Mom Shares a Cute Family Video on Social Media, the Next Day the Police Knock on Her Door – Story of the Day

A cute family picnic video Nicole posts online throws her family into chaos when cops arrest her husband the next day. Stranded with a teen daughter and a little son, she must fight all odds to clear her husband's name. But what will she do when she realizes her husband is not who he claims to be?

The golden rays of the sun lit up the afternoon sky, casting a warm glow over the park. A checkered blanket was spread on the grass, adorned with delicious treats. The family cat curled up near a basket of fruits as 46-year-old Nicole ruffled her wavy hair and sat alongside her children, 15-year-old Harper and her little brother, Tom.

Amidst the laughter and chatter, 49-year-old Kevin, Nicole's husband, stood at the makeshift grill, masterfully flipping burgers and sausages. The sizzle of the juicy meat patties tantalized their senses, blending with the melodic laughter of the kids. Touched by the picturesque scene, Nicole took out her phone and started capturing the moment…

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"Alright, Dad, show us your burger-flipping skills!" Harper exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Harper, you're as cheeky as ever," Nicole chuckled as she recorded the video of Kevin arching his brows while trying to show off his culinary skills to the kids.

"Mom, record Dad...focus your camera on him and the burgers. We need to show this to the world! C'mon, Dad...you can do it. We wanna see your best flip ever!" Harper grinned.

"Wait a minute, young lady? What do you mean by showing this to the world?" Nicole raised an eyebrow cluelessly.

Harper and Tom shared an amused look and rolled their eyes. "Mom, you're so behind!" Harper squared her shoulders and grinned, blowing a bubblegum.

"Yeah, like way behind! You talk like you're still in the eighties!" Tom laughed.

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"Yeah, he's right, Mom. We're in the digital age where social media and the internet rule! Which era are you in?!" Harper taunted her mother.

Nicole, who knew very little about the online world, tried to keep up with her tech-savvy kids and feigned innocence. "Digital age, huh? I thought we wanted to go back in time, with the old-fashioned burgers and picnics in parks!" she joked.

"Mom, c'mon, you need to join the 21st century," Harper frowned, clearly unamused. "All my friends' moms have social media accounts where they post crazy stuff. Why don't you have one, too?"

"A new social media account? But I don't know how to..." Nicole paused. She was pretty embarrassed in front of her kids because she had no account or idea how to register one.

"Don't worry, Mommykins! I got this!" Harper grabbed Nicole's phone and tapped away the details with ease.

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"Honey, I don't know how to use this thing. Why don't you post it from your social media account?" Nicole anxiously asked.

"Mom, it's high time you go socializing online. Let's do this!" Harper dismissed her mother.

"But, honey, I..."

"No buts. Woohoo! Your new account is all set!" Harper showed Nicole her phone. "Now, let's click a nice picture of you to go on your profile. Mom, say cheese!"

Nicole forced a smile and struck a vague pose under the backdrop of a maple tree as Harper snapped a picture and immediately posted it on the page.

"Mom, you're going to be famous! Just look at you!" Harper and Tom were awed at their mother's profile picture on her new social media page.

"Famous...for what, I wonder?" Nicole blushed as Harper handed over the phone and hurried to Kevin.

"Famous for being the coolest Mom ever! Now, say cheese, Dad!" Harper and Tom surrounded Kevin as Nicole captured a photo of the three.

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The aroma of burgers wafted with the breeze, and the laughter echoed through the pleasant park. Hours later, the family gathered their belongings, and as they drove home in their old Mustang, Nicole couldn't help but smile at fragments of the day's events captured on her phone.

Harper sat beside her and taught her how to post on social media. Nicole was all smiles when she shared her first post online—the cute and heartwarming video of the picnic.

Little did the mother know that this seemingly ordinary and calm picnic video would bring about an unexpected storm the next day instead of becoming an internet sensation.

Warm rays of the morning sun gently peeked through the beige lace curtains as Nicole stirred from her sleep, the remnants of the joyous picnic lingering in her mind.

The tranquility around was shattered by loud wails of police sirens piercing through the calm morning as Nicole groggily sat up on the bed.

