Chapter 66: Trial

*Four Weeks Later, back to California*

Blossom's POV

"Baby, are you going to be okay up there?" I asked Jevan as I straightened his tie and the lapels to his jacket.

"I'll be fine," he answered. I smiled at him. It was great having him back home again. Myself and the kids missed him so much. Luckily, he made a full recovery and was released from the hospital one week ago.

Together, we stepped into the courtroom with the others following a few steps behind us.

Hunter was already seated in handcuffs looking meticulous. After the arraignment, everyone was baffled by his 'Not Guilty' plea, so today, it was the trial and we, The Hollens, had the best prosecution attorney money can afford. No stones were left unturned throughout her investigation.

In criminal cases, it was her, the prosecution attorney, to give an opening statement if she so choose, and that she did. She confidently rose and stepped into the middle. Her eyes locked on the room around her.

She gave a very strong opening statement where I even noticed several members of the jury nodding slightly.

"The prosecution now calls Mrs. Blossom-wright Hollen to the stand."

I took a deep breath, stood, walked forward and got on the stand. I took the oath in swearing to tell the truth before sitting on the chair behind me.

"Mrs. Blossom Hollen, were you in a relationship with Mr. Hunter Sax?"

"I was," I answered.

"And how would you describe that former relationship?"

"At first, I thought Hunter was a great guy. We met at a gala in France then at a supermarket here at home. We got connected and I fell for him. I decided to move in with him and that's when it all changed. Hunter became verbally aggressive towards me. He abused me. Raped me and took advantage on me and the situation I was facing at the time. And he also kidnapped my daughter and I at gun point."

"Can you elaborate on said situation?"

"I was a single mom trying her best for her child, I only had my son by then, to have a stable home. He knew that and he thought I needed him in order for that to happen."

"Noted. Blossom, can you describe what happened during your physical abuse with Hunter?"

"I had try so hard to forget."

"I know this isn't something pleasant to express."

"He would slap me. Punch me. Push me to the floor or against the wall. Hold me in the throat until I became unconscious."

"Members of the jury, there's evidence of such abusive behaviour. Mrs. Hollen's had taken a few pictures when she woke up from a physical abuse and looked at herself in the mirror before hiding her bruises with makeup to go about her day."

The prosecution presented the pictures and now the defense attorney stepped forward.

"Mrs. Blossom Wright Hollen. Your name has a nice ring to it, especially the last name. That's the name you always wanted, right?" he asked, eyeing me as if he was literally talking to filth.

"Irrelevanance, Your Honor! What's your point on that question?" our attorney asked.

"Sorry, I wouldn't ask again. Now, the more interesting question is, if you had sustained such terrible abuse on more than one occasion, why didn't you go to the police and file a report and have Hunter arrested?"

"Because he told me if I did, he would get out eventually and I would get much worse. He even threatened my life. I was afraid of him," I said, tears welling in my eyes. Hunter was looking straight at me and I looked at him too. Remorse showed on his face. Actual remorse for the very first time. He lowered his head afterwards.

"No further questions."

I stepped down and went back to my seat next to Emma. She hugged me. "You did great up there," she whispered.

"Thank you," I whispered back.

"The prosecution now calls Mr. Jevan Hollen to the stand," Olivia, the prosecution attorney said.

I watched as Jevan walked forward, took the oath and sat down. Olivia stepped forward to question him.

"Mr. Hollen, how are your injuries?"

"Healed and I'm doing so much better," my husband answered.

"That's great to hear. What's not great to hear was how you came by those gunshots wounds in the first place. Two to be exact. Can you explained what happened leading up to you being shot in your own house?"

"I remember it as yesterday. It was the day the state had to be evacuated due to the wild fire. My wife, children and I were returning from our honeymoon in The Maldives. Arriving back to LA, I thought it was best for my family to leave to New York with my mom and dad while I went back to my office to grab my belongings there and then going home for a few belongings I didn't want perish incase the house caught ablaze.

While getting the belongings at my house, Hunter showed up. We exchanged words before getting into a fist fight. He was down and I turned to walk out the door. That's when he drew his weapon and shot me in the back. I fell. He walked towards me and shot again, right in the chest."

"That's terrifying. What happened afterwards?"

"I woke up in the hospital three days later. I was told by the doctors and nurses that I slipped away and came back. And that my parents were told I was deceased and they came as soon as they could have."

"Jevan, what do you think made Hunter came after you that night?"

"I think he was still holding onto Blossom and he believed if I wasn't in the way, he would have her back."

Olivia displayed the gun used to shoot Jevan and the bullets retrieved in him by the doctors.

