Chapter 482 Court Session
Finally, the day of the trial arrived. Anne clutched the witness protection agreement, now damp with sweat, as Daryl escorted her into the courtroom.
I sat in the jury box, watching Anne's unsteady steps as she approached the witness stand. The harsh fluorescent lights made her squint, and when her gaze fell on the familiar figure at the defendant's table, her legs nearly gave out. Nicholas sat there, impeccably dressed in a suit, a sinister smile playing on his lips, his eyes locking onto her trembling form like a predator.
Anne's face turned ghostly pale, her hands gripping the railing of the witness stand as she began to shake violently, her lips quivering uncontrollably. I knew she was terrified, the memories of past threats undoubtedly flooding her mind.
Edward, sitting next to me, suddenly leaned forward, his knee hitting the back of the chair in front of him with a dull thud. He swallowed hard and turned to me, his voice trembling, "Diana, she looks really bad. What if those people try something in the courtroom..."
Before he could finish, his teeth started chattering, and the rest of his sentence came out as a broken whisper.
"Don't worry, the prosecutor and the marshals are here. They won't dare make a move."
I lowered my voice, placing my hand over Edward's cold one, gently prying open his stiff fingers and turning his palm upward, softly rubbing the sweat away with my thumb.
"Anne standing here is already a victory." I deliberately kept my tone steady, locking eyes with Edward until the panic in his eyes began to fade.
Just as Anne managed to steady herself by gripping the railing, a commotion erupted in the gallery. Nicholas's defense attorney stood up, and to our shock, it was Lila!
The revelation hit like a thunderclap. Edward shot up from his seat, knocking over a water cup, the liquid spreading across the dark brown floor. A cold sweat broke out on the back of my neck, my fingers still in the position of comforting Edward, now frozen in mid-air.
Lila, in a black suit with a silver badge on her lapel, turned, her hair brushing against her pale face. Her eyes, usually warm, were now icy as they scanned the courtroom.
When Lila's gaze landed on Anne's trembling figure, her eyelashes fluttered slightly. She paused briefly by the spilled water before her eyes locked onto mine. I opened my mouth to question Lila, but my throat tightened, rendering me speechless. She smirked, a seemingly mocking curve to her lips, but her right hand, hidden under the table, was tapping her thigh with the end of a pen—a telltale sign of her nervousness.
The prosecutor stood up, his suit crisp, his gaze sharp. He nodded slightly to the judge before operating the projector, displaying high-definition surveillance footage of the warehouse explosion. In the footage, Nicholas's masked henchmen could be identified by their silhouettes, moving goods suspiciously, one of them holding a black device that looked like a detonator.
"This footage was taken two hours before the incident at Nicholas's abandoned warehouse," the prosecutor's voice was firm. Nicholas, however, lounged in his seat, arms crossed, legs propped up, a dismissive smirk on his face, occasionally shaking his head as if the evidence was child's play.
Next, the prosecutor presented the recovered electronic ledger from an encrypted hard drive, the screen filled with rows of numbers. "These transaction records show that over the past three years, Nicholas has funneled millions of dollars through over twenty shell companies, involving smuggling, arms trafficking, and money laundering." Nicholas rhythmically tapped his finger on the table, his eyes filled with contempt, whispering to Lila, though the content was inaudible, his disdain was clear.
When it was Anne's turn to testify, she took several deep breaths, her voice shaking: "I saw Nicholas ordering his men to destroy evidence. He threatened me, saying that traitors meet a bad end." Hearing this, Nicholas straightened, his gaze like a knife aimed at Anne, a sinister smile on his face, silently conveying his threat.
Anne began to shake violently, her nails digging into the wooden railing of the witness stand, nearly scratching it. Her breathing became rapid and erratic, cold sweat dripping down her temples, soaking her collar.
"No, please."
Anne suddenly screamed, her voice sharp and piercing, laced with sobs, "I don't want to die, please."
Her body went limp, and if not for the railing, she would have collapsed to the floor, her eyes vacant with fear, muttering incoherent pleas.
At this moment, Lila stood up gracefully to counter. "The witness is clearly under mental duress, casting doubt on the credibility of her testimony. Moreover, these so-called pieces of evidence could easily be fabricated. We request a thorough re-examination of the evidence's origins."
Lila turned to the judge, her eyes filled with unshakeable confidence.
"What is Lila trying to do?" I couldn't help but mutter.
Nicholas also straightened up, feigning a look of grievance. "Your Honor, I have always abided by the law. These accusations are malicious fabrications. Prosecutor, you can't handle a case so recklessly."
Nicholas's tone was provocative, his eyes frequently darting to the courtroom door, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table.
Lila elegantly adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses, the sound of her high heels clicking rhythmically on the floor, "Ladies and gentlemen, my client..."
Before Lila could finish, Nicholas suddenly slammed the table, the clanging of his handcuffs startling Anne.
He scanned the courtroom, finally fixing his gaze on Edward and me.
"Order in the court!"
The judge banged the gavel, the sound echoing through the courtroom, "Defendant, maintain order. Any further misconduct will be treated as contempt of court."
Two marshals quickly approached, standing on either side of Anne, watching the room vigilantly while softly reassuring her, trying to calm her down. One female marshal gently supported Anne's arm, preventing her from collapsing in fear.
The prosecutor swiftly moved to the witness stand, positioning himself between Anne and Nicholas, his gaze sternly fixed on the defendant's table. "This court deals in evidence, and any threats to witnesses will not be tolerated."
He turned to Anne, his tone softening, "Ms. York, don't be afraid. The law is here to protect you. Just tell us the truth."
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