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"Kevin, honey, I can hear strange noises outside. Of people talking..." Nicole shook Kevin, who was still half-asleep.

"I have no idea, Nicky. Let me sleep...God, I'm so tired," he buried his face in the pillow.

Nicole sighed, and just as she sprang to her feet to wake her kids up to get them ready for school, a sharp knock echoed through the quiet house. She stumbled to the door to answer, and the moment the door creaked open, her eyes bulged in disbelief at the stern faces of the cops.

"Mrs. Anderson?" a cop asked Nicole with an authoritative tone.

"Yes, that's me. What's the matter, Officer?" she nervously answered, clutching the half-open door tight and eyes darting between the stern faces of the cops.

"I'm Detective Reynolds. Care to explain this?" the detective took out his phone and showed Nicole the social media post of the picnic.

"Oh, my…that's a video from my family picnic I recently posted," Nicole's heart raced as she replied, her breath caught in her throat. "Is something wrong?"

She had no idea what was so strange about the video until Detective Reynolds pointed to Kevin in the footage.

"Do you know him?" he sternly asked.

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"Yes, he's my husband, Kevin. Why is something wrong, Detective?" Nicole's heart skipped a beat as the video continued to play while Detective Reynolds exchanged a hasty glance with his team. A lump formed in her throat, and before she could gather her thoughts, Reynolds stepped forward and reached for the door.

Only then did it strike Nicole—the heartwarming video of the picnic she'd posted online had led the cops to her house. Several questions haunted Nicole, and her blood ran cold.

"I-I'm sorry, Detective. I think you're mistaken. My husband is working at a software company. We've been married for seventeen years. I know him very well...He wouldn't hurt a fly...he's so innocent. I doubt he'd be involved in a crime," Nicole stuttered.

But Detective Reynolds showed her the warrant, a cold expression cloaking his face as he stared daggers at her. "We have a search warrant, Ma'am. Please cooperate, or we'll have to take action against you for not cooperating."

Nicole stood paralyzed with shock momentarily before forcing herself to move aside and let them in. As the officers combed through the rooms, she watched her once-calm home transform into a cold, foreboding space.

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Harper and Tom were startled awake and ran to their mother, unable to understand what was happening in their house. The tension escalated when Reynolds approached Nicole, his stern gaze fixed upon her.

"Your husband's case is serious, Mrs. Anderson. We've been searching for him for ten years. The case was declared cold until we saw your post online."

"Detective, I-I don't know what you're talking about. My daughter told me to post the video. It was just an ordinary family picnic...and I'm sure my husband is not the man you're looking for," Nicole stammered, and the weight of the accusation stunned her.

Detective Reynolds' eyes remained stoic, and the glint of suspicion in his eyes left Nicole haunted. Meanwhile, Kevin, in a disheveled shirt and off-white striped pajamas, was handcuffed and led outside. Shock and frustration etched on his face as he pleadingly looked at his wife.

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"You have the right to remain silent," Detective Reynolds barked, leading Kevin to the cruiser outside. "Anything you say can and will be used against you in court."

Tears welled up in Nicole's eyes as she implored Detective Reynolds. "Please, Detective, this has to be some mistake. Kevin couldn't have done what you're accusing him of."

But her pleas were brushed off as Reynolds thrust Kevin into the cruiser and turned to Nicole, a steely and triumphant spark in his eyes.

"We have evidence, Mrs. Anderson—stolen items from the past...and an eyewitness from the bank that was robbed. Your husband's involved...and we'll do all it takes to bring him to justice. We're yet to know what he did with the other stolen items, most of all, that diamond necklace—a rare piece worth hundreds of thousands of dollars."

The air thickened with desperation and the loud cries of the kids, and Nicole watched Kevin leave with the cops. "Hold on, Kevin. I'll do all it takes to bring you out of this mess. I promise," she whispered, tears soaking into her T-shirt.

Kevin desperately nodded while being led away, his teary eyes still locked with Nicole and his pleas echoing in the silent communication between them.

