Chapter 518
A pang of heartache welled up within Megan, yet she managed to summon a smile as she closed the case files. "Joseph," she began, her voice steady, "I am eighty percent certain I can cure your illness, and it won't relapse."
A glimmer of hope sparked in Joseph's eyes, but it was abruptly extinguished by the sudden intrusion of Joe's call. "Joseph, Cassie has gone to the court," he reported urgently.
Joseph's countenance darkened instantly. "Didn't I explicitly instruct that she is to remain indoors for the time being?" he demanded, his voice laced with frustration.
Joe responded with a helpless tone, "I'm sorry, but Cassie threatened to harm herself with a knife..."
"What?" Joseph's anger flared, his grip on his phone tightening to the point of nearly crushing it. The thought of Cassie, threatening to harm herself, filled him with a mix of rage and disappointment. Did she not care about her own child? Were her children not as important to her as Nina?
With a sigh of frustration, Joseph rose from his seat. "We'll discuss this later. I have urgent matters to attend to today."
"Very well," Megan conceded, slipping her phone into her bag, "but don't delay too long. The success rate will decrease with time."
As Megan and Joseph made their way down the corridor, Luna emerged from the opposite end. She halted in her tracks, her eyes widening in shock as she watched them descend the stairs together. Swiftly, she retreated into a corner, extracting her phone to capture a quick photograph.
"Luna, what brings you here?" Felix approached, wrapping an arm around Luna.
"Look at this," Luna showed him the photo, her voice barely above a whisper, "It's Megan. She's alive."
Felix squinted at the image, "Indeed, that's Megan. Not a mere lookalike like Joyce Ray."
Luna's lips curled into a sly smile, "A man and a woman leaving a hotel together at nine in the morning. What do you suppose they were doing all night?"
Her mind wandered to Cassie, and she couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction. "What do you think Cassie would do if she saw these photos?"
Felix responded thoughtfully, "I heard she's pregnant and under the care of the Hernandez family. If she discovers her husband and ex-lover spent a night together, she might miscarry."
Luna's inner smirk widened. Despite Cassie's marriage to Joseph, it seemed inevitable that she would be abandoned sooner rather than later.
Meanwhile, Cassie and Laura arrived at a New York court just as a trial was drawing to a close. Nina, standing in the defendant's box, looked worn and haggard. The once vibrant woman was now clad in a drab yellow vest, her hair dry and lifeless, her body a testament to physical and mental exhaustion.
"I didn't do it. I didn't kill anyone," Nina insisted stubbornly, even as the evidence stacked against her, "I've been framed."
The lawyer retorted dismissively, "You can deny it all you want, but the fact remains that you hired someone to brutally burn Joyce Ray to death. What's even more despicable is your lack of remorse."
The judge, his brow furrowed in disapproval, finally delivered his verdict, "The defendant, Nina, is found guilty of premeditated murder. Given the severity of the crime and the absence of remorse, Nina is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment, effective immediately."
"No, my daughter didn't kill anyone!" Nina's mother rose from her seat, her voice choked with tears, only to be restrained by the court officers.
Nina's eyes were bloodshot, her face a mask of despair. Despite having anticipated this outcome, the reality of it was a crushing blow.
"Nina..." Cassie's voice was heavy with regret. "I'm sorry..." If she hadn't insisted on a paternity test, Nina wouldn't be in this predicament.
"I didn't expect you to come," Nina managed a weak smile, her lips trembling. Their acquaintance had been brief, yet impactful.
"We believe you're innocent," Laura affirmed, her eyes brimming with tears, "We'll find the evidence to overturn the verdict and look after your parents."
"Thank you," Nina murmured, just before the officers led her away. She paused, turning back to add a final warning, "Be careful with Megan..."
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