Riley sat alone in the kitchen her fifth cup of coffee already cold at 3: in the morning and still Nathan hadn't returned it wasn't the first time he disappeared on a drinking binge but lately it felt like a constant cycle women Riley mused to herself always fretting about husbands coming home late suspecting infidelity but not her Nathan's only Affair was with alcohol with a heavy sigh she acknowledged her dislike for his excessive drinking but she felt powerless to stop it Nathan pinned the blame on her claiming she was controlling and unwilling to listen their differing
professions had never been an issue until their children left for college altering the dynamic of their relationship Riley had pleaded with Nathan to lay off discussing her profession often ending in tears but it seemed he just couldn't help himself Riley's husband once a sharp and promising lawyer had spiraled into heavy drinking he used to confine his drinking to home or a local bar but now he' drink anywhere any time without a care Riley saw the pattern worsening her husband had lost faith in himself completely and nothing seemed to shake him from this slump when Nathan
got drunk he turned into a raging Storm trying to assert dominance over Riley but his attempts fell flat thanks to her profession Riley knew more than just the basics of self-defense it pained her deeply to witness the man she loved attempting to harm her it felt wrong and she sensed that if it persisted she'd have no choice but to walk away from the relationship despite the years they'd spent together enduring such treatment wasn't worth it to her the sound of the key turning in the lock signaled Nathan's arrival home Riley silently hoped he'd head straight
for the living room and crash on the sofa a routine when he'd had too much to drink but her wish went unanswered instead he made his way to the kitchen flicking on the light with a drunken grin well well well look who's back our esteemed boss Nathan slurred are you not tired of this Nathan Riley questioned tired how could I be I'm just having a blast but you my dear you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders with that serious job of yours you're the boss and I'm just a simple man he retorted
Riley winced she'd never boasted about her work and always tried to support Nathan it puzzled her how he suddenly saw her as Superior both physically and intellectually this new attitude baffled her as Nathan had never shown jealousy or insecurity even regarding her successful career she couldn't help but wonder what had triggered this change in him Riley was determined to unravel the the mystery and helped Nathan understand that they were equals regardless of their differences she grew more convinced that something or someone must have influenced Nathan's new mindset he'd never been one to compare himself negatively
to others Nathan enough is enough you can't keep this up every day don't you hate it yourself Riley questioned Nathan hiccuped fumbled with the faucet spilling water everywhere then threw the glass and near stumbled quiet down the boss is home he slammed his fist on the table and collapsed to the floor unconscious Riley fought back tears leaning over her husband listen carefully if you won't do this the right way we'll do it another way she dialed the phone Vincent send the car and a few discreet helpers to my place now Riley instructed Mrs Brooks you
got a body there needing disposal Vincent chuckled almost Vincent almost Riley replied Nathan was out cold when he was put in the car upon waking he found himself in a hallway facing Riley what's happening he asked she replied nonchalantly nothing much Riley then told him that she had arranged for him to spend the night in a cell with a group of women who were serving long-term sentences she added by the way three of them murdered their husbands because of their Al alcohol addiction Riley are you insane too late dear you never listened she said Turning
Away exhausted the door closed with a clang and she heard gasps from inside she thought she didn't care anymore or at least she tried not to for 5 years Riley had led the Women's Correctional Facility with an iron hand wrapped in a velvet glove her leadership skills and Resolute nature were renowned though she seemed G she possessed an unyielding character with a Clear Vision and high standards she set the bar not just for herself but for her team as well Riley's dedication and Readiness to make tough calls made her an effective head of the facility
she was known as a leader who tolerated No Nonsense prioritizing the safety and Welfare of those under her care Above All Else her unwavering determination had garnered respect from both her staff and the inmates establishing her as a revered and accomplished figure in her field meanwhile Nathan sobered up a little now there was only one thought running through his head his wife's patience is not limited oh what a good-look man they've thrown in here with us a woman said something must be up with our Riley they approached him they were all serving different sentences so
who the heck are you what did you do to annoy our princess so much that she assigned you to us one of them asked Nathan realized that they weren't going to attack him right away so he smiled slightly I'm the husband of your princess what nah that can't be true the women said in disbelief Nathan reached into his pocket for his driver's license and showed it to them they shook their heads and then returned the license back to him what the heck are you doing here then Nathan smiled guess my wife's attempting to fix me
she's got her own way of doing things one of the inmates looked at him thoughtfully my husband also wanted me to shut up about his drinking problem and where is he now she said shrugging and sitting down at the table Nathan looked at her in confusion he thought that since they didn't attack him they would all sit together and talk about how bad of a wife Riley was but the conversation took an unexpected turn another woman tugged at his sleeve let's get you a cup of coffee you look like you've had a rough night seems
we won't be disturbed until morning so you can unwind I'm Phoenix and this is Lauren she introduced gesturing towards the woman seated at the table over there are Kendall and Tanya she added indicating two more women I'm Nathan nice to meet you he said and sat down at the table with them they gave him a cup of coffee which tasted like it's not the first time it's been brewed he took a sip and asked Lauren so where is your husband I'm sorry but you didn't finish your story Lauren turned to him he's done and I'm