The cruiser disappeared into the bustling road as Nicole stood in the wreckage of her once-idyllic life, with tears streaming down her cheeks. Little did she know, the storm had just begun.

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The next day dawned, but the sun failed to bring warmth to the Anderson household. The air hung heavy with an unspoken sorrow, and Nicole, with a heavy heart, made breakfast for Harper and Tom. The children cast desperate glances toward the door as if expecting their father to walk through it any moment.

"Mom, can't I stay? I want to help save Dad," Harper pleaded while helping her brother pack his school bag. Nicole was too shaken to respond. The once-happy home now felt grave without Kevin.

"Mom?" Harper's voice shattered the stillness as Nicole turned to her, her eyes filled with sorrow. "I want to go with you to court."

"Sweetheart, you and Tom need to go to school. We will get Dad back, I promise," Nicole assured, her heart racing in her chest like a trapped bird.

"But Mom, you don't understand. How are you going to handle this all alone? Let me stay back with you, please..." Harper desperately pleaded.

"Honey, trust me when I say this—I won't let anything happen to your father. I'll do all it takes to bring him out of this, okay? You have to believe me. Please, take your brother to school."

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Harper painfully nodded and, with eyes downcast, led her brother Tom to the bus stop. The taunts they would receive in school would be menacing. By now, word about their father's arrest would've spread like wildfire after some of Harper's classmates living in the neighborhood saw him being escorted by the police.

Clutching her little brother's hand tight, Harper steeled herself for the unpleasant stares and talks she would be getting in school.

Meanwhile, Nicole left for the lawyer's office before glancing at the living room where Kevin would usually read his newspaper. It echoed with a gloomy silence, turning the once-happy home into an almost funeral-like ambiance.

The cold stares she amassed while walking past the neighbors were menacing. People started identifying Nicole as the 'criminal's wife,' which hurt her even more.

Despite the family's financial standing, their accounts were frozen due to suspicion, and Nicole had no choice but to accept the free legal assistance to secure Kevin's release.

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The lawyer, a man in a somber suit, sat across from Nicole, discussing the charges. "Mrs. Anderson, your husband is facing serious accusations. He was involved in a series of robberies, the most severe being a bank robbery that occurred a decade ago."

Nicole's mind raced, grappling with the weight of the accusations against her husband. "Mr. Morgan, Kevin is innocent. He's being framed for a crime he didn't commit. I'm not sure what they want from us...but he didn't do it.," she cried.

The lawyer sighed while running a glance at the paperwork. "We'll aim to reduce the sentence, Mrs. Anderson," he said, his words a bitter pill to swallow. "There's strong evidence against your husband. At this rate, we might not stand a chance of winning this case. Reducing the sentence is the only way out."

"Reducing the sentence? What about proving his innocence? And what is this damning evidence? Whatever it is, it's made up. Kevin didn't do this!" Nicole, a fire burning within her, objected as she slammed the table in a rage.

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"It's an uphill battle, Mrs. Anderson. Reducing the sentence is our best shot. It's the only way...if not, then..." The lawyer, detached from the emotional turmoil burning within Nicole, squared his shoulders and tossed the file on the table with a gentle thud.

"I'm still trying to help you with what seems to be the best option. But, to put it bluntly, it's a dead end, Mrs. Anderson. The eyewitness from the bank...and the stolen items that were recovered from your house all point to only one thing—your husband did it!"

"This is a setup!" Nicole's frustration boiled over. "Everything goes smoothly in my life for seventeen years. And then one day, the police just walk into my peaceful home, show me a video I posted on social media, claiming my husband was a robber from a decade ago, and arrest him!

"You expect me to just lower my head and listen to all this? I'm sure the police decided Kevin was guilty even before stepping foot in our home. This evidence, the eyewitness, and the stolen items they retrieved are all planted. I'm sure somebody out there is trying to frame my husband...along with the police."

Despite Nicole's pleas, the lawyer was unmoved. "That's up to the court to decide, Mrs. Anderson. I can only help you with the best course of action, which is, to minimize the damage. Convince your husband to confess. It's in his best interest to avoid a lengthy jail sentence."

