Chapter 558 Second Trial (1) Defense Again
In the courtroom, everyone was on edge as Judge Joe Watson kicked off the trial.
Felix laid out the case against Alaric once more.
When he was done, Felix said, "Alright, defense attorney, let's hear your side for Mr. Whitaker."
Preston got up from his seat, looking confident. "I plead not guilty on behalf of Mr. Whitaker," he declared.
The courtroom buzzed with chatter, just like during the first trial.
"How can Alaric be so shameless?" Octavia muttered sarcastically to Dominic.
Dominic smirked, ignoring Preston's words. He glanced at his phone—it was 10 AM. He had set things up for Penelope to make her move in an hour, right when the trial would be at its peak.
'No one will see my plan coming,' he thought. 'If something happens to Lyra, it'll be her own fault.'
Dominic chuckled coldly and looked over at Cecilia in the courtroom. 'She ditched and humiliated me,' he thought. 'Time for her to regret it forever.'
He then turned his icy stare back to Preston.
"Mr. Whitaker has done a lot for Harborvale," Preston argued confidently. "Healthcare, charity work, schools—he's donated so much. Why would an honest man like him embezzle over $50 million? This is a setup!"
"Where's the proof?" Felix shot back. "Without evidence, it's all lies! I said it last time—Mr. Whitaker doesn't care about money; he cares about power. All his achievements were just to show off his power."
"Power?" Preston scoffed. "Mr. Murphy, when it comes down to choosing between power and the law, what would a regular person pick?"
Felix replied, "Depends on the situation. Plenty of people break the law for power."
Preston said, "People break the law to gain something."
"Exactly," Felix said, hiding his true intentions. "Alaric loved the power, which is why he embezzled over $50 million."
"No," Preston shot back. "Most embezzlement and bribery cases are about money. No one breaks the law for a quick thrill unless they don't understand the law. And Mr. Whitaker, as you all know, is a lawyer. His work in court shows he knows the law inside out."
Felix's face darkened.
Preston went on, "So, in this so-called embezzlement case, Mr. Whitaker had no reason to embezzle. Mr. Murphy, do you think an unknown financial report and some cash at Mr. Whitaker's house prove he embezzled? $50 million? If he wanted, he could have $500 million at home. What's so surprising or worth investigating about that?"
"You're talking nonsense!" Felix's face flushed with anger. "With witnesses and physical evidence, Alaric's crime is clear, yet you're twisting the facts!" He paused and looked at Joe. "Your Honor."
Their eyes met for a second, clearly indicating they had discussed this beforehand.
Felix went on, "Mr. Collins' statements are just twisting the facts, with no logic or evidence. I hope Your Honor can make a fair judgment and not be swayed by Mr. Collins' absurd words."
Joe nodded, agreeing with Felix. He banged the gavel and said, "Mr. Collins, when presenting your arguments, please provide evidence. Without it, your defense is invalid. Take note!"
Preston got the warning as the audience murmured, most of them talking about how Alaric had overestimated his own abilities.
Cecilia heard some nasty comments about Alaric, and it was clear she was uncomfortable.
Next to her, Seraphina also heard them and felt uneasy.
No matter how bad things were between her and Alaric, he was still Cecilia's husband, and Seraphina couldn't stand the malicious attacks.
She held back and comforted Cecilia, saying, "Ignore them; they're just being mean."
Cecilia snapped out of it, nodded slightly, and glanced at Cassius beside her. Cassius gave her a knowing look and quietly left to follow Dominic, who had also left.
The courtroom was still buzzing with debate, but Cecilia's mind was elsewhere.
Seeing Alaric's weak position in court, she held off on signaling Preston to present the evidence, wanting to make sure Dashiell's actions went smoothly first.
In the restroom outside the courtroom, Dominic called Penelope, "It's time."
"Okay," Penelope replied, eager to act. She thought, 'Lyra deserves what's coming to her.'
Dominic said, "Be careful, don't screw it up."
"Don't worry," Penelope said confidently. "We've practiced this; there won't be any mistakes."
"Just don't be careless," Dominic warned.
"Got it," Penelope replied.
Dominic hung up and left the restroom.
Cassius, who had been hiding, called Dashiell, "It's go time."
Dashiell said, "I heard everything."
"Be careful, and keep me updated," Cassius instructed.
"Will do." Cassius put down his phone and quietly returned to sit next to Cecilia.
He leaned in and whispered a few words to her.
Cecilia nodded, her eyes still on the courtroom.
Her heart was racing, but she stayed calm and composed.
"Your Honor, since the defense can't provide any evidence to prove Mr. Whitaker's innocence, and given the solid evidence we've presented, I request that the court sentence Mr. Whitaker according to the law," Felix said bluntly.
He seemed to hold Preston's arguments in great disdain.
Those who knew the case details understood Felix wanted to wrap this up quickly.
Joe said sternly, "The jury and I will deliberate on Alaric's case for the final judgment. The court is adjourned for half an hour."
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