MasukAfter the trial ended, I walked out of the courthouse alone."Ms. Hudson." A familiar voice called out.I turned, and it was Judy. She had taken off her judge's robe and was now dressed in casual clothes.She walked over and looked at me with a mix of sympathy and encouragement. "Don't be too upset. It's all over now, and at least things turned out in your favor."She paused, then added softly, "Life is still long. From now on, I hope you live for yourself. Keep moving forward."I nodded, feeling a warm rush of relief and gratitude."Thank you," I said.She smiled, her gaze drifting past my shoulder toward something in the distance."Go. Don't keep him waiting."I followed her gaze and saw George standing quietly under a massive maple tree.The setting sun cast long shadows behind him. He watched me from a distance, his eyes just as clear and hesitant as they had been over thirty years ago. The hazy memories gradually became clearer in the twilight.I remembered.He was t
I reached into my briefcase and pulled out two documents, handing one to the bailiff."This is a copy of a massive life insurance and family trust policy my children purchased three months ago for my husband and me."My gaze swept coldly across the siblings, whose faces had already drained of all color."Please take note of the policy's purchase date. It was exactly one week before they first urged me to divorce. Now, look carefully at the beneficiary clause."It clearly states that the policyholders are Timothy and me. If one party causes the marriage to fail through gross misconduct and is legally stripped of marital assets, that party automatically loses all rights to the benefits. All insurance money and trust assets will go to the designated beneficiaries, namely my children, Clark and Melody."The courtroom fell into stunned silence.The neighbors who had just been yelling at me now stared at Clark and Melody with disgust and contempt."Oh my God! Can people really be this
The bailiff connected George's phone to the courtroom's sound system.Soon, Melody's clear, urgent voice filled the room."George, my mom is shy. You need to take the initiative!"Just hang around our neighborhood more, create chances to 'bump into' her, talk to her, show her you care..."Here's my dad's business trip schedule. Pick the right time..."Yes, these few days. I'll find a way to invite you over, give my mom a surprise!"One recording after another played, leaving everyone in the room reeling.In the recordings, Melody no longer sounded like the pitiful daughter she had pretended to be in court. Instead, she sounded calculating and manipulative, carefully guiding the whole scheme. She went step by step, instructing George on how to pursue me.In the gallery, the mood shifted instantly."Oh my God! This is what a daughter would do? Help her own mother find a lover?""Domestic abuse? Her dad's face is red with anger. He doesn't seem like the violent type at all!""T
Judy nodded and granted my request."Call the witness, George Carter, to the stand."The moment the judge said his name, the three people at the plaintiff's table went pale.They never expected me to summon the alleged "lover" himself as my witness.The courtroom fell into a mix of shock and suspicion.The side door opened, and George entered with a serious look.Before he even reached the witness stand, Timothy completely lost control.He sprang up from his chair and pointed a shaking finger at George, his eyes bloodshot with rage."It's you! You are the scoundrel! The homewrecker! How dare you show your face here!"Clark and Melody immediately joined in, pointing and shouting."Yes! That's him! Your Honor, he's the man involved with my mother!""We saw it ourselves! He's the homewrecker!"For a moment, the gallery seemed ready to storm the stand and throw eggs at George.Insults and curses flew through the air."Order in the court! Mr. Smith, control your group! Any mor
My question instantly tore a hole in their carefully constructed logic.The entire courtroom fell silent.Yeah, if I really wanted to cheat, and my kids were already pushing for a divorce, why wouldn't I just go through with it?Why choose the dumbest, most self-destructive way to ruin my own reputation?It made no sense.Timothy was never the sharpest, and he froze at my words. His gaze began to wander, a flicker of doubt crossing his eyes. He seemed unsure, maybe even slightly persuaded by what I had said.He probably couldn't figure out my true motive.Seeing their father on the verge of wavering, Clark panicked. He jumped to his feet, speaking before anyone else could."Your Honor! I know why!"He turned toward me, eyes full of pain and disappointment."It's because my mom cares about her reputation. She's afraid that if she divorces and immediately finds another man, the neighbors will gossip about her! So she wanted to drag things out. After the rumors die down, she'd a
My children took turns attacking me with insults and accusations without a hint of hesitation.I knew Timothy well. As I listened to his breathing grow heavier, I could tell he was starting to waver.A few more days passed. I had been watching the calendar, and the timing was right.I dialed a number calmly. "How's the thing I asked you to prepare coming along?""Don't worry," the voice on the other end replied. "Everything is ready."Sure enough, two days later in the afternoon, the doorbell rang. A summons from the city court was handed to me.The plaintiff, Timothy, accused me of cheating during our marriage. He demanded a divorce and that I, as the party at fault, leave the marriage with nothing.As I stepped into the courtroom again, I felt completely calm. There wasn't a ripple of emotion stirring inside me.The gallery was full. Neighbors had come to watch the drama unfold. They whispered and pointed at me. Their scornful and curious eyes felt like needles pricking my sk