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Nicole's desperation turned into anger, and she accused the lawyer. "Oh, why don't you cut the bull and tell me you're siding with the police, Mr. Morgan? You're not acting in my husband's best interest…

"The court assigned you for free. So obviously, your lack of interest in this case doesn't surprise me. Just tell me one thing—would you still fight for Kevin if I told you I would write a handsome five-figure check in your name? Are you not giving it your best only because I can't pay you?" Nicole ironically fumed.

A dead silence hung in the air as she grabbed her bag and stormed out of the lawyer's office. Her cries bounced off the cold walls as the lawyer watched her leave.

Back home, the once lively space felt eerily hollow. Harper and Tom sat by the fireplace, expressing their yearning in solemn whispers. "I miss Dad," Harper sighed.

"When's Dad coming back? Why did they take him?" Tom leaned on his sister's shoulder and whispered, tears brimming in his eyes.

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Nicole was torn between being a mother and a wife. She struggled to find answers. She thought she had known everything about Kevin.

In the seventeen years of their marriage, there were no secrets or lies—or that's what she thought. But now, the beautiful castle they had earnestly built over the years was crumbling before her eyes.

"Mom, what did the lawyer say? Dad's innocent, right? Will he bring Dad out?" Harper painfully turned to her mother.

Nicole stood silently by the window, watching the autumn leaves on the lawn. She couldn't muster the courage to tell her kids about her disastrous meeting with the lawyer and their Dad's impending fate behind bars.

But no matter what it took, Nicole knew she would bring the light back into their lives and prepared herself to face another daunting day in the courtroom.

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The trial began the next day, and Nicole was as nervous as a deer caught in headlights. She couldn't shake the feeling that this was a battle she had to fight alone.

As the lawyer presented a strategy focused on minimizing Kevin's sentence, Nicole sprang to her feet with a start. She couldn't let her husband's fate rest in the hands of someone whose main goal was only to reduce the sentence.

"Your Honor!" Nicole addressed the court. "I need to speak."

A murmur of surprise rippled through the courtroom. The judge, a stern man overseeing countless trials, granted her the floor with a nod.

Nicole's heart raced. She knew no technical legal terms they used in court. She was an ordinary housewife and mother of two kids, not an attorney. But Nicole knew that if she didn't stand up for her husband now, nobody would. So, gathering her courage, she took a deep breath and glanced up at the judge.

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"Your Honor, I appreciate the efforts of the assigned counsel," she began, her voice tearing through the quietness like a thunderbolt. "...but I cannot entrust my husband's future to a lawyer who cannot defend him. Kevin is innocent, Your Honor...and that's why I'm forced to defend him on my own."

A rumble of whispers settled in the courtroom. Nicole turned to the lawyer, coldness in her gaze. "No offense intended, Mr. Morgan, but I'll be representing my husband from this point forward," she added, clenching her jaws.

"Mrs. Anderson, I understand your concern. But reducing the sentence is the only option we can think of—" Mr. Morgan rose from his seat, only to be cut off.

The lawyer shook his head and sat back in his chair, clearly frustrated by Nicole's nerves in cutting his arguments off and her audacity to defend her husband despite the mountainous evidence against him.

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As Nicole stood before the court, she knew the odds were against her. Still, she was determined not to let Kevin's fate be sealed without a fight. With all her courage, she turned to the judge and addressed the gathering.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my husband is innocent. The evidence you see has been manipulated...planted by those who seek to see him behind bars."

"Mrs. Anderson, can you be more specific?" the judge interrupted.

"Your Honor," Nicole locked eyes with the jury. "The police want you to believe my husband Kevin's a criminal. But I know him better than anyone. Kevin is not a thief. He's a devoted father and husband. This evidence is fabricated. Everything's been orchestrated to tear our family apart."

Nicole then turned her attention to the claim of the former bank worker, the sole eyewitness to the bank robbery ten years ago. "And this supposed eyewitness from a decade ago? Can we truly believe someone can remember a face so vividly after all these years, Your Honor? Memories fade, details blur... yet they want you to accept this as concrete evidence of guilt."

