Chapter 256 Guilty as Charged, Sentenced to Death!
"At that time, there were three of us who testified that Mrs. Madison had committed suicide, saying it wasn’t murder. The other two individuals died suddenly. I don’t know the manner of their deaths, but I should’ve died like them. In the depths of winter, someone pushed me into an icy lake, where the cold water instantly numbed my limbs. Fortunately, I was rescued by Mr. Oliver Windsor’s people."
To repay the debt for saving his life, Jaxon agreed to serve Oliver.
The meaning behind Jaxon's words was unmistakably clear. The abrupt demises of the two individuals could not be mere coincidences; they were undoubtedly murders. His own experience of being pushed into the icy waters during winter was also no accident. All signs pointed toward Henry.
"You’re lying! My grandfather would never commit such acts!" Noah interjected angrily. She stood up abruptly from the spectator's seat, pointing at Jaxon.
"Jaxon, you traitor! I trusted you all these years!" Henry slammed the table in fury. "Your Honor, he must have been bribed by Oliver!"
The judge pounded the gavel, calling for silence.
"Mr. Windsor, had you not attempted to take my life back then, my loyalty to you would have remained unwavering. It was you who had forsaken me first, so don’t hold me accountable for opposing you now!" Jaxon retorted. "I have evidence!"
The evidence comprised the payoff that Henry had provided to Jaxon and the others, a secret agreement bearing the signatures of both parties, and a bank draft signed by Henry.
The evidence was irrefutable.
Henry's face turned pale, overwhelmed by the realization that Jaxon had preserved these documents for so many years.
Oliver regarded Henry with a cold, detached gaze, treating Henry like a stranger. In his eyes, Henry was not worthy of being his father.
Had Henry not been so eager to silence him back then, Jaxon would have cashed the bank draft much earlier and would not have retained it until now because of Oliver's intervention.
However, the case was far from being concluded.
The plaintiff proceeded to accuse Henry of kidnapping.
Two men, noticeably bald and appearing as though they had been mauled by dogs, were led into the courtroom. They confessed voluntarily that Henry had hired them to abduct a woman to leverage against Oliver, presenting the pertinent evidence.
Due to the sensitive nature of Lilian's identity, it was not revealed publicly but was instead shown privately to the judge.
With the interconnected pieces of evidence and substantial charges, the weight of guilt accumulated.
Following vigorous defense by Henry's lawyer, the death sentence was eventually reduced to life imprisonment.
Henry's face turned ashen as he collapsed in the defendant's seat; his gaze was fixed on the ceiling.
‘It’s over! My life is over! How did it come to this?’
"No, this cannot be happening... This can’t be the truth..."
Noah wept openly in the courtroom. Her grandfather, a man of power, had always been kind to her since she was young. How could he be responsible for the death of her grandmother?
Adrian displayed a look of disbelief, insistently calling for a retrial.
A retrial would have to follow legal procedures. With irrefutable evidence and the confession of the defendant, what grounds were there for a retrial?
Adrian's gaze was blank. With his mother deceased and his grandfather sentenced to life imprisonment, who would protect him now?
The Harrington family was said to be a noble family, and Victoria contributed a lot to this. With Victoria gone and Henry's fall from grace, Adrian knew the collapse of the Harrington family was imminent.
Natalie exhaled a breath of relief now that Oliver had secured a complete victory. However, soon after, new concerns arose - the case of Victoria's death remained unresolved.
"Roger, regarding Victoria..."
Before Natalie could finish, Roger said, reading her mind, "Don’t worry, it’ll be resolved today."
Natalie knew Oliver was very capable. Coupled with Roger’s assurance, she quickly calmed down.
The trial had yet to conclude; the investigation into Victoria's death was still pending.
As a suspect, Oliver faced allegations, yet the evidence against him was not compelling.
Antony introduced evidence proving Oliver was not the killer. Advanced techniques pinpointed Victoria's time of death to before 11 pm. Surveillance footage captured Oliver leaving his residence at 11:13 pm, establishing his alibi and removing any suspicion towards him.
Upon hearing this, Edwin, seated among the spectators, visibly paled. His lips pressed tightly together, his fists clenched in his lap as he fought to maintain composure and mask his emotions.
Oliver's gaze swept across the courtroom, momentarily resting on Edwin for a brief two seconds.
Edwin attempted a smile, but it came across as forced and anxious, betraying his inner turmoil. He held his jade ring, wondering if Oliver knew he was the murderer. If so, why had Oliver not accused him directly? He wondered if Oliver’s look conveyed a deeper message.
To Edwin, Oliver had always emanated a sinister aura; he felt even more so now that Oliver had removed his mask. He felt even more fearful of Oliver at this moment.
Antony revisited Adrian's testimony against Oliver, which suggested a motive for Victoria's murder, while Charles presented confessions from the duo who intended to kidnap Natalie.
Antony also challenged Hailey's testimony, seeking a separate trial to accuse her of defamation.
This series of complex and interconnected cases was unprecedented for the seasoned judge and jury members.
With Victoria deceased, the quest for the true perpetrator continued. If not Oliver, the killer had to be among the banquet's attendees, yet most had solid alibis, narrowing the list of suspects.
Henry, already devastated by his own conviction, was further shocked to learn that Victoria's killer was not Oliver but someone else. This revelation caused him to collapse. He seemed to age visibly, unable to stand.
Oliver approached the defeated Henry, commenting, “Father, enjoy your life. Sometimes, being alive is no better than being dead.”
“Oliver, you bast*rd! I’m your father! How dare you treat me like this? Aren’t you afraid of retribution?!” Henry pointed tremblingly at Oliver.
“Father, if you’re not afraid of retribution, why should I be afraid of retribution?”
“You bast*rd! How did I give birth to bast*rd like you? If I knew, I would’ve strangled you to death when you were born!” Henry pounded his chest and stomped his feet.
Despite Henry’s miserable appearance, no one felt sorry for a man who had indirectly killed his wife, murdered his lover, and had the blood of his subordinates on his hands.
Henry was then led away to serve a life sentence; his fate was sealed by his own deeds.
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