Chapter 127\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 127\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lucy\u00a0<\/p>\n
One month later.\u00a0<\/p>\n
30\u00a0<\/p>\n
10 vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
It had been a month before the first hearing of the case was scheduled. I was waiting for it for a long time. Maya had been taken into custody and I could only visit her once during that time. She had lashed at me for not being able to take care of her. I had lashed back for not involving me in this deed. Had she involved me, I would have made sure that we had received the blackmail money.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Another problem was that I wasn\u2019t getting any lawyer for her. Somehow, I managed to find one after a lot of effort. It wasn\u2019t easy. I had begged, promised money, and used whatever little influence I had left. And right now I had walked inside the court with him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The courtroom was quiet when I walked in, but on the inside, I was angry as hell. It felt tense. I took my seat and waited, watching the doors closely.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Maya and Craig were brought in, both of them were in handcuffs. They looked tired and worn down, nothing like they used to. Maya avoided looking around at first, but Craig looked angry, his eyes darting everywhere. When his eyes landed on me, he scowled. From the corner of my eye, I saw Gerald also there.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Maya saw me, she immediately started crying. She called out to me loudly, and everyone turned to look. I was glad. It made her look weak and innocent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Craig stood beside her, looking exhausted and angry. He looked bitter, like he already knew things were going badly for him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I noticed Bella and Scott entering the courtroom. Bella was walking calmly, dressed neatly, as if this was just another formal event for her. Scott stayed close to her, guiding her through the crowd and speaking to her softly. He treated her like she was fragile and needed protection. And why was she glowing so much?\u00a0<\/p>\n
That irritated me even more. Made my blood boil. Here she was all prim and proper and enjoying her life, and there my daughter was\u2013imprisoned and going through hell. I loathed her so much that it burned inside me. I remembered what Rowan had said\u2013\u2018We will wait for the right time.\u2018\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scott stayed with Bella until they reached their seats, then he turned to speak to their lawyer. The lawyer was the best in the city. It was clear that Bella was going to give him a lot of money.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When the judge asked them how they pleaded, both of them said they were not guilty.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI am not guilty,\u201d Maya said quickly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNot guilty,\u201d Craig said as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is lying!\u201d Maya shouted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The judge called them to order. After that we sat down, the trial officially began.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Maya was called to the witness stand first.\u00a0<\/p>\n
11:39 Mon, Jan 5\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 127\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0f22\u00a0<\/p>\n
89\u00a0<\/p>\n
34 Vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
She took the oath and stood there with her head lowered, her hands shaking. Her lawyer asked her questions gently.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When she spoke, she cried and said Bella had always disliked her. She told the court that Bella had created this case to destroy her. She said she didn\u2019t know what Craig was doing and that she had only delivered messages when he asked her to. She made it sound like she had no real role in the crime. She then accused that Craig was the one who planned everything and that he should be charged for criminal conspiracy, not her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Craig lost his temper. \u201cYou are lying,\u201d he shouted. \u201cYou planned this. You are twisting everything.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The judge immediately ordered him to stay quiet and warned him not to interrupt again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then Bella\u2019s lawyer stood up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He spoke slowly and clearly. He showed the court messages from Maya\u2019s phone. He showed records of meetings and submitted photos. He explained how Maya benefited from the crime and how she had been involved from the start.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As he spoke, I could feel my anger building. The lawyer was making Maya look guilty, piece by piece. I didn\u2019t like how confident he was. I didn\u2019t like how the judge listened carefully to him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked at Bella. She sat quietly, without reacting, letting her lawyer do all the work. That made me hate her even more. I clenched my fists and told myself this wasn\u2019t over.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If the court didn\u2019t help my daughter, I would find another way. I had never depended only on the law.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Craig was called to the witness stand. He countered Maya\u2019s blame. He said Maya had planned everything and dragged him into it. I watched him carefully. I didn\u2019t care about Craig at all. If someone had to take the blame, it might as well be him. And I would make sure of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When the court session ended, Maya and Craig were taken back. I tried to approach Maya, but the guards stopped me. Her cries resounded in the courtroom as I watched her leave.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I saw Bella leaving while Scott was still talking to the lawyer. I stood up and walked toward Bella near the entrance. \u201cBella!\u201d I hissed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She turned when she heard me and narrowed her eyes. \u201cWhat do you want, Lucy?\u201d she asked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou fucking bitch!\u201d I almost snarled. \u201cI took care of you when you were young,\u201d I said in a low voice. \u201cI stayed in that house and did my duties. I made sure you were fed and comfortable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bella didn\u2019t respond as she crossed her arms across her chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you grew up and forgot everything,\u201d I continued. \u201cYou became immoral and ungrateful. You destroyed my daughter\u2019s life without any shame. If you have any shame left, withdraw the case!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She tilted her head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I continued, \u201cMaya even moved out of the house so that you could live comfortably. She sacrificed her own happiness. And this is how you repay her? By pushing her into more trouble?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
11:39 Mon, Jan 5\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 127\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bella looked at me for a second, then gave a small, humorless smile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u5b5d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vouchers\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, so now you are pretending this is about love or sacrifice?\u201d she scoffed. \u201cYou and Maya didn\u2019t suffer for me. You planned, connived, and you calculated. You tried to take what was mine, and now that it failed, you\u2019re crying and calling it injustice?\u201d She adjusted her bag. \u201cIf this is a guilt trip, you can stop. It won\u2019t work. I don\u2019t. feel sympathy for any of you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then she turned to leave, but halted. She turned her head over her shoulder and added, \u201cIt\u2019s better if you don\u2019t talk to me. If you have something to say, say it through my lawyer.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then she walked away, her heels clicking on the surface of the floor. I stood there, furious. I walked out of the building and called Rowan.\u00a0<\/p>\n
AD\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland\u2019s breathtaking cold.<\/p>\n
When Midnight Winds Carry Secrets Toward Worlds Yet Unknown 127 Chapter 127\u00a0 Chapter 127\u00a0 Lucy\u00a0 One month later.\u00a0 30\u00a0 10 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23092","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-new-world-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23092","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23092"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23092\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23092"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23092"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23092"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}