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Nicole paced the courtroom, her words echoing against the walls as her confidence intensified. "Funny how life works! I couldn't even recall my fifth-grade teacher's face by college graduation. Yet, we're expected to believe he clearly remembers my husband after a whole decade!" Nicole remarked with an ironic smile.

"Your Honor, my husband's life is on the line, and I will not stand by while he's condemned based on questionable evidence and unreliable testimony," Nicole finished, grabbing a glass of cold water from the table.

She could feel her heart pound in her ears. Kevin's fate was now waiting to be written by the judge, who pondered before shifting his gaze to the documents to be signed.

As the other side spoke, Nicole pleaded with the Almighty for a judgment in Kevin's favor. Her ears almost deafened, and disbelief sprang into her eyes when the judge declared his verdict.

As the reality of the judgment settled in, Nicole's shoulders slumped, and the weight of defeat pressed on her. She had fought with everything she had, but the system had failed her...and Kevin.

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What will I tell my children? How will I tell Harper her Dad won't be there to watch her graduate or walk her down the aisle when she gets married? Nicole's heart cracked as she thought.

"Everyone will label them as 'criminal's kids'...God, what am I going to do without Kevin? How will I raise my children alone without him?"

The gavel echoed, sealing Kevin's fate and shattering Nicole, dragging her to the bitter moment. She wanted to drop to her knees and cry. She felt like falling on the judge's feet to reconsider the judgment. But Nicole knew nothing would help. She lost as a wife...and a mother.

Tears welled up in her eyes. People dispersed while some stared at her, whispering their sympathies and some their contempt.

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"This isn't justice. We've been wronged, Kevin. This isn't fair at all. There should be some way to bring you out. But what? God, if you're real...if you exist, please help me. Please help me give my kids their father. Please, Lord..." Nicole whispered as she silently let her tears drop while watching Kevin being escorted by the police.

Before heading home, Nicole hailed a taxi and arrived at the prison. The metallic clang of the prison gates shrilled through the afternoon breeze as Nicole nervously stepped into the cold, stonewall corridor. The weight of her steps mirrored the heaviness in her heart as she passed by a row of cells, her eyes anxiously scanning the faces of the inmates.

A sinking feeling gripped Nicole's chest when she saw him—Kevin, her husband of 17 years—confined behind the metal bars. Her breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight of him. The man she knew and loved was now clad in a steel gray jail uniform.

"Kevin..." Nicole whispered, her voice cracking with emotion and eyes brimming with tears.

"Nicole, you came!" Kevin mustered a faint smile as he clutched the metal rods while tearfully looking into her eyes.

"Of course, I came, silly! I couldn't bear the thought of you here alone. As soon as they moved you here, I dragged myself to see you," Nicole replied, tearing up.

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Their fingers touched through the cold bars. Nicole wanted to cup Kevin's face and snap away his tears but was broken herself. She teased him whenever he cried, saying he looked like a lost little boy in a crowd. The last time she remembered seeing him cry was outside the operation theater while doctors performed heart surgery on Harper, who was five at that time.

"I fought, Kevin. I fought with everything I could...with every little knowledge I had. But they...they didn't listen. They spoke legal terms I couldn't understand. This system failed us, Kevin. They...they took you away from us," Nicole whispered, gently rubbing Kevin's peppered stubble.

His gaze softened. He understood the weight of her struggle. "You did your best, Nicole. I saw it in the courtroom. But, sometimes, the system, law, and rules... are rigid. They don't know what a broken family feels like."

Nicole grew numb at Kevin's words. She shook her head, frustration flowing into her nerves. "No, Kevin, this isn't right. You're innocent. You don't deserve this. Thirty years in prison? Do you have any idea how much of a time that is? I'd be way too old when you return home. Dead even!"

"Nicole, please, don't say that...Nothing will happen to you," Kevin burst into tears at those words.

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"I'll not let this take you away from us, Kevin," Nicole snapped away her tears, anger and annoyance cloaking her eyes. "We can't let them do this to us. We need to fight back. We need to fight for our justice. There's got to be some way...or someone...who can help us."

