn't show it like he was into her the way she was into him - well perhaps not anymore unlike at the start when he was really obsessed with Diana.
Diana moved out of her old apartment and she left everything resembling Jacob in there, this time she wanted a clean slate and she was going to have it either way. Demi and Jared helped her with the boxes and stuffs, when everything was fine these two triplets sat down on the kitchen eating packed up noodles and vanilla ice cream - it was 5pm in the evening and a breeze of a beautiful Saturday entered through the windows and made the aura relaxing inside there.
"Girl, you can't really be sad over this guy" said Jared the moment Diana seemed sad.
"This is why you moved out of your old apartment, to let both Jacob and Marcus go" added Demi.
"I'm trying guys. I can't just turn off my emotions for him, I'm still human with feelings" said Diana trying to get her friends to understand what she was going through.
"He's not good for you, he's a murderer. His own brother is conspiring against him"
Diana's eyes widened with amazement "What brother?" she asked.
"I should have told you way sooner but it's just... you and him were all cozy during the funeral and I couldn't. But Marcus's brother, his name is Simon, is here in New York now and all he wants is to bring his brother down. He used the term exposing him to the feds"
"Why didn't you tell me about this?"
Both Jared and Demi saw how Diana's face expression changed the moment they mentioned Marcus and the possibility that he could go to prison. She was worried about him still, even though she pretended not to.
Jared reached out for Diana's hand "Honey, this is a good thing" he said.
"It really is Diana, finally he gets to be imprisoned for his actions" Demi added but Diana seemed not to agree with them.
"What actions?" asked Diana.
Demi scoffed, then she looked at Diana as if asking if she was really asking that question "His past, Marcus Orlando is a sex addict and he used to transport women for sex. He is a sex offender and a predator, many women have died on his hands and we are so scared you could be next"
Suddenly Diana pulled out a chair, then she walked to the living room. "I can defend myself Demi, I don't need you to be my hero" she said.
"No one is trying to be a hero Diana, we are all so worried about you"
"Maybe you should stop"
"What?" asked Jared.
Diana snapped and started to shout at her friends "This... It's like an obsession y'all have with my life. First it was Jacob, y'all hated him for being an underachiever and not so good for me just because he wasn't make as much as me. You drove us apart, it was all of you who made sure our marriage failed"
"Girl please... if you not about to stop with these accusations..."
"What will you do? Huh? Tell me Jared I am so eager to know what you'll do to me. You gonna tell your mummy won't you?"
Jared nearly jumped on Diana but Demi stopped him, from there it was a war of insults and confessions between Diana and Jared until Jared had enough and walked away. Demi followed him and they left Diana all alone who wept after her friends were gone.