Chapter 2

When Alex finished, Hazel wrapped her arms around him, and they broke down in tears.

The gallery exploded with fury.

"That's right! We're all witnesses! Let him be when he gets old!"

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to speak. "I didn't cheat. The court will deliver nothing but justice."

The man I had grown up with hurled a water bottle straight at my head. "Justice? Please. You've been cutting corners your whole life. Everyone knows!"

That was enough to ignite the room. Bottles flew toward me from every direction, and the courtroom descended into chaos.

Several bottles struck me square in the forehead. I clutched my head and crouched down. My chest convulsed with pain, my breath came in gasps, and I crumpled to the floor, groaning.

Hazel noticed my heart condition was acting up and rushed over. She waved frantically at the crowd. "Stop! Please stop. No matter what, he's still my husband."

Her words only made things worse.

Someone in the gallery shouted, "He's an animal! Don't pity him, Hazel!"

Court security quickly restrained those who had lost control.

When the crowd finally settled, I was lying on the floor, my body twitching.

"Dear, are you alright?" Hazel kneeled beside me, pressing her hands against my chest, shaking me desperately. "Please be okay! I'll agree to the divorce, alright? Your well-being is all that matters!"

Alex pulled her away. "Mom, let him be."

"No matter what, he's still your father."

"No. He's not my father. He doesn't deserve to call himself that," Alex answered and pulled her aside.

My hands shook as I took out the emergency heart medication from my pocket and swallowed it.

Once the order was restored, the guards in the court helped me up.

"Order!" the judge said. "Any further disruptions will be punished. The trial will now begin. The plaintiff, Bryan Zimmer, and the defendant, Hazel Cooper, prepare to proceed!"

I forced myself upright and returned to the plaintiff's table.

Hazel wiped her tears and slowly moved to the defendant's side. "So all these years together don't mean a thing compared to a few words from that woman?"

I pressed a hand to my chest, memories surfacing one after another.

Indeed, she had taken care of everything—home, family, all of it. I was always away, either away on business or sent to another city for work.

The gallery had settled down, but the muttering and taunts continued.

"Go through with it, Hazel. You'll win! Choose the death penalty and be done with him."

"That's right. Alex has a bright future. Don't waste your life on a lousy man like him!"

Hazel hesitated. Tears slid down her face as she looked at me. "If you withdraw the case, we can go back and be together again. If you lose the case, you'll suffer terribly."

The people in the gallery groaned in frustration.

"Hazel is too kind! That's how he keeps taking advantage of her."

Suddenly, I stood. I clutched the bottle of pills tightly and uttered through clenched teeth, "I agree! Let the death penalty be the punishment!"

Laughter rippled through the room.

"Another man rushing to his own grave. Might as well sit back and enjoy the show."

Hazel let out a long sigh and tightened her grip on Alex's hand. "If that's the punishment you've chosen, then I accept it."

The judge struck the gavel. "Both parties have agreed on the same consequence. Death will be imposed on the losing side. The trial will now proceed."

Court staff rolled in the memory extraction equipment.

Hazel straightened, putting on a brave face. "I consent to the public release of my extracted memories. I ask the court to judge fairly."

The judge nodded. "The court will conduct a fair and transparent trial. All proceedings are subject to review."