Turning Back to Emptiness

Chapter 1

Hailey Lange had been raised solely by Kevin Wright, and everyone in Asarie knew she was his most cherished.

It was also widely known that Hailey's feelings for Kevin went beyond filial affection—something he himself was well aware of.

It was precisely because of this that Kevin had developed an unwarranted confidence. Even after colluding with another woman in her father's death, he still failed to recognize the gravity of his actions.

But when Hailey—the woman who once smiled at him and called him "Kevin"—began addressing him coldly as "Mr. Wright," panic finally gripped him.

He knelt before her, offering what she had once desired most, begging for forgiveness.

Hailey didn't even glance at him. "Mr. Wright," she said icily, "have some dignity."

When she abruptly entered the conference room, she saw Kevin gently wiping tears from Jane Grant's eyes.

Hailey froze in the doorway, an overwhelming urge to flee surging through her.

But recalling why she had come, she forced herself to stay.

"Sorry, Kevin. Hailey seems to need you. I'll take my leave."

Kevin nodded gently. "Don't worry. I'll handle it."

Those words poured ice water over Hailey's heart, plunging it into despair.

After Jane left, Hailey choked out, "Kevin… please. Return the video to me."

Kevin didn't look up, casually flipping through papers. "You came all this way for this?"

His indifference ignited Hailey's fury. "That's my father!" she nearly shouted. "You know he didn't molest anyone! You know he's innocent! Why would you do this?"

A month earlier, the police had informed Hailey that her father had been detained on allegations of molestation—a claim she refused to believe.

She spent an entire month investigating and finally found an eyewitness whose phone had captured the whole incident.

It turned out a drunk woman had been assaulted, and James Lange, Hailey's father, had intervened, chasing off the perpetrator. Yet when the woman regained consciousness, she accused him instead.

The scandal spread rapidly online. As a lawyer, Hailey worked tirelessly to secure justice for her father.

But uncovering the truth proved grueling; all surveillance footage had mysteriously vanished.

She later discovered that Kevin had purchased and erased every recording. Confused, Hailey investigated further, eventually learning the accuser was Susan Grant—Jane's sister.

Jane Grant, the woman recently rumored to be Kevin's fiancée.

Still, Hailey refused to give up. She spent sleepless days and nights pleading with person after person, moving from doorstep to doorstep on her knees—all for the sake of the truth.

Hailey had suffered a knee injury since childhood, a lingering result of her dance training. All that kneeling nearly destroyed her knees.

Finally, her persistence paid off. Hailey presented the video evidence to Kevin and Jane.

Kevin nodded in acknowledgment, promising he would take care of it.

Hailey didn't question it. After all, this was the Kevin who had raised her. But she never imagined that the very next day, he would claim he had never seen the video.

Hailey couldn't describe how she felt. Something inside her snapped. Her voice turned hoarse, her face a mask of despair and disbelief. "How could this be? How could you not have seen it?"

Blinking back tears, she whispered, "Kevin, please… give the video back to me. I worked so hard to get it. Please, just return it…"

But Kevin looked down at her coldly. "I told you to stay out of this."

"He's my father. How can you ask me to stay out of it?"

Kevin frowned. "I'd make sure he doesn't go to jail. All he has to do is admit to the crime."

Hailey's face twisted in disbelief. "If he didn't do it, why should he admit it?"