جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 280

Emmeline pivoted slowly to see Yuna walking toward them with measured steps, her high heels striking the marble floor with precise clicks.Richard trailed close behind, his expression a carefully constructed mask of innocence that made Emmeline's stomach turn.Yuna's charcoal gray suit spoke of authority and professionalism, her hair pulled back in a severe bun that emphasized the sharp angles of her face. She carried her briefcase like a weapon and her knuckles white around the handle."How can you defend someone like him?" Minnie's voice turned cold. The warmth from moments ago completely vanished.Yuna's eyes narrowed. She stopped before them and her lips curled into something too sharp to be called a smile. "How can you stand beside someone like her?"Minnie's face fell, momentarily stunned by Yuna's sharp words. The two women had once been friends, part of the same social circle, but the current divide between them seemed unbridgeable.Yuna's gaze shifted to Emmeline. "I bet you k

Emmeline bit her lower lip. She struggled to maintain her composure as all eyes in the courtroom focused on her.The weight of their collective gaze felt physical."No," she said finally firmly despite the storm of emotions churning inside her. "I didn't feel angry. I expected him to refuse."Yuna's lips curled into a sly smile that didn't reach her eyes. She paced slowly in front of the witness stand confidently, unlike Emmeline who could feel herself wilting under the pressure."Have you been faithful to your husband, Mrs. Maine?" Yuna delivered the question with precision, knowing exactly where to cut deepest.The question almost knocked the air out of Emmeline’s lungs. Her hands trembled slightly as she placed them on the polished wood of the witness stand, fingers splaying out as if seeking something solid to anchor her.The courtroom seemed to hold its collective breath, waiting for her answer."Yes," Emmeline replied, though her voice wavered just enough to plant seeds of doubt

The court clerk moved to the projector positioned at the side of the room. With practiced efficiency, he loaded new images that appeared on the large screen mounted on the wall.Gasps rippled through the courtroom as Emmeline's injuries came into stark focus. Several jurors leaned forward, their expressions shifting from judgment to concern as they studied the images.Clinical photographs displayed dark purple bruises blooming across her arms like violent flowers. Angry red marks circled her throat in the unmistakable pattern of fingerprints. Her left eye, swollen nearly shut, stared back at the courtroom in silent testimony."Oh my God," someone whispered from the gallery.Richard's mother's hand flew to her pearls, clutching them like a lifeline. His father's expression remained stonily impassive, though a muscle twitched in his jaw.Brody pointed toward the screen, his posture reflecting the confidence of counsel who knows the evidence is on their side. "This is what Mrs. Maine look

A flicker of a smile crossed Yuna's lips, but it disappeared just as quickly, replaced by her usual mask.The subtle expression might have gone unnoticed by most in the courtroom, but Emmeline caught it. The fleeting glimpse of satisfaction that sent chills through her.The evil woman had gotten exactly what she wanted—an admission that could be twisted to serve her narrative.The realization settled in Emmeline's stomach like a stone as she watched Yuna's manicured fingers adjust her suit with deliberate slowness.There was something almost predatory in the way the prosecutor moved now, like a hunter who had finally spotted a weakness in her prey."Did you hear her scream during the second incident?" Yuna asked, emphasizing each word with precision.Minnie's hands flexed on the table, her frustration boiling over visibly. "Richard was covering her mouth so she couldn't scream and alert the neighborhood like last time," she snapped. "That's what Emmeline told me afterward when I found

Brody approached the witness stand. His expression remained serious but composed as he faced the highest-ranking judicial officer in the country.He maintained a respectful distance from Zavian, adjusting his posture to appear confident without seeming arrogant."Chief Justice Blackthorn, how long have you known Emmeline Maine?"Zavian’s broad shoulders relaxed as he settled into his role as witness rather than judge. His hands rested lightly on the polished wooden arms of the chair. "We've known each other for three months. Since she and her husband moved into the neighborhood."His tone remained matter-of-fact, betraying nothing of the complex relationship that had blossomed between them during those months. Brody nodded thoughtfully, taking a few steps to his right. "On November 10th, your wife received a call from Mrs. Kim, asking for help. You went to the Maine residence together. Is that correct?"His question established the timeline with clinical precision, laying groundwork