Chapter 6: The fall

Chapter 6

Derrick's POV

"I also have evidence of Derrick begging me to take the fall for his crimes," Natasha announced and my eyes snapped to her.

No. She can't. She couldn't.

There was no way she would have been able to acquire that. I made sure of it. I made sure the cameras in the mansion were 'down for maintenance' a few days before.

But seeing the smug smile playing on her lips as her lawyer played the video to the whole courtroom, I knew it wasn't just a claim.

And just to confirm my fears, my desperate voice echoed through the speaker and the once noisy court went silent.

Dead silent. Suffocating even, as the only sounds in my ears were the raging of my heartbeat and my incriminating pleas over the speaker.

"Please... Babe... Please I need you to do this for me... This is important to me. To us. If my father finds out I did it, I'll lose everything I've ever worked for."

I didn't need to listen to the remaining part of the video as memories from that night flooded my brain.

I didn't need to look up to know my father was looking at me. I could feel the daggers he's throwing my way.

Hell, I could even imagine him yelling at me if we weren't in public.

'How could you be so sloppy?'

I dreaded looking up afraid of what I would see on my father's face but that shouldn't have been my concern.

At least nothing prepared me for what was coming as I heard my daughter's soft shaky voice.

"Daddy," my head snapped towards the voice. A little too fast as I felt a sprain. However, the sprain was nothing compared to the hurt and sadness that greeted me as my eyes met Rose's. "You lied that mom was dead."

It wasn't a question, it was a statement. A damning one.

I rushed up towards Rose, stooping to her level, desperate to explain but before I could, she stepped back, eyes filled with anger and fear.

"Princess... I," my words were cut off as I heard Natasha's lawyer continue with their defense.

"We have also prepared for witnesses to back our claims, your honor."

Recovering from the shock of the video, the judge cleared his throat and nodded, "Call in your witnesses."

"I'd like to invite, Miss Diamond Robinson." The lawyer called out. Diamond, my only sister, someone I have never considered a threat, strode in.

"Diamond?" I called out to her and got a pointed glare in return as she walked into the witness box.

"I'll also like to bring in the next witness, Spencer Robinson."

The door opened again and I felt my world crash.

My father's colourful words, floated to my ears and my knees buckled as Spencer my supposedly dead brother walked into the courtroom, confident and unbothered as I remember him to be.

"Spen... Spencer?" I choked, hoping, praying that all this was nothing but a nightmare and none of it was true.

But as always, Karma always gets you when you least expect it.

"This is nonsense! Absolutely nonsense!" My father bellowed, snapping me out of my daze as he shot out of his seat. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean, father?" Spencer replied with a smile. "Aren't you happy to see your son alive after five years?"

For the first time, I saw my father choke on his words as his eyes darted between Spencer and I. From the look in his eye I knew he was about to make a choice between the two of us.

"Father..." I pleaded, my voice barely above a whisper but it got the message across as he took a deep breath and calmed. His jaw set as his emotionless eyes met my Spencer's.

"Of course, I am happy to see you alive. However, we all know you shouldn't be here," my father stated, his voice devoid of any emotion and I breathed out a sigh, knowing he had made his choice.

"If you aren't dead you should be in jail, not out here doing whatever you are about to do." My father pointed out. "Aren't you tired of destroying the family name?"

"Destroying family name?" Spencer sneered as his eyes flickered. "You make me look like the bad guy here when your precious son not only embezzled your money but also sent his wife to prison to take a fall for his crimes only to marry another woman in her absence."

"If that's what the family name is, I'd rather not be part of it!"

"Spencer Knox Robinson!" My father growled, his jaw ticking as his hands clenched against the desk. It's always been the sign before his anger erupted like a loose volcano.

"Is that a lie?" Spencer replied. "Let's not add the charges of him framing me up and then trying to shut me up forever."

"I didn't.."

"He did no such thing!" My father interrupted, taking the word right out of my mouth.

"Really? Spencer snickered. "Are you sure he didn't? Wait, you aren't. You are just glad the cowardly son took out the rebellious one."

"Enough!" The judge yelled as he slammed his gavel, bringing order back to the courtroom. "This is no place to have a family altercation!"

"Proceed with the hearing or leave the courtroom!"

I watched with bated breath as my sister testified against me. Telling the whole court how unfit I am to have Rose in my custody due to my negligence in taking care of her.

I watched as my brother provided more evidence of me having Natasha take the fall for me embezzlement while also collecting loans in her name while she was in jail.

"You are not really going to believe anything he says right?" My father scoffed, his voice loud enough for the whole court to hear. "He's an ex- convict here to support another ex-convict."

"He's even worse, he ran away from prison! Who knows if all the evidence they are providing is forged?" He continued.

"Your honor, all the evidence has been confirmed to be legitimate." The lawyer interrupted my father.

Hearing his word, the judge gave a nod and looked around the room, his eyes flickering to Natasha, then to Rose and finally settling on me.

"Miss Natasha Morris," the judge paused. "I would like to get you the justice that you deserve but this is a family court. So after this, you sue him for defamation of character."

"But for now, I congratulate you for your success. You'll have Full custody of your daughter Rose Robinson and a claim to Derrick Robinson's property after the divorce papers are signed." She announced and Natasha beamed a joyful tear slipping down her face while I felt the pain of ten thousand needles stabbing into my heart.

"Your honor, my client would like to make a demand," the lawyer's voice once again cut off the noise in the room.

"Go ahead,"

"I have no use for his property but in exchange, I would like to have my daughter drop his last name."

"Preposterous!" My father yelled. "You will do no such thing!"

Ignoring my father's outburst, the judge turned to Natasha, "You have the permission to change her last name."

***

"Now what?" Florida asked as she finally stopped scrolling through internet.

I stopped my pacing, something I have been doing since I got back from the courtroom, while ignoring my father's continuous call.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean what will you do now?" She repeated. "You are not going to allow this to continue to rot will you?"

"You already have a plan to turn the tables right?" She continued, her annoyance mounting at my silence.

"There's nothing I can do, babe" I confessed. "All the evidence is conclusive."

"What do you mean nothing?" Florida sneered. "I have a reputation to keep which extends to you as well considering you are my husband!"

"Have you seen what the Internet is saying about you? About us? About Me!" She screamed. "My career is on the line here and you are telling me there's nothing you can do?"

"There really is nothing I can do," I repeated. "Natasha... Natasha is clean. She never did any of those things and I have no way to turn the tables."

"Then you find one! For goodness sake. Frame her up again or anything! I need my name cleared and I don't care what you do to that crazy hag!"

"SHUT UP!" I yelled, slamming the closest thing to me towards her. "Just shut up!"

"This is all his fault!" I yelled, slowly losing my mind as the image of Natasha walking out of the courtroom with Spencer replayed in my mind.

"If it wasn't for my father I wouldn't have to give them up! It's all his fault!" I growled as I sent the antique flower vase on the table flying again.

"You are crazy," Florida's scornful and fear filled words rolled into my ears as she moved away from me. "And a coward!"

"So what if your father made you give them up?" She sneered. "He also made you everything you are! It was your choice to do everything, stop being a coward and accept reality!"

Her words were like a bucket of iced water quelling my rage. "Yes.. Yes. I'm a coward." I breathed out a laugh. "Of course I am."

"I'm done here," Florida announced as she picked up her car keys. Even though she was trying to sound tough, I could see how her shaky hands clenched around the keys.

"If you do don't do something to save yourself from all these mess. I'm not going down with you. I have a reputation to protect." Was the last thing I heard as she stormed out of the mansion.