The Witness

*Chapter 82*

My eyes darted to the man who said that he would testify in court. I didn't expect that the witness they were talking about was Reginald after all.

'Are you expecting this, Father?' I asked through mind link without looking at where he was sitting right now.

'No... I did not...' His tone sounded dejected as if he was being betrayed right now.

'Looks like your favorite son-in-law is a bastard after all,' I replied, which I did not earn a reply from him.

I scoffed, feeling bitter seeing Reginald having an all smile throughout the court. His eyes darted toward me, giving me like he was ready to defeat me and would make me guilty.

'I am going to kill you for good,' I said to him.

'I dare you to try then. I have the protection of the royal lycan family, Novalie. Remember that,' he said arrogantly.

I didn't say anything. There was nothing for me to say since what he said was true. He really had the protection from them based on Alucard's reaction who was smiling from ear to ear when our eyes met.

"Witness, please state your name, occupation, and your relation to the defendant," Dylan stated.

"Reginald Argerich, Marquis of Timestone. Formerly Reginald Westervelt, Viscount of Erast and the former Alpha of the Lone Crow pack." Then Reginald's eyes glanced at me. "I am Novalie's husband."

I watched Dylan start pacing back and forth before he halted in front of Reginald who was sitting on the platform to be questioned. "We have received from the report that you are the one who provided the documents that Marchioness Argerich is committing treason against our kingdom and served them as evidence in the court, Marquis Argerich." He looked up at Reginald. "May we know how you obtained these documents?"

I reclined in my seat, waiting for Reginald's statement on this. I wanted to know where he took those documents when I never got to have them at all.

The documents presented in the court were the deed of sale of selling carriages to the black market in the Yuanzhong Kingdom, receipts from a certain hostel and inn where they said I was meeting the other nobles from the other kingdoms there as our meeting place, account records from imposing a higher tax rate to some certain villages, human trafficking, and drug trafficking. It also said that I was secretly recruiting and training people to be part of a coup d'etat that should be happening soon and also they were part of elite groups to assassinate one of the members of the royal lycan family.

When I saw that evidence, I knew that it did not come from me. They even claimed that my signature was even there in the deed of sale. It was absurd and annoying.

They forged it!

"I obtained them when I searched her study room and saw that she had this hidden compartment where she is keeping those documents," Reginald answered with confidence in his tone.

Dylan remained his stoic expression when murmurs from the jury started murmuring. "Is this study room you are referring to from the manor of Westervelt or in the manor of the Argerich?" he asked.

"In the Westervelt."

"When did you discover it?"

"Last year. November."

Liar! I never got to have any documents like those things you presented!

My blood was boiling right now from how absurd Reginald was. He was obviously lying. This man... This bastard... This son of a bitch...

I casually drank some water and looked at the gallery where the royal lycan family was watching. My heart instantly jumped out of my ribcage when I saw the empty seat was now filled with a man who had a familiar mask on his face.

My eyes widened after that.

Since when did he arrive? Why didn't I notice his presence?

"Why were you searching for Marchioness Argerich's study room?"

"Objection, Your Honor! The question is irrelevant to this case."

I snapped my head upon hearing that. Irrelevant? What did he mean by Dylan's question was irrelevant?

"Overruled."

I felt relieved at Judge Escal's statement. I even leaned in my chair, and almost cried because that question was relevant to this case. If that didn't answer, I would be wondering what Reginald did in searching in my study room.

What was he looking for at that time?

I doubt he would ever look for something there and was stating alibis. He was just making excuses to frame me up.

Reginald stayed silent for a moment. "Because my wife has been acting suspiciously at that time."

"How do you define suspicious acts of my client, Marquis Argerich?"

"Objection!"

"Sustained."

Dylan chimed in. "I'll rephrase it," he said and turned to Reginald. "Why do you think she was suspicious at that time that you resorted to check my client's study room, Marquis Argerich?" he asked in his intimidating tone.

Reginald glanced at me. "She has been going out recently. The funds I allotted to her have been spent somewhere I do not know. I went to ask for her ledger book but she did not even bestow it to me. It is why I went to look for her ledger when she went out on a certain day and saw unfamiliar transactions listed there."

