Xavier~
"My lord, Miss Luis is attempting to divert attention from this case." Dad stood up from his chair in anger upon witnessing Bella's intense interrogation of Lincon.
"She used Lincon's statements against him in court to entangle him and has not provided any evidence in the court till now," he added, his voice brimming with frustration.
I'm worried that Dad might lose this case at his first hearing if she doesn't quit immediately.
"Objection overruled." The judge's stern voice echoed in the courtroom. Additionally, the judge forbade Dad from interfering with Bella's questioning of Lincon.
"So, Mr. Thompson, according to your wife, you take her on vacation by telling her that this was your private tour, right?" Bella raised her brow, her sharp gaze fixed on Lincon.
"Yes." Lincon shook his head and said yes, his voice barely audible.
"What are your friends doing on that cruise, then? Are all of your buddies traveling together, or is it just a coincidence?"
Bella's unwavering confidence sent chills down my spine. Lincon shifted uneasily in the culprit box, his gaze darting between Bella and the judge, beads of sweat forming on his temple.
I thought she would be afraid of seeing Dad in front of her, but she showed no sign of hesitation. Once again, her profession appeared to be her sole focus.
"My lord, on December 23rd, Mr. Lincon Thompson took his wife, Dixie Thompson, on a vacation. His five buddies all went on the same date, so, oddly, they didn't meet up at the airport or on the cruise," Bella stated, her voice calm but deliberate. When she finished speaking, the courtroom fell silent.
"Objection, my lord, Miss Luis is trying to mislead the court. This case is about Lincon and Dixie, not a cruise vacation." Dad's tone was sharp, a mixture of defense and indignation.
"Objection sustained. Miss Luis, don't waste court time on unnecessary details," the judge said, heeding Dad's plea and instructing Bella to refrain from overburdening Lincon.
"Sorry, my lord, no further questions, my lord." Bella bowed her head slightly and returned to her seat, her expression unreadable.
The judge motioned for Dad to begin the defense. Before starting his argument, Dad adjusted his lawyer's coat and examined Bella's face. There was neither remorse nor empathy for Bella, but for the first time, I noticed a flicker of hesitancy in his eyes.
"My lord, I want to begin by addressing Miss Luis's claim that Lincon and his friends were the ones who planned this trip. I would like to inquire about the basis upon which she asserts that the cruise trip was a well-planned strategy. Could it be a coincidence that they all met on Christmas Eve and went on a cruise with their families?" Dad's voice carried its usual confidence, though his words betrayed a subtle edge of unease.
"My lord, I require your permission to call Dixie Thompson to the witness box," Dad requested, glancing briefly at Bella before returning his attention to the judge.
"Permission granted," the judge said. Dixie entered the witness box, her face pale but resolute.
"Ms. Dixie Thompson, was your marriage to Lincon Thompson an arranged marriage?" Dad began, his tone deceptively neutral.
"No, we were friends from law school, and we decided to get married after earning our degrees," Dixie responded honestly, her voice steady.
"Point to be noted, my lord, they were in love since their college days. How could he suddenly change his mind and insist on you sleeping with his friends when you've known him since your undergraduate days?" Dad's question caused Dixie to lower her head, visibly uncomfortable.
"I object to my senior colleague's attempt to humiliate my client in public," Bella said, rising from her chair to shield Dixie from further discomfort.
"Objection overruled," the judge ruled. "Mr. Thompson, continue."
"Lincon was a good man at first, but as time went on and he didn't obtain what he desired, his character evolved," Dixie said, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Could you perhaps elaborate on Lincon's specific goals in refusing to have his behavior altered?" Dad asked, his tone pressing but not unkind.
"Not only did that revelation at Bella and Xavier's anniversary celebration impact their lives, but it also completely altered ours. Lincon always wanted his father's love and respect, just like his younger brother Xavier did. However, when he didn't receive it, he vented his anger on me. At first, I thought it would only last a short while, so I put up with it in silence. However, as time went on, his cruelty increased, and on that cruise party, he went beyond his limits," Dixie said, cupping her face and sobbing uncontrollably.
"No more questions, my lord." Dad sighed deeply and cast a furious glance at Lincon before sitting down.
I was astounded after hearing Dixie's statement. I had always assumed I was the only one who disagreed with Dad's choices, but now it was clear that Lincon carried his resentment silently, too.
I glanced at Bella's face. For the first time, doubt gnawed at me. Perhaps she was correct—Dixie's tears are real. The realization unsettled me, and I started to second-guess my choice to support Lincon.
"My lord, that cruise party was a well-executed plan by Lincon Thompson, as evidenced by the social media posts of his friends, all of which tagged him from the 23rd to the 26th of December," Bella announced, using the projector to display pictures of Lincon's friends.
When Dad saw the images on the projector screen, he turned to Lincon angrily. How could he keep us in the dark about such significant news? Seeing those pictures made me even more suspicious of him.
"The court resumed after a 30-minute recess." The judge got up from her chair.
I considered approaching Bella to clear up our misunderstanding, but before I could do so, Jordan Lucas' number appeared on my phone screen once more.
"It's time to keep your word, Xavier; otherwise, you will face the repercussions." His voice was cold, devoid of his usual mocking tone. Before I could respond, the line went dead. As the call ended, a wave of dread washed over me. The weight of my choices loomed larger than ever. How much longer could I carry the burden of protecting my family while watching Bella slip further away from me?
I left the courtroom after glancing at Bella's face. Her eyes were full of questions, but I was so caught up in my own decisions that I was unable to respond to any of them, even if I wanted to. The session was about to resume, and everyone was making their way back into the courtroom. That's when Victor approached me, his voice shaking with shock.
"Xavier, are you going to defend Jonathan in the Laila murder case?" he asked, his words laced with disbelief. When Bella heard Victor's startled voice, her steps faltered.
"Yes," I reluctantly admitted, nodding, my gaze shifting apologetically to Bella.
Her steps stopped entirely, and her eyes locked on mine, filled with disbelief and pain. For a brief moment, I saw a flicker of hope in her gaze—as if she wanted me to deny it. But my silence sealed the truth. Her wide eyes searched my face for an explanation, but all she found was regret—an emotion that now felt far too late.