Suddenly, it struck Kevin like a thunderclap. "Nicole, listen to me. There's someone who can help...someone I trust," he exclaimed, his words lighting Nicole like a bright ray bursting through a dark cloud.

"Who, Kevin? Who can help us?" she wiped away a tear and clasped his hand.

"Jett. My old friend. He knows the ropes, Nicole. He's our last chance. I'm sure he'll find a way out to bring me out of this mess," Kevin mentioned a name.

"Jett? I haven't heard you mention him before. Are you sure he will help us?" Nicole's eyes widened with a glimmer of hope.

"Honey, listen, there's no time for explanations right now. I can't tell you everything here...even the walls have ears, okay? Jett's been through tough times. He knows the legal system, and he's got connections. If anyone can find a way, it's him. You have to meet him."

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A renewed sense of hope fueled Nicole. "I'll contact Jett. Where does he live?"

Kevin looked around. Guards on duty passed by, and he couldn't risk telling Nicole his friend's address. "Go home. You'll find a brown diary in my drawer," he said as Nicole nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.

She turned to leave, a desperate promise lingering in her words. "I promise to bring you back home, Kevin. I promise," she whispered as Kevin watched Nicole's retreating figure disappear across the corridor.

The city lights blurred into a mosaic of flickering stars as Nicole drove across the woods. Kevin had always told her how dangerous this route was at night. But Nicole was ready to take any risk to bring her husband out of jail.

Shuttling her gaze between the car navigation system displaying coordinates to Jett's address she'd found in Kevin's diary and the road, Nicole drove as fast as she could.

Miles stretched ahead as her daunting journey to an unfamiliar neighboring city ended upon arriving outside Jett's cottage. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she unfastened her seatbelt and quickly approached the door.

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Nicole's heart pounded in her chest like a wild animal caught in a snare. She had no idea who this Jett was and if he was trustworthy. But if Kevin trusted someone, there could be no room for doubt, she thought and knocked.

A silhouette in the dimly lit hallway appeared. Nicole's heart raced as she eyed through the stained-glass door and saw a man reach for the knob.

"Yes, can I help you?" he asked, opening the door.

"I'm Nicole—Kevin's wife," Nicole said in a shaky voice. "He is in jail for something he didn't do, Jett. He said you could help us. Please, I need your help to bring my husband out of jail. Please..."

Jett furrowed his brows. Maybe he had thought this was some unwanted trouble coming his way. But it was about Kevin—his old buddy, so Jett couldn't refuse.

"Alright, come in," he motioned for Nicole and walked inside.

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"And they saw this video of our picnic I posted on social media and arrested him for a robbery from ten years ago," she recalled the fateful day Kevin was arrested.

Jett listened, cautiously absorbing every word. "I knew Kevin. We were friends...once. Look, I can't promise miracles. This could seriously put us all in danger. But I'm willing to try for old friendship's sake," he finally shattered the silence.

"Jett, please. We can't lose Kevin. Thirty years behind bars is a long time. I need him. My kids need him. I'll do anything to bring him out. Please help us," Nicole pleaded.

Jett's gaze softened a little. "Alright, I have a plan, but it's risky. We're walking a thin line here. Are you ready for this? It will be a risky adventure for everyone involved, including your kids."

"Anything for Kevin!" Nicole exclaimed, her eyes brimming with fear and hope. "What's the plan?"

"Escape! We get him out, away from the confines of the prison," Jett leaned in.

"Escape? But...but Kevin told me you have connections. I thought you were talking about reopening the case using your influence or something..." Nicole arched her brows in disbelief. "What about the consequences?"

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"Listen, there are times when the law fails. This is one of those times. If we don't act, Kevin's gone for good," Jett's voice hardened. "It's up to you to decide now—do you want to save your husband or leave him at the fate of the prison?"

Nicole grappled with the risks that would follow. Kevin's face flashed before her eyes. Her children's future seemed questionable without him. So she reluctantly nodded her head.

"Alright, Let's do it!" she agreed.

In that dimly lit room, Jett and Nicole began to sketch the daring plan before she left for her town.