As soon as Reginald glanced at me again, I smiled widely at him. I arched my eyebrow because what he said right now would lead him to his demise now.

"According to the evidence presented here such as forfeiting the account records starting from the moment you married her, my client never touched the allowance that is set on her name as Novalie Westervelt until December last year." Dylan removed his gaze from the parchment he was reading. The judge nodded his head, accepting the new evidence presented to the court. "It is also said that the first ten cheque leaves are not there. The ledger set here started from the cheque number..." He mentioned the previous cheque numbers after the first ten cheque leaves. "...are the only available cheque leaves my client used."

"Objection, Your Honor! The statement is—" I glared at the prosecutor.

"Overruled."

Dylan held his head high. I smiled because it was not sustained. "Did I say it's true, Marquis Argerich?"

I clasped my hands together as I rested my chin there, looking at Reginald who also glanced my way. He must have not expected that I would be able to pull a wild card against his statement.

"Yes," he answered. "I also have—"

"No further questions," Dylan said with finality before he returned to his seat, not letting Reginald finish his words right now.

If one was being questioned, especially if the question required answering 'yes' or 'no', it was either yes or no should be the answer. It didn't need to add further explanations since what they were looking for was a simple yes or no answer.

'He has been careless,' I said to Dylan, simply glancing in his direction.

'As you expected, Beta.' He nodded his head at me.

The prosecutor asked for a fifteen minute recess after battling for three hours in the court. They also released the handcuffs tied up to my wrists.

"I wish to change my clothes," I said to Dylan.

He nodded. "Your wish is my command, Beta."

I decided to meet Father, Alpha Denzil, and Luna Helen from the outside of the court. Father tapped my shoulder before his eyes darted at Reginald.

"As soon as this is over, I am going to divorce my marriage with him whether you like it or not," I informed him while I was gritting my teeth and we were on our way to the spare room the court prepared for us.

Father didn't say anything. He looked disappointed and annoyed. Not to me, but more to himself.

The servants helped me to change into a luxurious attire that would make all the people turn their heads on me.

"Why are you wearing extravagant clothing, Novalie?" Father asked, creasing his forehead.

I turned to the whole body mirror and smiled. "Because I want to," I only answered before I went to my seat and took some tea to calm my nerves.

"We must do something to turn the tables. We have to prove to them that you are not committing treason," Father said with a worried tone. "We need to provide good evidence that everything is forged..." He sighed.

"Let Dylan handle everything, Father. He shall be able to defend me and prove my innocence here," I said calmly.

There was no need to rush everything. But I was really hoping that I could turn the tables and pin all the blames on Reginald. Though I might be convicted of a felony because of slavery I doubted that would be ever brought up to the court because slavery was being regulated here in the kingdom and was not eliminated yet.

However, I only bought male slaves for my entertainment. It was not as if I was forcing them to labor against their will. Well, was pleasing me in bed include that?

"How can you remain so calm?"

Sighing, I looked at Father. I got it that he was nervous that I might end up being executed and might pardon my father because it was not his knowledge that I *did* commit treason.

"Calm down, Father. I did not come here to this special trial if I am not prepared," I said.

"What do you mean?" He creased his forehead.

"Oh, should I be this surprised?" Alpha Denzil asked, chuckling.

"What are you planning, dear?" Luna Helen looked concerned right now.

Looking at the rim of the teacup, I smiled before looking up at them. "Well, I have a way to turn the tables."

"And that is?" they asked in unison.

As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. I looked at Dylan and nodded my head at him. "The answer to our problems..." I said and stood up when Dylan opened the door and revealed the person I had been waiting for.

The person I had been communicating with ever since I knew that Reginald was the first one committing treason and pinning the blame on me.

Father, Alpha Denzil, and Luna Helen gasped upon seeing that person. "What...?" They looked disoriented right now. And that person smiled seeing their reaction.

"Shall we begin the fun then?" I asked, chuckling.

That person looked at me and grinned. "I am looking forward to it."