Chapter 52

Elena’s POV

The trial was a blur, with witness after witness testifying against me. Kiara and Alex were nowhere to be found, but their presence was felt throughout the courtroom.

The prosecutor presented a damning case, with evidence that seemed to point to my guilt. But I knew I was innocent.

I knew I had been set up. And then, just as the trial was about to conclude, a surprise witness took the stand. The officer who had interrogated me, the one who had seemed so kind and trustworthy.

But now, he was testifying against me, his words dripping with malice. "Elena Gilbert is a cold-blooded killer," he said. "She confessed to the crime, and we have the evidence to prove it."

I was stunned. What was going on? Why was he lying? And then, I saw Alex, sitting in the back of the courtroom, a smug smile on his face.

He had bribed the officer, I realized. He had paid him off to testify against me. The judge's voice brought me back to reality. "Elena Gilbert, you have been found guilty of