Verdict

*Chapter 84*

I had a good night's sleep after that. It was very refreshing that I got to the courthouse not minding people's stares at me. For someone who had been ruining her image ever since I married Reginald, I already got used to feeling those kinds of ridiculous stares.

"Based on the defense side, these documents presented are given by an anonymous individual. You and this person collaborated and investigated. Is that correct, Marchioness Argerich?" Atty. Rios asked.

Nodding, I glanced at Reginald. "Yes, it is."

"Do you know this person?"

I arched my eyebrow. "Didn't you say it is an anonymous individual?" I asked.

He squinted his eyes at me. "Just answer it with yes or no, Marchioness Argerich."

I almost laughed seeing him looking impatient. That was the point of having myself here on the stand. I would like to annoy him because I had been wanting to answer him rudely since yesterday.

"Yes, I know that person."

Whispers and murmurs started to circulate around the courtroom. Their expressions looked curious as to who this anonymous person was. That was the thing I wanted to see. I wanted to know what expression they would make if I revealed the name of this person.

"May you reveal to us who this person is?" he asked before he looked at me, challenging me to say it.

"Certainly," I said before I turned my head at the gallery. I inhaled sharply when I came to meet Prince Atticus's forest green eyes, still having his mask on. I bet he was also using a voice-changing device. It looked like he was instilling that he wanted to provoke me. I looked away and looked at the person I had been collaborating with ever since I found out that Reginald was committing treason. "It is His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Alucard. I had been confiding with him from the very start."

The murmurs were getting louder as I heard soft gasps coming from the plaintiff's side. I looked at Atty. Rios looked surprised, which same goes with Reginald who looked horrified right now. Even Mother Luna Queen Adeline and Grand Alpha King Apollo looked surprised as well.

They even looked at Alucard who had a furtive smile smearing on his lips. I glanced at Alpha King Azarius who just grinned seeing that he didn't expect this to happen. He even looked behind him, which was Countess Stallone.

I watched his mouth move and read that His Majesty was telling her that he was having fun with this trial.

"Is it my time to speak now or are you going to listen to this commotion, Escal?" Alucard asked, chuckling.

Judge Escal ordered the court to hush down and cleared his throat. "Summon His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Alucard for questioning," he ordered as he hit his gavel.

I stood up and met Alucard before he would take the stand. I scoffed when he jumped from the gallery and didn't even dare to use the other way. Instead, he used a shortcut. I greeted him by curtsying in front of him. "You owe me a lot, sister-in-law," he whispered.

"No, I don't. You owe me because you want to pay back the humiliation I got from your youngest brother's stupidity," I said, glancing at him before I averted my gaze and returned to my seat.

I heard his chuckle until he sat down.

Yes, Crown Prince Alucard was the person who helped me through the times I needed someone aside from Frederick. He was the person that could overthrow Reginald by accusing me that I was committing treason.

Atty. Rios cleared his throat after he took a moment of silence to analyze the situation. "Your Royal Highness, may you tell us how did you and Marchioness Argerich end up cooperating with each other? Do you actually believe on the defense side that she is innocent?"

Alucard smiled. "Well..." He glanced at me. "She provided me with a few pieces of evidence that Reginald Argerich is committing a grave royal crime against our kingdom. This led me to help her gather more evidence and meet each other so many times." He clasped his hands together while his elbows rested on the desk. "And yes, I do believe that Marchioness Argerich is innocent. If it weren't, then you would like to lead it that I am helping her to commit treason. Is that what you are trying to mean?" he asked in his dangerous tone.

"N-No, Your Royal Highness!" Rios said defensively. He chuckled nervously before he cleared his throat. "How many times did you communicate or meet each other to plan on gathering more evidence to prove that my client is the real culprit?"

Alucard showed his three fingers. "We only met and communicated thrice."

"Can you tell us when and where did you two meet?"

"We are dating," he said and chuckled when Prince Atticus growled at what he said.

I creased my forehead seeing how that bastard prince reacted. But he suddenly reminded me about Frederick who had the same reaction as his.

"Oh my... Someone is mad," he said, grinning.

I watched as Atticus clenched his hands and was about to stand up if it only weren't for Alpha King Azarius' orders. "Halt, Atticus. You are not going to ruin this trial," he said coldly.

"But, brother, Alu is..." His words were interrupted when His Majesty spoke.

"It doesn't matter. He is just provoking you and you are allowing yourself to lose your composure in front of the crowds." We all shivered when His Majesty growled a warning.

