Chapter 2

The waves of condemnation slammed into me, but I could not have cared less. I stood there as if it had nothing to do with me at all.

Daisy cried even harder. "Mrs. Cole, it was obviously Lucas. Why are you refusing to admit it? I am only eighteen. How am I supposed to face people in the future? How am I supposed to live after this?"

She sobbed as she pounded her fists against her own head, her despair so raw that many people in the courtroom could not help but redden around the eyes.

Fiona was heartbroken beyond measure. She pointed at my face and cursed, "Mrs. Cole, you are a parent too. How can you be this cold-blooded? If the victim today were your daughter, could you still be this indifferent?"

I sneered. "My son is being framed. What is wrong with me defending my own child?"

I knew very clearly that Lucas could never have done something so absurd. Nevertheless, in their eyes, I was nothing more than someone desperately making excuses.

The murmurs from the jury gallery grew louder and louder.

"This woman is beyond saving."

"She has completely lost her conscience just to shield her son."

"If the mother is this shameless, what kind of person could the son possibly be?"

The courtroom instantly descended into chaos. The judge frowned and struck the gavel.

"Order! Since both sides are holding to their own accounts, each party will now present their evidence."

As soon as the words fell, Daisy's lawyer, Rachel Whitman, immediately stood up and spoke with righteous indignation, "Your Honor, we have sufficient evidence to prove that the defendant, Lucas Cole, committed assault against my client, Daisy Harper."

She gestured for Daisy to speak and recount what had happened that night.

Daisy took a deep breath. Her voice trembled as she began describing the so-called events of the crime.

"That night, around ten o'clock, I was heading home from my tutoring class. The elevator in that building happened to be broken, so I had to take the stairs. When I reached the 26th floor, someone suddenly covered my mouth from behind.

"I struggled with all my strength, but Lucas was very strong. He dragged me straight up to the rooftop and threatened me, saying I had to keep him company."

I raised my brow and pressed her. "How can you be sure that person was Lucas?"

Daisy met my gaze and choked out her answer, "I... I know it was him. I saw his face.

"Lucas forced me to take off my clothes. I shook my head and refused, but he lifted his hand and grabbed my neck. He said… he said that if I did not obey, he would strangle me to death...

"I was so scared. I had no choice. I could only give in..."

By the time she reached this point, she was crying so hard she could barely breathe, both hands clutching the hem of her clothes.

Everyone in the room pitied her supposed suffering.

Everyone except me.

I knew with absolute certainty that she was lying.

I pointed it out in front of everyone. "Daisy, you are lying."

At my words, Daisy's entire body began to tremble. She lost control of her emotions and screamed at me, "Lying? Mrs. Cole, how could I use my own purity to lie? Why do you have to be so heartless and force me like this? Look at the injuries on my body. Look at how your son tortured me!"

She went completely hysterical, tearing at her own clothes and exposing even more bruises of varying shades.

Rachel rushed forward and wrapped an arm around the collapsing Daisy, then pointed at me sharply. "Defendant, on what grounds do you claim my client is lying? The injuries on Daisy's body are irrefutable proof. Your baseless accusations constitute secondary harm to the victim!"

I looked coldly at the indignant lawyer and said clearly, "If she had truly seen my son, she would never say something this ridiculous."

On the day Lucas and I moved in, the Harpers saw only me.

From beginning to end, Lucas never once appeared in front of them.

If they had ever actually seen my son, they would never have pinned a crime like assault on him.