Chapter 115

Prosecutor Yul was taken aback by Lawyer Stone’s unexpected claim. If there were any proof, he should have known about it by now. So, what was this supposed evidence?

The crowd in the courtroom began to murmur, wondering what this evidence could be, as Mrs. Kane wouldn’t still be in jail if there had been any solid proof.

"Quiet down!" the court deputy ordered.

The judge leaned back in his chair and asked, "Where is this evidence?"

Lawyer Stone returned to his desk and retrieved a folder and a device.

Ariana's heart raced as she realized there was indeed some form of proof. What could possibly be in that file that might expose the truth? She was confident she had covered all her tracks thoroughly.

"We live in a time where technology can do just about anything," Lawyer Stone began. "What I hold here is a device from Japan designed to detect forged documents and signatures. While a forgery may look identical to the original to the naked eye, this device can reveal the truth. The Japanese government, along with every other country that has imported this device, including ours, has approved its use."

He handed the judge a file containing the device’s approval and proof that the demolition document was forged.

Everyone watched silently as the judge examined the documents to verify their validity. After a few minutes, the judge looked up at Lawyer Stone. "This document will be accepted, but you must demonstrate the device's accuracy in front of everyone."

"Of course, your honor. However, I will need the prosecution to provide the original demolition file."

The judge nodded and turned to Prosecutor Yul. "Please provide the original document."

Prosecutor Yul stood, cleared his throat, and hesitated. This turn of events had caught him off guard, disrupting his strategy against Lily.

"Your honor, the original document is not here."

"What do you mean it’s not here?" the judge demanded.

Prosecutor Yul had assumed the original wouldn’t be needed, given that all evidence pointed to Lily, so he had only brought a copy. "I apologize, your honor. I mistakenly brought a copy instead of the original."

"Can the copy be tested?" the judge asked Lawyer Stone.

"No, your honor. To demonstrate the device's capability, we must use the original document."

"I see. Since the original is not present, the prosecution has three hours to produce it. We will reconvene after that time," the judge said, striking his gavel.

"Court is adjourned!" the deputy announced, and everyone stood as the judge exited the room.

Alexander approached Lily, embraced her, and kissed her forehead. "Once this is over, you'll be free," he assured her.

Lily smiled and nodded.

Ariana clenched her fists, feeling her nails dig into her palms. If the signature was proven to be a forgery, Lily would be released and could return home, continuing to attend court as the case progressed. Ariana needed to ensure Lily stayed in jail a bit longer. She had planned for Lily to remain behind bars until the trial concluded, but now that her release seemed imminent, she had to act fast. For the past three weeks, she had tried in vain to get Alexander’s attention, but he continued to ignore her as if she didn’t exist.

Thinking quickly, Ariana left the courtroom and found a secluded spot to make a call.

Meanwhile, the internet buzzed with videos from the first court session, and everyone eagerly awaited the next development.

Three hours later, the court reconvened. Everyone took their seats as the judge reentered, and they all stood.

Once everyone was settled, the judge asked the prosecutor for the original document.

Prosecutor Yul stood up nervously. "Your honor, we are still waiting for the assistant prosecutor to arrive with it."

"How long until he arrives?" the judge inquired.

"He should be here any moment now," Prosecutor Yul replied.

"Very well, we will wait," the judge said.

The courtroom sat in anticipation, but an hour passed, and the assistant prosecutor had yet to arrive.

"Prosecutor Yul, what’s happening?"

Before Prosecutor Yul could respond, a man rushed into the courtroom but was immediately stopped by the police.

"Who are you, and why are you here?" the judge demanded.

"I work here at the court. I was told to inform the court that the assistant prosecutor was in a serious car accident and has been rushed to the hospital."

The news shocked everyone, including the judge, and the courtroom buzzed with whispers.

Alexander frowned, knowing this would likely delay the trial.

The judge sighed sadly. "Given the circumstances, this case is adjourned for three days. I advise both the defense and prosecution to bring all necessary documents, evidence, and witnesses so we can conclude this matter next time."

Both Lawyer Stone and Prosecutor Yul nodded in agreement.

The judge struck his gavel before leaving the courtroom. Alexander turned to Lily and kissed her. "Take care. I promise that by the next hearing, all of this will be behind us."

Lily nodded. She looked at her grandfather, her father, Sarah, and others before waving goodbye as the police escorted her back to jail. Surprisingly, she didn’t seem upset; instead, she smiled, recognizing that Ariana was digging herself deeper without even realizing it.

As soon as the session ended, Ariana made her move towards Alexander, blocking his path. She intended to act before the next hearing.

"Hi, Alexander," she greeted casually, but her tone disgusted him. He walked past her as if she were invisible, got into his car, and drove away, leaving Ariana hurt.

"What did you just call him?" Sarah confronted Ariana outside the courtroom, where reporters eagerly awaited any bit of news.

"That’s none of your business," Ariana shot back. "I was talking to him, not you."

"You have no right to speak to Alexander Kane," Sarah retorted, her expression stern.

"Says who?"

"When did you start calling him Alexander instead of Mr. Kane? You two aren’t close, and didn’t you claim to have lost your memory? So why act familiar with him?"

"Even if I lost my memory, I know about the relationship we had and the mistakes I made. I just want us to be friends again."

Sarah laughed loudly, drawing attention from onlookers, including Anthony, who had been talking to Ethan and hadn’t noticed his fiery pregnant wife walking off to confront Ariana. Realizing the potential scene she could cause, Anthony excused himself and approached them.

"No, you cannot be friends with Alexander. I forbid it. Stay away from this family," Sarah declared.

"You can’t force me to stay away. I’ll keep my distance if they ask me to, not because you say so," Ariana retorted.

Sarah clenched her fists, about to strike Ariana, but Anthony intervened, gently lowering her hand and massaging it to calm her down.

"Not here, my love," Anthony whispered, reminding her of the crowd.

Ariana smirked, brushing her hair back. She couldn’t understand what someone as powerful as Anthony saw in Sarah, a woman with such a sharp tongue.

"Just let me handle her!" Sarah demanded.

"Not today, darling," Anthony said softly, moving closer to her. "You’ll have your chance when the time is right. But for now, stay calm. There are too many people watching."

Sarah, who had been angry at him moments before, smiled at his suggestion. He was right; she needed to bide her time. She would certainly get her chance to deal with Ariana later.

Meanwhile, Alexander had instructed his team to investigate the assistant prosecutor’s accident, needing to determine whether it was a genuine accident or orchestrated by someone trying to keep Lily behind bars by delaying the court from uncovering the truth.