Chapter 266 Going to Court 4: Continued Defense
"Well then, Mr. Green, on what date did you sign the contract with my client?" Alaric asked.
"Isn't it written on the contract? March 14th."William replied.
"What time?" Alaric pressed.
"How would I remember something from so long ago?" William said, somewhat irritated.
"It was just last year. You don't remember the time period when you signed it?"Alaric continued.
"It was around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, I think," William said, picking a time at random.
"From 3 to 4 PM, or even from 2 to 5 PM, my client was completely booked with meetings. There's no way he could have met with anyone," Alaric said, producing a copy of the meeting schedule and a record of his client's meeting notes. He handed them to the jury. "Here is the Lockhart Group's meeting schedule for March 14 and a log of my client's meetings during that time."
The jury took it and began to verify.
"Perhaps it was in the morning," William quickly corrected himself, growing flustered. "I have a terrible memory. I can't recall whether it was morning or afternoon, but it was definitely March 14."
"But from morning to afternoon on March 14th, there are no records of anyone signing in at the Lockhart Group's chairman's office. The Lockhart Group has a clear policy that anyone wanting to see the chairman must make an appointment and sign in."Alaric retorted.
"Who said we signed the contract at the Lockhart Group?" William quickly said. "Such contracts are definitely not signed at the company."
"So you mean my client signed the contract with you outside?"Alaric asked.
"Yes," William said confidently.
"Where?"Alaric said.
"In the restaurant next to the Lockhart Group."William replied.
Alaric's eyes narrowed. It was clear that William had come prepared.
A sudden silence fell over him, making everyone in the room think he might be out of arguments.
Alaric seemed to be at a loss, as if he were about to concede defeat.
In their eyes, it was becoming evident that his lack of experience was showing. His few questions weren't making much impact.
Somewhere in the courtroom, faint snickers could be heard, predominantly from Dominic.
Cecilia glanced back. Dominic's smirk was too blatant to ignore. Dominic noticed Cecilia's gaze and locked eyes with her, his face glowing with smug satisfaction.
Cecilia turned back to the court, her concern for Alaric growing.
She couldn't help but feel a pang of worry for the rookie lawyer.
"If the defense has no further questions, you may return to your seats," the judge announced suddenly.
"I do have more questions," Alaric said firmly.
The judge's expression was serious. "If you need to continue asking questions, please don't waste time," he stated.
"Yes, Your Honor," Alaric replied respectfully, turning his gaze to William. "Mr. Green, are you aware that a contract signed only with a signature and without a fingerprint stamp is not legally binding?"
"No," William answered.
"No?" Alaric raised an eyebrow. "You've signed so many contracts, and I can see that each one is stamped with an official seal. Even this personal guarantee between you and Wyatt bears your fingerprint. How could you not know?"
"Fine, I admit I knew," William suddenly changed his tune. "Since it's to my advantage if the contract is not legally binding, why would I remind him?"
"So, Mr. Green, you're aware that a contract needs a fingerprint stamp to be valid, yet my client, as the chairman of the Lockhart Group, wouldn't know this?" Alaric retorted.
William was taken aback.
"Why would my client sign such an unsecured private agreement with you? It has no legal effect, and if something goes wrong, my client would only dig his own grave. Why would he sign something that's not in his best interest?" Alaric questioned William.
He was also posing this question to everyone in the courtroom.
"He probably thought I didn't know. So he tried to use this method to threaten me," William hastily made an excuse.
Alaric no longer wasted words with William. He turned to face the judge. "Your Honor, my conversation with William strongly suggests significant issues with the credibility of his testimony. Here's why: Firstly, William vaguely claims that he and my client signed a private cooperation agreement in person on March 14th. However, for most people, recent events are not easily forgotten. While one might forget the exact time, it's unlikely to forget the time of day. Secondly, William's inconsistent statements in court raise doubts about his honesty. He first denied and then admitted knowing about the legal requirement of a fingerprint stamp. This flip-flopping behavior leads me to suspect that he has a habit of lying and might even be fabricating facts!"
"I'm not!" William exclaimed loudly.
"Silence!" The judge banged his gavel. "The witness should be mindful of his words. Everything you say in court has legal consequences!"
"Yes, sir," William responded, appearing uncharacteristically meek.
Alaric thought, 'So, the judge is also on their side. His reminder to William is just a formality, and he doesn't seem to endorse my viewpoint at all.'
Yet, Alaric remained calm and composed, showing no signs of panic.
He spoke up, "Your Honor, I would like to ask the witness a few more questions."
"Please focus on the core of the case. Let's not waste time in court," the judge said, clearly targeting Alaric.
Unperturbed, Alaric nodded slightly and turned to face William. "Mr. Green, you just mentioned that you came back to confess and report my client because you felt uneasy about using that money. Is that correct?"
"Yes," William affirmed.
"I'd like to ask, Mr. Green, of the $150 million you embezzled, how much is left?" Alaric inquired.
"Objection!" Fergus, the prosecutor, suddenly rose to his feet. "Your Honor, this question is irrelevant to the current case. I object to the defense attorney probing into such personal matters. This involves the informant's personal rights, and he has the option to decline to answer!"
"Objection sustained."
He stated plainly, "The amount William spent is highly relevant to this case. His expenditure can clearly demonstrate that he did not embezzle the full $150 million. He only took $30 million. The remaining $120 million was never his to claim. In other words, William's flight with the funds was not a solo act but a premeditated scheme involving others."
"I object!" Fergus jumped up again. "I oppose the defense attorney's baseless accusations!"
"I have evidence," Alaric declared firmly.
His tone was resolute.
Fergus replied, "If you have evidence, you should present it directly instead of making vague claims."
"Alright," Alaric said, nodding.
Fergus looked momentarily taken aback. He had only been trying to provoke Alaric, not truly believing Alaric had any evidence.
"I have three contracts here," Alaric said, pulling out three documents. "These are contracts between Charles, the second-largest shareholder of the Lockhart Group, and Everlast Construction Materials for building materials. The total amount is $15 million. Out of this, $750 thousand was for taxes, leaving $14.25 million as a private payment used for purchasing land at that time!"
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