It had been a week since she had met Jett, and soon, it was the day to put their plan into motion. Harper and Tom didn't go to school after their mom told them not to. Before leaving, she kissed them on their forehead and told them she would return home with a surprise.

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The prison's stone walls seemed to close in on Nicole as she sat across from Kevin in the visitation room. A cold sweat broke on her forehead. Cautions kept ringing in her mind. One small mistake could land her and Kevin in big trouble. She stared into his eyes before taking off a hairpin from her bun.

It struck Kevin—Nicole hated doing a bun on her hair.

She glanced around and discreetly pushed the hairpin toward Kevin. "Jett said this would work. We need to wait for the right moment," she whispered.

Time crawled, each second feeling like an eternity until a faint fire alarm echoed through the prison. It was orchestrated by Jett, who sneaked into the premises and set the empty warehouse where old items were stored on fire. This was enough for chaos to keep the officers and guards distracted.

Amid the chaos, an officer approached Nicole and Kevin through the automatic door. "Ma'am, follow the crowd toward the exit, and you! Follow me!" he barked.

Kevin and Nicole exchanged a glance. Before she could think of what was about to happen, Kevin knocked down the officer, rendering him unconscious. He dragged the unconscious officer into a dim-lit corridor and swiftly swapped clothes to conceal his identity.

Kevin and Nicole darted into the unknown labyrinth of corridors. "Jett said he'll be waiting for us at the entrance," Nicole gasped.

"We can't take the entrance. Guards and cops would be there. I know another way. Come with me," Kevin urged, leading Nicole down the deserted corridor.

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"Where does this lead, Kevin? How do you know the route?" she panicked.

"A prisoner I befriended here told me about this secret passage and his plan to escape soon. Hurry, there's no time. We need to get out of here before they close in on us," Kevin hastily explained, bolting across the corridor.

Adrenaline coursed through their veins as they navigated the maze of corridors, finally emerging at a secret exit concealed from the prying eyes of security cameras. However, they arrived at a dead end—the secret passage was barricaded with barbed wire, offering only enough space for one person to pass through at a time.

Kevin took a deep breath and squeezed through the narrow gap. "Watch me, Nicole. Follow my lead," he instructed.

Nicole followed Kevin, and in a couple of minutes, they landed on the other side of the exit. Nicole's hands and shoulders bore fresh crimson bruises. But that pain didn't matter to her. Her Kevin was out of jail, in her arms. She hugged and kissed him all over, thanking every force on earth for helping him come out.

Suddenly, a distant rumble of a car startled them. "Guys, I was waiting at the entrance. Hop in, quick!" Jett opened the door as Nicole and Kevin hurried inside and disappeared down the road.

Nicole was so happy in Kevin's arms in the backseat, but little did she know things would not be as pleasant as they seemed.

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Laughter echoed through the walls when Harper and Tom saw their Dad enter their home. "Dad? Is it really you?" Harper hugged Kevin and cried.

"We missed you, Dad! Don't ever leave us and go," little Tom sniffled.

Kevin hugged his children. "Pack your bags. We need to leave this town tonight," he told them.

Something didn't feel right, and Nicole couldn't shake off the fear that was taking over. "Kevin, I thought you were going to stay with Jett...in his old farmhouse until we prove your innocence in court. Why do you want all of us to leave the town?" she approached her husband.

"We don't have the time for that, Nicole. It's not that simple. Just do as I say—pack your bags...we're leaving this house. We'd get ourselves into huge trouble if we stay here," Kevin added, sweat forming on his forehead as he ran around, grabbing only the essentials and enough clothes needed.

"But we need to clear your name. We can't run away like this, Kevin. This doesn't seem right..." Nicole's frustration bubbled.

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"Nicole, sometimes running away is the only option. Trust me. Once we're out of this town, nobody can find us. We can live peacefully...away from this law, police, and every threat waiting to destroy our family."

"What about the kids? Their school...and your job?" Nicole argued.

"Nicole, life is more important than our kids' school and my job. I need to be there for you guys. Please quit wasting time. Hurry up before the cops come here looking for me."