"Thank you Jevan," Olivia said, "Your witness," she finished. The defendant's attorney stood.

"Jevan Hollen. On the night of the shooting, you explained Hunter and yourself were in a fist fight and that he was laying on the ground before you turning your back. Right?"

"Right."

"Wouldn't you do such in a self-defense situation?"

"No," Jevan answered.

"Of course you would say no."

"Hunter had no right on my premises or in my home. He came there to attack me. Whether we had fight or not, he would have shot me!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!"

"Why take a gun to someone's house if you have no intention of hurting them?"

"For protection. This is California. Lots of people travel with guns."

"Not to go to others homes and shoot them after losing to a fist fight."

"The way I see it, you caused this confrontation. Hunter had no right at your home, I'll give you that. But he came there to talk to you man to man. You became violent. Beat him down and turned your back on him to get a weapon. Hunter reacted first and shot you."

"I didn't reach for a gun. I was walking out the door."

"But you do own a gun, don't you?"

I looked on. I had never seen Jevan with a gun or saw a gun around the house.

"I do," he answered.

"Where do you keep it?"

"In my safe, in my Master's bedroom which is located at the upstairs of my home."

"Excuse me, Your Honor, the prosecution would love to provide evidence from the police in form of pictures when they first arrived at the scene."

"Allowed," the judge said.

The pictures were proof that Jevan was laying at the front door's threshold and wasn't looking to retrieve his weapon from upstairs.

We entered recess and Jevan and I went to get something to refresh ourselves.

_____________________

Emma Hollen's POV

"Water?" Ethan asked and handed me a bottle of sparkling water.

"Thank you, sweetie," I answered and watched as Hunter and his attorney argued. He rose and an officer took him away.

After several minutes, the same officer walked over to me.

"Hello Mrs. Hollen, Hunter requested to speak with you privately in his holding cell. You can reject this request if you please."

"Of course she'll reject it. We're not interested in speaking with Hunter!" Ethan erupted.

"Honey, calm down. Actually, I do wanna hear what he got to say to me," I answered.

"Wait! What?"

"Inquiring mind wants to know." I got up and followed the officer to Hunter's holding cell.

I sat down across from him.

"You accepted," Hunter greeted.

"What do you want?"

"Get your husband to stop seeking the death penalty or else I'll tell your dirty secret."

"I have no secrets, Hunter."

"You sure on that? The world will know your father was a drug lord and that he abandoned you for a kilo! Imagine the headlines. Ethan Hollen's marriage to druglord's daughter is now in question."

"You're desperate now, aren't you? Trying to use anything to dig out of the grave you buried yourself into like how you buried your ex-fiancee. You're a coward. You think I'm afraid to let the world know my father dealt with drugs before turning his life around and became a pastor. Let him and his name rest in peace before I come across this table on you."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for hurting Jevan, Blossom, Jason..."

"Keep your apologies. You can't scurry your ass out of this one."

I got up and walked out of the cell.



________________________

Blossom's POV

After recess, the court was back in session. Olivia presented more documents, questioned Hunter's mom and each time, the defense attorney argued as best as he could. This went on for several more hours and then the closing arguments arrived.

The defense attorney spoke first. "I know harsh things were said about my client but there's little proof to that. Pictures don't explain what happened. Neither does witnesses pit against him. Hunter has his flaws but who doesn't? He acted in a self defense manner to Jevan's assault. And Blossom Hollen didn't file one police report against him. She's an expert on makeup. She probably did those bruises to herself to have a cover-up story. She was cheating with Jevan. She wanted to be with Jevan and was creating a fabrication to have him.

Hunter's father was the one who killed Hunter's ex-fiancee and ordered for cement to conceal her grave. His name is on the receipt at the construction company! My client is innocent!"

He sat down and pat Hunter on the back. I shook my head.

Olivia stood up. "Hunter Sax is a killer who has been getting away with crimes from the aid of his father who's the Chief Of Police. He was sweeping all his activities under the rug for years. Hunter went to Jevan's house with intentions of killing him. You heard for yourselves how he treated Blossom. The woman he supposed to love. You saw the pictures of her bruises and cuts. Your heard Jevan's testimony. Hunter needs to pay for his crime. Don't let him get away with it as how his father allowed him to get away with things of similar situations."

The judge read the laws of the state to the jurors and to Ethan's disappointment, the death penalty was suspended. We watched as the jury headed into a special room to reach the verdict.

Finally, they emerged.

"Has the jury reached the verdict?" the Judge asked.

"We have, Your Honor."