Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )

Just as the tension in the courtroom reached its peak, the jurors, after a thorough discussion, turned their gaze solemnly towards Whitney. "Plaintiff, defendant, the evidence presented by both parties is comprehensive. If you fail to produce any further evidence to prove Keegan's innocence, the judgment will stand as is. Moreover, you, Whitney, will be charged with contempt of court, obstruction of justice, and defamation," they declared with grave finality. Ludwik, standing at the back, froze momentarily, his expression darkening.

Seeing their counterattack succeed, Zane and Delphine couldn't hide their smug smiles. Zane, adjusting his designer suit, was just about to make his grand exit from the courtroom, convinced of their victory. This trial was supposed to be Whitney's downfall.

But in that instant, the courtroom doors burst open, letting in a beam of light.

Whitney, pale as a ghost, held her breath and turned sharply towards the door.

"Hold on!" Tiana, flanked by two police officers, shouted as she made her appearance.

The officers, blocking the source of light as they entered, brought someone with them into the center of the courtroom.

"Our witness, Jaxon, has arrived with crucial evidence!" Tiana yelled, her voice hoarse with urgency.

The room fell silent.

Zane, caught mid-exit, was too stunned to react.

Delphine's elegant composure faltered visibly.

Elaine, sitting next to Ludwik, could only stare in disbelief. What?

Kelvin, unable to contain his excitement, stood up. "Your Honor, in light of new evidence presented by our side, we request a moment for our key witness, Jaxon, to testify!"

Ludwik squinted, visibly taken aback.

Jaxon's supposed suicide on his fifth day in custody was something Ludwik had heard about.

But here Jaxon was, very much alive. What was going on? Ludwik's gaze, instinctively drawn to Whitney, held a mix of surprise and intrigue. This woman... was more cunning than he had anticipated.

The case took an interesting turn, piquing his interest even further.

The courtroom remained silent, stunned by Jaxon's 'resurrection.'

Only Whitney, her heart trembling, watched Jaxon's haggard face and let out a long sigh of relief. She alone knew the lengths she had gone to at the last minute before the trial, coercing Tiana to fake a gruesome threat against Jaxon's daughter to compel his testimony. She had won her gamble.

Against someone as desperate as Jaxon, she had to resort to extreme measures.

Wiping the sweat from her palms, Whitney's gaze coldly passed over Jaxon, her intentions clear.

Jaxon, having no choice, took the stand, his eyes flickering with hatred as he pointed at the Bartels family. "Keegan did not kill my uncle Lyle. He's been framed. It was the Bartels family who wanted to pin a murder charge on him, to silence him forever in prison. They directed me to frame Lyle, to drug Keegan with hallucinogens..."

"You're lying! You're not even Jaxon; he's dead! Your Honor, Whitney has brought a fake witness. This needs a thorough investigation!" Delphine panicked, standing up to shout. "Check his DNA; he's not Jaxon!"

Whitney smirked. "Delphine, why are you so convinced that Jaxon is dead? Unless it was you who had him killed in custody, then staged his suicide?"

Zane's complexion turned ashen. He had personally collected Jaxon's ashes.

But now, facing Whitney's cunning gaze, he felt an inexplicable panic. The more he thought about it, the tighter the knot in his stomach grew.

"What nonsense are you spouting? You must be addicted to slander."

"Is it nonsense? I have evidence here: Jaxon's DNA report, and the forensic analysis showing he was poisoned on the night of his supposed suicide. Kelvin, please submit these to the judge."

Kelvin handed over the evidence with a smile, leaving Zane in total disarray.

Whitney turned to Jaxon. "Now that your identity is confirmed, please continue with the truth about Keegan's case."

"The hallucinogens came from Zane, produced secretly by the Bartels Hospital and sold on the black market."

"Nonsense! The Bartels Group is a reputable organization. Jaxon, you must have been bought off by Whitney. How much did she pay you to betray your former employers?"

Jaxon scoffed at Zane. "The Bartels Group's bank transfers to bribe the prison guards are all recorded. And as for my family being sent abroad by the Bartels family, under threats and promises to keep me silent, I have all the evidence recorded." As Jaxon unveiled the reality of that fateful night in prison and the crime scene, the courtroom erupted into chaos.

"Could it really be the Bartels family who orchestrated an attack on a disabled Keegan in prison?"

"Why would the Bartels Group, with its vast influence, target a criminal with such vengeance?"

"It seems the rumors about the Bartels Group producing illegal drugs and selling hallucinogens on the black market under the guise of pharmaceutical integrity are true!"

"My God, I've bought cancer medication from the Bartels Group before. I hope it wasn't laced with illegal substances."

Amidst the live broadcast of the trial, the scandalous practices of the Bartels Hospital spread like wildfire.

Viewers were appalled, ready to discard any medications produced by the Bartels Group. The company's stock plummeted instantly in Banyan City.

Zane was seething, on the verge of a heart attack.

Delphine's face turned the color of liver, and Elaine was a spectrum of worry, fearing her involvement might be exposed next.

After reviewing the evidence presented by Jaxon, the jurors deliberated for over an hour before finally reaching a verdict.

In the case of Keegan's alleged murder within the prison walls, it was determined that the plaintiff, Whitney, was not guilty of false accusations. Evidence pointed towards Bartels Hospital for bribing prison guards and coercing Jaxon into plotting the murder. Jaxon, both a witness and the principal offender in this case, was promptly arrested according to the law, along with implicated parties from Bartels Hospital.

As for the murder charges against Keegan involving the death of Lyle, the court found insufficient evidence to convict. Keegan, who had been subjected to unauthorized solitary confinement leading to a critical health condition, was granted bail for medical treatment. "Whitney!" Keegan, trembling and tears streaming down his face, stood up and limped towards Whitney, "Did you hear that? I'm innocent, Whitney. Thank you for saving me!"

To Whitney, the court's mercy, taking into account her uncle's health, allowing him to be bailed out for medical treatment after serving three years, was unexpected.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she embraced her uncle, "This is wonderful, uncle. You're getting out of prison!"

Tiana cheered in the background!

Ludwik, with a deep gaze, watched the scene unfold. His phone, which he had just put away, showed half of a high-ranking official's number still visible on the screen.

His inscrutable expression hinted at unresolved grievances, yet the immediate past seemed somewhat less burdensome.

Contrasting Whitney's tearful joy, the Bartels family was in a state of panic, besieged by reporters. Zane and Delphine were about to be taken in for questioning by the police.

Elaine felt as if the sky had fallen. In a panic, she ran to Ludwik, tearfully pleading, "Ludwick, please, speak to the judge for us. You command Banyan City, ask the judge and the police not to summon my parents. They're from Emperor City and shouldn't be under this jurisdiction!"

Ludwik's face darkened at her words, his lips curling into a cold smirk as he glanced at Zane and Delphine.

Then, turning a cold gaze on Elaine, he said, "Your father targeted a disabled inmate, resorting to drugging and abuse of power, orchestrating a murder plot through Jaxon. Shouldn't he face legal scrutiny?

Elaine, I never knew you also held life in such low regard. Or are you implicating yourself in this? After all, Jaxon was your assistant. I'm not oblivious to that fact."

Elaine's panic was palpable as she trembled...