CHAPTER 57

Casabella's POV
I'd say I'm pretty much lucky and fortunate to come across good people in my life. It is as if fate wants me to smile again before my uncle, Lora and Annie.
On getting to the court, to our surprise the judge that will handle the case happens to be my lawyer's old time senior he took like a brother.
After explaining everything about my case to him, he assured me I will reclaim my possession and he will see to it that my uncle and Lora get punished.
I took a seat close to the lawyer as my uncle did the same with his lawyer while Lora and Annie sat in-between the crowd along with godfather and Norman.
Not quite long the judge walked into the court as we all raised and took our seats the moment he took his seat.
"Let the hearing begin." He uttered and urged his male attendant to start the proceedings.
"Attorney Martin, start with your proceedings." The attendant called on my uncle's lawyer who got up and bowed to the judge before introducing himself before starting his statement.
"My client, Mr Andrew Smith inherited his late brother's wealth and took good care of his niece but his niece was not grateful for his help and took it as a bad intention and ran away from his house with her lover but after three months a lady named Madison Williams came to claim his wealth stating she had a deal with his niece and the wealth belongs to her." The lawyer stated and everyone exclaimed in shock.
"Go on!"
"Your honor, if you can grant my request to call upon Miss Madison Williams for questioning."
"Request granted."
"Miss Madison, please step forward for some questioning." The lawyer uttered and I strolled to the witness box.
I know I will be making a grave sin by taking an oath to say the truth but I have no choice but to tell a lie or it will only jeopardise my new identity in one way or the other.
"Madison Williams, do you promise to tell the truth and nothing but the truth." The attendant said as I placed my hand on the holy book.
"Yes, I will say the truth and nothing else but the truth."
"You may begin, lawyer." He urged the lawyer and walked back to his seat.
"Miss Madison, can you tell us your relationship with Casabella Smith?"
"I was a very close friend to Casabella right from childhood till our university level."
"Are you aware of her uncle, Andrew Smith."
"Yes. He has been treating her..." I was still saying when he cut me off.
"That will be all Miss Madison. You can go back to your seat."
He doesn't want me to expose my uncle's true face in the presence of all these people because he has been paid to wash up the truth and that can't ever happen when I am alive.
"Your honor, as we all heard, she was only a friend to Casabella therefore she has no right whatsoever to interfere in their family affairs which clearly shows she wants the wealth for herself."
The lawyer is really getting on my nerves. Who is he to say things like that over my own possession? I won't have any slight pity for Andrew anymore.
"Thank you Attorney Martin. Let's hear from the second attorney." The judge stated as my lawyer stood up and bowed to him.
"I'm Attorney Jeff, the supporting lawyer of my client, Madison Williams. Your honor, please permit me to reveal a secret before the court within this case."
"Permission granted."
"Your honor, Andrew Smith is nothing but a cunning creature who claims to be a good man before everyone."
"Mind your words Attorney Jeff." The judge cautioned him.
"I'm sorry my lord. I would like to call upon a business client who knew Casabella's father before his death."
"Go ahead."
"Thank you, your honor. Mr Henry Peterson, please come over to the witness box." He called out to godfather who walked upon to the witness box.
"Mr Henry, would you give us a brief introduction about yourself and how are related to Casabella's late father and Andrew."
"My name is Henry Peterson, a business associate with Casabella's late father but when he passed away, his daughter Casabella was supposed to run over the company but she wasn't of age that's why Andrew had to run over the company until she's of age to handle the company."
At the mention of the words, everyone exclaimed in disappointment staring at my uncle while Lora and Annie were ashamed to even look at anyone.
"How did you know about it, if I may ask?"
"That's because Andrew made mention of it himself and showed the evidence of the will papers to the board members."
"Wonderful! Thank you Mr Henry. You can go back to your seat."
"My lord, it is confirmed that Andrew only agreed to run the company until Casabella was of age instead Andrew decided to claim it as his own."
"Carry on Attorney Jeff." The judge urged him to continue.
"I would like call upon Mr Andrew for some questions."
"Permission granted."