Amid the tension, Kevin rushed to the attic. Nicole followed him for an explanation, only to freeze when she saw her husband taking out what looked like a jewel box from beneath the floorboard in the attic.

"What's in there, Kevin?" she nervously asked, her voice trembling.

Kevin didn't pay attention to her or bother to answer. He flipped open the box, revealing a velvet lining that held a single, stunning diamond necklace that made Nicole's heart pound—it was the same diamond necklace that was robbed from the bank ten years ago. She'd seen pictures of it listed in the missing, stolen items in court.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Getty Images

Kevin fixed his gaze on the necklace and nodded with a heavy sigh. "Yes, Nicole, I did. Ten years ago, I robbed a bank. I did it for us..."

"You robbed a bank? Jesus Christ...then the cops were..." Nicole found herself at a loss for words.

"The cops were right. I was a part of this gang that robbed the bank. But trust me...it was my last ever heist...and I did it for Harper. I thought it was the only way to save her life and pay for her heart surgery," Kevin broke down into tears as he recounted.

"How could you, Kevin? How could you hide such a dark secret from me?" Nicole lashed out at Kevin.

"Nicole, we have a chance at a new life," Kevin cupped Nicole's face. "We can start from scratch...and be happy. I'm sorry for hiding the truth. I was afraid you'd leave me. I left the dirty job and that gang as soon as Harper's heart surgery was over."

"Then what was this diamond necklace doing in our house, Kevin?" Nicole stared daggers at him.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Getty Images

"I handed over all the robbed items to my boss...but I don't know what got into me. I kept a few stolen items and hid them in the house, hoping they would be useful for our future. And this necklace is among them," Kevin confessed.

"God, I had been married to a thief all my life!" Nicole cried, holding her head in shock. "My kids' father is a long-wanted criminal. And now, even I'm a part of this. You dragged us into this mess, Kevin."

"Mom, Dad, we're ready to leave," Harper shouted and interrupted them.

Nicole swallowed her unspoken words and tears. "Are you with me, Nicole? We can leave this town...escape the shadows of our past. And start fresh with our kids somewhere nobody can find us," Kevin looked into her eyes.

A heavy silence lingered. "Nicole, trust me, this is our only chance. We have to take it," Kevin added. Nicole nodded and grabbed her bag.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Getty Images

In five minutes, the family left their home that once cradled their laughter and tears in search of freedom and a life away from the danger stalking them. On their drive, Nicole asked Kevin about the meeting spot with Jett.

"He'd be waiting for us at the deserted route on the edge of the woods!" Kevin revealed.

Half an hour later, they arrived at the spot. Kevin and Jett hugged as Nicole watched her husband grab some fake documents and train tickets.

"I hope you turned off all your cell phones. They can easily track you down," Jett said.

Kevin's eyes landed on Nicole's phone. "Don't worry. I threw the SIM. My phone is offline," she said.

Just as Jett and Kevin hugged again before parting ways, the silence of the deserted road was shattered by the screech of tires and the flashing lights of police cruisers. Fear coursed through Kevin.

He froze in place when Detective Reynolds and his team emerged and surrounded them with their guns drawn. Nicole's heart thudded heavily as she whispered a silent apology to her husband.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

"Well, well, look who decided to show up!" Detective Reynolds declared. "Thanks for texting us the location and making our job easier, Mrs. Anderson."

Warm beads of tears rolled down Nicole's cheeks as she watched the cops arrest her husband. Kevin was too shaken. His eyes remained fixed on Nicole. Meanwhile, Jett tried to flee but was apprehended.

"Nicole...why did you..." Kevin whispered as Nicole clutched her phone.

"You'll have to come down to the station to record your statement, Mrs. Anderson," Detective Reynolds interrupted. "And don't worry. We'll ensure you and your kids are safe."

Torn between love and loyalty, Nicole felt a battle raging inside her. Her mind applauded her for exposing the truth and bringing Kevin to justice. But her heart ached for the man she loved, the father of her children.

Nicole wrapped Harper and Tom into a tight embrace. "It's going to be okay. Mommy is there for you," she whispered, tears streaming down her face as she watched the police cruiser disappear.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

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