Chapter 295 All Cards on the Table
After the usual court formalities wrapped up, the judge and jurors took their seats at the front, and Courtroom No. 7 fell silent.
Ashley gave a reassuring nod to Tina, signaling her to chill out.
Lynn gave her an encouraging look, while Tina tried to avoid her gaze.
Lynn leaned in and whispered, "Ashley, Brown's got a nasty rep. We need to watch our backs."
Ashley nodded, "Time to meet this infamous Brown."
People often said that Brown was a ruthless scoundrel and a disgrace to the legal community, but from his appearance, it wasn't obvious.
He rocked a sharp black suit and rimless glasses, standing over six feet tall. Behind the lawyer's table, he casually flipped through some papers with one hand.
The judge banged the gavel, "Alright, let's hear from both sides!"
Ashley watched Brown's opening statement with a calm demeanor. As soon as he started talking, Lynn was fuming, practically grinding her teeth.
Brown said, "Since my client got married, he's been handling all the business and household duties, taking care of his wife and kids, and providing a lavish lifestyle for his stay-at-home wife. But his wife, who claims to be a housewife, does no housework, and the kids are raised by two nannies. Plus, she secretly transferred joint marital assets to buy properties overseas without my client's knowledge."
Every word Brown said hit the jury hard, and his assistant handed over the evidence as he spoke.
He wrapped up with, "My client's wife, Tina, has been having an inappropriate relationship with her first love. My client has put up with this to protect her reputation."
When Brown finished, Lynn was livid!
Tina hadn't mentioned any of this! Were they blindsided by the other side? But Ashley just kept a cool, faint smile, appreciating how Brown stirred the pot.
Lynn leaned over and whispered, "Ashley, is Brown lying? Is this true?"
Ashley tapped her fingers on the documents, her nails perfectly manicured, "Don't you see Tina every day?"
Lynn stammered, "Ashley, now's not the time for this. If Brown's telling the truth, we're in trouble."
Ashley said, "Don't freak out. Make your statement first."
Lynn, wanting a bigger cut of the attorney's fees, had asked to lead, and Ashley had let her.
She stood up, nodded to the courtroom, and opened her documents. Brown's words had shaken her confidence. After her statement, she saw the judge frown.
Her heart skipped a beat. "Wait, I have something to add."
In the tense atmosphere, Ashley stood up and nodded to everyone, "Your Honor, jurors, prosecution attorney, I have something to present."
The judge nodded, "Go ahead."
Ashley pulled out some photos of Tina and her first love. Hannah, with the audiovisual staff, projected them on the screen. In the first photo, Tina and her first love were smiling broadly, seemingly hugging from the side, but from the front, it was clear they were with a child.
One of the things Ashley had Tina do was meet with a man, get photographed, and then have Brown include the evidence in his defense. When the time came, Ashley would clarify, leaving the judge with the first impression that Tina was being slandered.
Once this preconceived notion was established, the judge would be inclined to help Tina.
"The photos you provided create an illusion through misalignment. Without knowing the truth, you have slandered my client's reputation. Please apologize," Ashley said.
Brown stood up angrily, "Objection! I haven't seen these photos before. They can't be used as evidence."
Ashley sneered, "I haven't seen the photos in the prosecution attorney's hand either. Moreover, these aren't evidence for this case but are to protect a mother's reputation, so her child won't be ridiculed."
The judge nodded, "Defense attorney, continue. Prosecution attorney, please sit down."
Brown sat down angrily, his eyes cold.
Ashley insisted, "Prosecution attorney, please apologize."
The air was thick with tension.
Brown's face turned dark, and he glared, "No way."
Ashley kept her cool, looking at the judge with genuine emotion, "This isn't directly related to the divorce case, but my client, as a mother, can't stand being slandered. For her innocent child's sake, I ask to clear her name!"
The judge thought for a moment and then turned to Brown. "Prosecution attorney, please apologize for the incorrect evidence."
Brown was about to grind his teeth to dust. In all his years in court, he'd never been treated like this. "Sorry."
The apology was dripping with anger.
But it was enough.
Seeing Tina's smile, Ashley nodded. "Also, the overseas property purchase was a misunderstanding. My client's cousin wanted to immigrate, and since she had study-abroad experience, she helped look at foreign properties. The money transferred from her account was just a deposit to an overseas agent, which her friend has already returned in full."
Brown's eyes bulged, and he cursed inwardly, 'Damn it! They really set me up!'
Ashley didn't push for another apology, but these two points were enough to make Brown fume.
Ashley continued, "Moreover, two years ago, Robert's company faced a financial crisis due to cash flow problems. My client sold a villa to help the company out of trouble. She isn't uninvolved in the company's affairs; on the contrary, she's a key player in turning things around and is a core member of the company. Furthermore, Robert has many social engagements, often not coming home for twenty days. Even when he does, he sleeps in the guest room and shows little concern for the children. On the 18th of last month, their child had a high fever, leading to tonsillitis. I was at the hospital all night, and when I finally reached Robert, he said he had a social engagement and couldn't come. I later found out that Robert was with a woman from a nightclub that night. Coincidentally, last week, Robert met with the same woman again at the Clearwater Bay Club."
As Ashley spoke, corresponding images were projected as evidence.
Brown stood up again, "You said my photos were misaligned. What about yours? I think they are also deliberately fabricated."
Ashley smirked, "Photos might have angle discrepancies, but what about videos?"
Robert wasn't there, and Brown wanted to grab him by the collar and give him a good scolding.
Half an hour later, the court recessed.
Hannah said cheerfully, "I think this Brown isn't that impressive after all!"
Ashley said, "Don't underestimate him. Let's see what he does next."
Meanwhile, Tina gratefully held Ashley's hand, "Thank you, Ashley. I'm glad you had me do all this."
At first, she didn't understand why she had to create those illusions, but now she got it.
Thanks to Ashley's foresight, otherwise, she wouldn't know where to start.
"It's my job. You should go to the lounge and rest for now. No need to show up," Ashley said.
Robert was sneaky enough not to come himself and let the lawyer handle everything. Who was he afraid of facing?
Tina obediently treated Ashley like a goddess, "Okay."
Lynn, holding back her emotions and suppressing her anger, said, "Ashley, why didn't I know about any of this?"
Ashley said, "Do you have your own sources? Would you even care about my little tricks?"
Lynn didn't have more evidence. The video she had prepared seemed redundant and ridiculous compared to Ashley's. She didn't dare show it, which meant her so-called trump card was already worthless. "You take over this case."
She was unwilling to back down, but she had previously agreed that whoever had the crucial evidence would be the lead. She had to swallow this bitter pill.
Ashley didn't care about her feelings, "Okay."
Lynn opened her mouth, thinking Ashley would at least be polite, but she accepted so straightforwardly!
Ashley reminded her, "You also have a video showing Robert's infidelity, and you arranged the woman in the video. You'd better hide it well and not let anyone see it."
Lynn's eyes widened in panic, "You!"
"How do I know? It's simple. I also went to the Clearwater Bay Club, and I happen to know the woman you found," Ashley said.
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