in here my children are in the children's home and what did alcohol have to do with it Nathan asked do you really want to know I'll tell you if you're interested she said he hesitated then Shrugged okay if you insist my husband he started drinking couldn't stop even though we were about to celebrate our 10th anniversary at first I didn't get it then I found out his work buddy was taking him to casinos After Hours the kind with slot machines and free drinks her voice cracked I begged him pleaded with him to stop said it
wouldn't end well he just get drunk yell at me to shut up I'm the man I know what I'm doing that's all he would say then he lost big really big they came after him threatened us he didn't tell me just drank more to forget died from whatever it is too much booze does to you and then they came for me for the kids said we owed them the apartment on top of the money I told them to get lost one of them he grabbed my son said if I didn't cooperate we were all done
for something snapped in me the fear in my boy's eyes I just grabbed the kitchen knife went into I don't even know what to call it one was on the floor before they knew what hit them the other one I got him too out in the hallway self-defense but her voice trailed off it won't bring my kids back Nathan sat there stunned he'd read stories like this never thought he'd be next to someone who actually lived it silence hung heavy in the cell another woman Annie broke it with her own tale of hardship he wanted
to say something comforting but every word felt like a cliche his desire to drink had faded replaced by the echo of a young woman's sobs she started talking about how it wasn't her fault about her mom dying and her dad's new woman and the debts something about being given away to pay for it all and how in desperation she'd Nathan couldn't just sit there that sounds like self-defense he burst out Phoenix gave him an almost amused look you sound like a lawyer thing is girl like Kendall there she wouldn't have the money to get one
and the guy she attacked had connections frustration gnawed at him a thought was forming but he couldn't quite grasp it yet Kendall Nathan approached my name's Nathan I used to be a lawyer quit a while back which was dumb but can you tell me what happened every single detail names of anyone who might know something about it I can't promise I can fix it but I'll try I swear I'll give it my best shot Kendall looked at him startled then at Phoenix the older woman seemed to be the one in charge Phoenix gave Nathan a
hard look you going to keep your word no false hope for this girl she's had enough of that already I said i' do what I can Nathan insisted meanwhile Riley felt out of her depth she messed up bad Nathan would be furious might go right back to drinking for a moment she thought about ordering him brought to her but then no that wouldn't help instead she called Johnson and a few guards then headed to the cell Riley wasn't sure what she'd find there maybe those women would attack her on sight when the door swung open
she froze the cell was quiet Nathan sat at a table the prisoners around him they were talking even smiling a little Nathan turned saw her oh hey Riley he sounded normal not angry at all Riley was speechless this was all wrong what's what's going on she managed to ask Nathan stood and left the cell waving goodbye to the women as they wished him luck even the guards looked bewildered this cell was usually the worst Nathan are you okay Riley asked as they hurried down the hallway yeah I'm fine listen we need to get home I
need to clean up there's someone I need to find Riley felt lost her husband had struggled with drinking for so long yet here he was a weak sober and almost like a stranger it was a good change but so sudden it left her dizzy hope and confusion tumbled around in inside her she didn't know how this happened but maybe maybe they had a chance now she needed to understand what happened in that cell Nathan you keep leaving and is there something you're not telling me he turned to her that young woman in your cell Kendall
I think she shouldn't be there her life's been ruined and it's the stepmother and that man she hurt who belong in prison I'm sorry I didn't say earlier but I'm I'm deep into her case File trying to see if there's any way to help Riley just stared at him then a smile spread across her face wow my Nathan really is back she said rushing to hug him tight I'm sorry honey I was such a fool he said thank you for for getting me back on track for six long months Nathan worked he was obsessed driven
to see Justice Done the retrial when it finally came it was all because of him he found Witnesses people who could tell the real story he even tracked down a crooked doctor who'd lied in the first trial it was hard there were setbacks but Nathan wouldn't give up this trial it would be different and he was determined to succeed the verdict echoed through the courtroom not guilty Kendall swayed tears streaming down her face too weak to stand she sank into her chair the weight of the last few years crushing her Nathan was beside her in
an instant offering not just legal support but a hand to hold on to an older woman rushed into the chaos her own sobs mirroring kendles my baby girl she choked out it was Kendall's grandmother drawn there by news she thought too awful to be true the reunion was a tangle of grief and hope of years lost and the promise of a future however uncertain outside the courthouse Nathan and Riley stood side by side watching the scene unfold I've never been more proud of you Riley said her voice thick with emotion Nathan smiled but his fatigue
was clear just then a boy darted up breathless shoving an envelope at him delivery he shouted then vanished into the crowd inside a single neatly written note the fireplace table for two reserved in the prison they respect those who keep their word Nathan laughed the sound weary but genuine well Riley looks like your girls are buying us dinner he didn't mention the deeper implication that Phoenix and the others knew his fight for Kendall wasn't over there were darker players behind her suffering still at large Nathan tucked the note in his pocket the walk back to
the car was quiet each of them lost in thought he glanced at Riley saw the concern etched on her face yet in his exhaustion there was an undeniable flicker of something else not excitement but a grim determination he'd battled his own demons found a way back from the brink now another fight lay ahead he'd started this seeking Redemption for Kendall and for himself but looking out at the bustling City street he realized something this was bigger than both of them the women in that prison the countless others unseen they wouldn't be victims anymore he wouldn't
let them and maybe just maybe they held the key to bringing the real villains down
