MY PERFECT BODYGUARD CHAPTER SEVENTEEN STANDING TRAILS

Louis Faustina here reporting live after the apprehension of the suspect involved in the assault on Mariano wonder kid, Franklin. The culprit has been captured by the police and is expected to face justice swiftly.

The admiration for the wonder kid among many girls is evident, as some even resorted to throwing pies and eggs at the suspect as he was escorted to the station.

This is Louis Faustina bringing you the latest updates on the unfolding events.

As Nina and Emma watched the news, Emma stood up, grabbed the remote, and turned off the TV.

"We have to help him. He needs us," Emma asserted.

"You heard him, right? He said he doesn't need us," Nina fired back.

"What?! Maybe he said that, but right now, he really needs us. Can't you see it? He's going to stand trial, and if we don't do anything, he's likely to go to jail," Emma said urgently.

"He's in police custody. How are we supposed to help him when he's with the police?" Nina said with a sense of helplessness.

"For all I know, the situation is already out of hand. We can't contain it, you know," Nina added sincerely.

"We have to do something. There's something we have to do," Emma said as she paced around the room.

Nina stood up, approached Emma, and hugged her. "It's okay. Let's go see him first, then we plan," Nina said reassuringly as Emma embraced her tightly.

Back at the jail, Richard lay on the floor of the prison cell, gazing at the ceiling. A police officer approached the door.

"Looks like you have a visitor," the officer said, opening the door and escorting Richard outside in handcuffs. As Richard emerged, he saw that it was Linda who had come to see him.

As he sat down, he remarked, "Of all the people I know, I was expecting you to be the last person to ever think of seeing me," Richard said, his voice tinged with surprise and uncertainty.

Linda looked at the bandage covering Richard's shoulder, stained with blood.

"How's your arm doing?" she asked with concern.

"Don't do that," Richard replied angrily.

"Don't do what?" Linda inquired.

"Don't act like you actually care when you don't. It makes you look so pathetic," Richard said, his frustration evident.

"You brought this upon yourself," Linda fired back, her voice tinged with a mixture of frustration and resentment.

"I have always looked pathetic to you, after all. How am I sure there is even a time you have looked at me as a woman or something else?" Linda said again, her tone laced with frustration.

"You really have changed. Like a lot," Richard retorted. "If anyone is to blame for my change, it's you.l Linda backfired Even though we were never at the same class, I still stooped so low to you, holding on to you even though I had better choices to make."

"Is this what it's all about?" Richard fired back. "Who's the reason you have this company? Who's the reason you're alive? What makes you think that if we didn't know each other things would be working out this greatly for you?" Richard said, his anger palpable.

"Don't flatter yourself. That's why I was still loyal to you until the end. So because of that, you chose to look down on me, treat me like I'm nothing," Linda said, her voice filled with frustration.

"Don't make me feel bad because when I still needed you, you ran away. I mean, I was ready to give you everything, even the company, but you still treated me like nothing," Linda continued.

"Listen to yourself, Linda. Does anything you've said here make sense?" Richard countered, his tone reflecting a mixture of exasperation and disbelief.

"I know. I have never made sense to you before anyway," Linda said with resignation.

"I never said that," Richard replied, his tone softer, filled with a hint of hurt.

"Why are you really making me feel this guilty?" Richard questioned, his voice tinged with frustration.

"But it's true," Linda said again.

"Leave!!!" Richard commanded, his voice firm and resolute.

"I said leave. Officer, I don't want to see this person anymore. I want to go back to the cell," Richard said as the police took him away, his expression reflecting a mix of anger and disappointment.

In the prison cell, the commissioner entered, his presence casting a solemn atmosphere.

"Mr. Richard, by tomorrow you will be standing trial. Do you have any lawyer to defend you?" the commissioner inquired, his voice carrying the weight of the impending legal proceedings.

"No, I don't need one," Richard said curtly, his back turned to the commissioner as he lay down, his demeanor reflecting a mixture of resignation and defiance.

On the day of the trial, Franklin and Linda assembled in court, sitting down next to each other. Nina and Emma were also present, eager to see Richard after the proceedings.

The case commenced as Franklin stood up to make his statement to the court. He swore on the Bible as he entered the witness box.

"I was on my way back from seeing my fiancée when he deflated my tire and attacked me. I didn't know why until he started telling me he's going to end me so Linda would suffer all alone. He said he didn't know a form of happiness other than seeing Linda all alone and weak. I told him I couldn't do that to my love because I care about her. Then he started beating me up. He was so ready to kill me if not for the police showing up. He ran away, telling me he will be back. That's my side of the story," Franklin concluded as he returned to his seat.

Richard stared at Franklin, showing no emotions outwardly, but internally, he couldn't help but wonder how Franklin could lie so much, perhaps to make himself feel like a hero or something.

"Richard, can we hear your own side of the story?" Richard, in the culprit box, turned to Franklin.

"Linda must be really proud of you now," Richard said with a smile, but he stopped speaking. The judge asked repeatedly, but Richard remained silent.

"Since you have nothing to say, it means the person you attacked was telling the truth. Well, in order not to waste our time, Mr. Richard, I hereby sentence you to death by firing squad," the judge pronounced solemnly.

The courtroom fell into stunned silence as the weight of the verdict settled over the proceedings.