Chapter 269 Going to Court 6: Accusing Vincent
Half an hour later, court resumed.
Charles was brought back into the courtroom.
Charles could never have anticipated that even after leaving the Lockhart Group, disaster would still come crashing down on him.
The prosecution reiterated the facts of the case and addressed Charles directly. "The plaintiff alleges that you, along with William, engaged in private dealings for personal gain. Is this true?"
Charles was visibly dismayed.
He thought, 'How could something from a year ago resurface now?
'Back when we orchestrated their scheme, everything has seemed foolproof.
'I've even helped William escape, successfully deceiving everyone, and thought I was safe.
'Now, William is back, turning himself in and implicating Theodore.
'What is he thinking?'
"Charles, please answer the question." Fergus' expression was stern.
Charles snapped back to reality.
He was clearly anxious, his gaze involuntarily drifting towards Vincent in the gallery.
The very person he had conspired with was now in court.
Vincent's eyes darted nervously.
At that moment, Vincent subtly shook his head at Charles.
The unspoken message was clear. He was telling Charles not to admit to anything.
Charles took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. Just as he was about to speak, Alaric abruptly stood up from his seat.
"Mr. Wolf, before you answer, I need to clarify a few things. First, the three contracts you signed privately are clearly recorded transactions. The bank accounts listed in these contracts match those used for payments to Wyatt. Second, there is a bank statement showing a $75 million private transaction between your account and William's. Of course, I'm not trying to threaten you—I'm merely presenting the evidence we've gathered and reminding you that lying in court could lead to additional charges."
Charles was visibly shaken.
He hadn't realized how conclusive the evidence had become.
There was no way for him to deny it.
He had no evidence to prove his innocence.
He fell silent, unable to muster a defense.
Alaric turned to the judge. "Your Honor, since the defendant, Charles, refuses to answer, can we assume his guilt?"
"If the defendant continues to refuse to answer, it will be taken as an admission of guilt," the judge confirmed.
Alaric faced Charles again. "Mr. Wolf, I'll ask you once more: was this commercial fraud scheme orchestrated and executed by you and William?"
Charles clenched his teeth, clearly reluctant to admit the truth.
"Mr. Wolf, your behavior in court can affect the severity of your sentence. Are you sure you want to remain silent?" Alaric pressed.
Charles hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. "Yes, I was the one who approached William to carry out the scheme. I intended to siphon off funds from the Lockhart Group."
The courtroom erupted in shock at Charles' confession.
So, in the end, Theodore was truly wronged!
"Order in the court!" the judge banged his gavel.
The courtroom fell silent once again.
"Did the $80 million construction fee all end up in your pocket?" Alaric pressed on.
"Yes, but I only got $45 million. The remaining $35 million is with Vincent!" Charles didn't hesitate, throwing Vincent under the bus immediately.
In the world of business, there were no true friends—only those with shared interests.
Alaric smirked.
Vincent, sitting in the gallery, turned pale.
When Charles made his confession, Vincent had been shaking with fear, but he hadn't expected Charles to betray him so quickly!
All their supposed closeness seemed for nothing now.
"Please clarify your statement," Alaric said calmly.
He maintained a composed demeanor.
"Vincent has always resented Theodore for running the Lockhart Group. So, from time to time, he'd pull little stunts to line his own pockets. The Flower Beach International project was assigned to me. During a private dinner with Vincent, we spontaneously decided to make some money off this project, and that's how we came up with this scheme," Charles laid everything out.
"So, Your Honor, shouldn't we bring the suspect Vincent to the stand now?" Alaric suggested.
Vincent's face turned sickly pale as he was led away by the court officers.
"I'm being framed! I had no idea about any of this! I'm being set up!" Vincent protested frantically.
Nearby, Ophelia, Andrew, and Juliana were stunned by the sudden turn of events.
They thought, 'What is happening? Are we not here to see Theodore's downfall?'
Vincent was escorted into the courtroom, his face a picture of dread.
Vincent glared at Charles. "Stop making up lies. When did we ever plan this together? Don't try to pin this on me! The evidence is all about your transactions with William—what does that have to do with me?"
"I knew something was going to go wrong, and I knew you'd try to shift all the blame onto me! That's why I made sure to keep my own evidence!" Charles shot back. "When you had me liaise with William, I knew you were up to something shady! So, I recorded our conversations and saved them as evidence."
"You..." Vincent's face flushed red with fury.
"Mr. Wolf, please present your evidence," Alaric interjected.
It was clear that the evidence Charles had was the strongest in this case.
Charles pulled out his phone, accessed an encrypted file, and found a video.
Alaric took it and handed it to the court staff for immediate playback.
The screen showed Vincent and Charles plotting how to divert the Flower Beach construction funds. Every detail matched Alaric's account perfectly.
The truth was laid bare.
Charles and Vincent's criminal acts were clear.
Theodore was exonerated.
The courtroom erupted into murmurs of confusion and shock.
Dominic, seated nearby, clenched his fists in anger.
The opportunity had slipped through his fingers.
The profits he thought were within reach had vanished.
"Do the suspects, Charles and Vincent, have anything to add?" the judge asked, his tone stern.
Both men fell silent.
"Do the attorneys for either side have any further questions?" the judge continued.
Fergus's face was a mask of frustration.
It was evident he had lost this case.
Alaric had executed a flawless counterattack.
"No further questions," Fergus muttered.
"I do," Alaric said, rising from his seat once more.
Alaric's voice was resolute and commanding.
To Cecilia, it was strangely reassuring.
She suddenly felt that entrusting the case to Alaric had been her wisest decision.
"Does the defense lawyer have any more questions?" the judge inquired.
"Charles and Vincent's guilt is undeniable, but William's involvement raises numerous unresolved questions." Alaric pointedly shifted focus to William.
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