Prince Atticus just clenched his hands before he turned at us. I secretly gnashed my teeth when he glanced in my direction before he glanced at Atty. Rios. "Continue." He nodded before he stayed silent, silently scoffing.

I glared at Prince Atticus before I looked away when Father mind linked me not to glare at His Highness as they might condemn me that I wanted to do something bad to the fifth lycan prince.

"Like I said, thrice. The first meeting was in the middle of the winter season where Marchioness Argerich was with his knight whose name is Frederick," he paused and looked up at the gallery. I looked as to where he was glancing at. He was looking at his brothers who were smiling from ear to ear, exchanging meaningful glances towards each other. Then he looked at me and wriggled his eyebrows causing me to frown. "Our first meeting was coincidental at that time. We happened to see each other before she stated her business and she wanted me to cooperate with her about her latest findings. The second meeting was from Argenta where she sent me a letter to attend an event there," he added.

It was the time I went to the mail depot to send a letter that was addressed to the palace. The addressee was Alucard. If ever someone was to get to send an important to the royalties, it should be shown to the clerk the address before they would dispatch it within the day you asked to deliver the letter.

That was why I extended my stay for a few days. The time I was angry and punished Frederick for leaving and kneeling in front of the hotel establishment was the time I was also meeting Alucard in a certain restaurant so we could exchange information about our findings.

"Lastly, she went to the palace to meet with me and we talked in the Luna Queen's garden to finalize the plans. At that time, we had already gathered enough evidence. All we have to do is to wait for the right time that Reginald would pin his crimes on Novalie." He smiled and glanced in Reginald's direction. "He is the one committing treason and betraying our kingdom. No doubt about that."

Alucard's words earned a deafening silence. No one dared to speak. No one would even dare to disrespect the crown prince because his words should be absolute. He wouldn't lie, of course. His statement should be enough that we were really cooperating with each other.

"Reginald is exchanging telegrams with a law firm there located at the Folkstone City," Alucard uttered. "It is called Otieza Law LLC. This law firm is notorious for forging documents which Reginald took as his opportunity to forge everything and make Novalie the one signing those documents that were first presented in the court." He smirked and glanced at Judge Escal. "We have captured those who were involved with this crime, Escal. The only thing was we hid them for safety and we did our best to keep everything discreet so that Marquis Argerich wouldn't be alerted that the people helping him were apprehended with the help of Marchioness Argerich's elite watchers and my royal knights." Then he reclined in his seat.

I glanced at Reginald to see his horrified reaction. I smirked seeing that everything should be over to this day.

"And the new documents presented yesterday are the real documents we obtained from Reginald and the law firm. Novalie managed to duplicate the documents with the help of the printing press. It meant that the new evidence presented here are the original ones and the copy Reginald has are the duplicated ones."

At that moment, the courtroom was filled with murmurs and whispers from the jury and the audience.

"This is really over..." I murmured at Dylan.

"Indeed, Beta." He nodded and drew out a small smile.

"Order in the court," Judge Escal said before he started his deliberation and bestowed the evidence to the jury.

The jury left for a while to bestow their verdict from hearing Alucard's statement. The plaintiff side shouldn't dare to question the crown prince anymore as he already had enough evidence to properly pin the crimes on Reginald.

Moments later, the jury returned and bestowed their verdict. Judge Escal asked the jury foreperson if they had reached a unanimous verdict.

"The case of People vs. Marchioness Argerich," Judge Escal paused and took his gavel. "Convicting Marquis Reginald Argerich for committing treason against the kingdom and damaging the royal lycan family's reputation. He shall be executed without delay. As for Marchioness Novalie Argerich, the jury finds the defendant not guilty."

"Your Honor, I have a request," I said, interrupting him before he could hit his gavel to the block.

He creased his forehead. "What is it?"

Glancing at Reginald who looked panicking right now, I smiled when I met his eyes, seeing him miserable right now before I returned my attention to Judge Escal.

"I wish to divorce my marriage with him for the reason of besmirching my reputation, social humiliation, and mental anguish. I also like to ask for moral damages from him," I said with my firm voice.

The words I uttered earned a round of applause coming from the de Carteret brothers. I didn't look in their way and focused my eyes on the judge.

Sighing, he nodded. "Request granted," he said before he hit the gavel to the block.

At that moment, I couldn't help smiling from ear to ear as I glanced at Reginald. A winning smile was lingering on my lips while Reginald had a miserable expression right now.

This was it...

I was proven not guilty in this case.

Go to hell, Reginald!