"Mr Andrew, please come over to the witness box." The attendant uttered as he got up from his seat shamelessly and walked over to the box
"Take an oath to say nothing but the truth."
"I promise to say the truth and nothing but the truth."
"Mr Andrew, is it true you have been abusing your niece physically along with your wife?" Mr Jeff dropped the question which rendered him speechless for a while before confessing to it and everyone screamed.
"So you have been physically abusing her and keeping it away from everyone, right? How are we sure you didn't kill the innocent girl's parents to gain her possession for yourself."
"Objection my lord." His lawyer cut in.
"Objection overruled. Attorney Jeff, learn to use your words wisely." The judge cautioned him again.
"I'm sorry my lord."
"Carry on."
"That's all Mr Andrew."
"Your honor, I would like to call upon Miss Madison Williams."
"Permission granted." The judge uttered and I smiled and walked over to the box.
"Madison, can you tell us how you met Casabella again and made the deal with her?"
"I met her three weeks ago before her death. Half of her face was pretty damaged which I learnt Lora was the cause as a result of her hatred for the innocent girl which resulted in her death. But before her death, she made me sign an agreement with her to reclaim her possession from Andrew and make them pay for whatever they did to her."
"Very well Miss Madison. Do you have evidence of the agreement you signed with Casabella?"
"Yes, I do. I have the agreement papers and also the original will papers of her father showing her father really signed all his wealth in her name and Andrew." I stated as he walked over to pick up the documents and add it over to the attendant who handed it over to the judge.
"Thank you for your time Miss Madison. You may have your seat."
"Your honor, I believe with all the evidence presented. The court should grant Miss Madison Williams the full right to handle late Miss Casabella's possession and punish those who were involved in her death. That will be all, thank you." Mr Jeff round up his words and walked back to his seat while my uncle's lawyer got up.
"My lord, I disagree with my opponent claiming such an act against my client. With me here, are the original copies of the will papers late Mr Kelvin Smith signed into my client's name." He reported and handed over the copies to the attendant.
The court went silent for a few minutes and more before the judge handed over the documents to his attendant and whispered some words to him.
"Attorney Martin, the documents you represented are duplicate copies while Attorney Jeff's own is the original copy." The attendant announced as the crowd exclaimed in shock saying words to each other.
I looked in the direction of my uncle and smiled as he looked terribly shocked.
"Silence!" The attendant shouted and the court became silent as a graveyard.
"After listening and going through the evidence, my verdict on this case is this..." The judge began with a pause.
"It is confirmed that Andrew Smith isn't the rightful owner of the possession so the court grants Madison Williams the full right to take over the possession. And as a result of the death of Casabella Smith and the physical abuse, Andrew made her went through and forcefully taking her inheritance, the court sentences him to five years jail term while for his wife, Lora Smith, she will be sentenced to fifteen years jail term with hard labour for physical violence." He announced as the crowd began to murmur words to each other.
"Order! Order!" He ordered and the court became silent again.
"As for Annie Smith, she will be given a one year jail term for joining forces with her parents and teaching her a big lesson. I rest my case." He ended and stood up and walked out of the court.
I told them I will win the case but they think it impossible but it is. I'd say luck was on my side.
I took a look at my uncle who was feeling ashamed to even look at anyone while Annie was in tears but Lora was fuming in anger and when we locked eyes together, I smiled at her which made her charged at me but the guards caught her before she could get to me.
"You will never get away with them. I promise I will hunt you down when I finish my jail term. You can never get away from me, you evil witch." She screamed trying to break free from the men grib.
"That's if you can finish up your jail term alive. You will only die with pain, anger and hatred." I spat to her and strolled over to meet my uncle who was held by the guards.
"Didn't I tell you I will win the case but you just decided to prove stubborn and now, you have to be in jail for your evil act." I stated to him as the sign of shame filled his face.
"Let go, Miss Madison. We have a flight to catch." Norman whispered to me and I remembered once the case is over, I will be leaving back for London to start a new life as a new person.
"That's right Norman. My job here is done, let's prepare to leave the country." I mentioned as we walked out of the court.