I fumbled, wondering if I had made out what I had heard right, from her mouth. “You mean photos? What sort of photos?”Jasmine shifted uncomfortably.“The night you were drunk and Theo took you out on that date… I was in his apartment I was… I was trying to find something Anything that could help you And I found the documents I didn’t know what they were at first but I took photos of them just in case.”Suddenly I felt that I was spinning around the room; I gazed at her for what felt like half the day in dumbfounded wonder.“You… you took photos?”She just nodded her head with a look of guilt and with some ray of hope on her face.“Yes. I never quite grasped just how valuable they were until everything went down. But, I have them, Varya. I have the documentation.”A sense of weakness washed over my entire body, and I barely managed to let myself fall on the couch, with my head spinning.Until now, I had thought all was gone, that Theo had burnt all that could be produced in a court of
Kylo walked into his home office where sunlight was filtering through the large windows and fell on the floor, creating a soft warm hue on the wooden floor. I stood in front of the desk while feeling so anxious that I kept leaning my fingers on the rim of a coffee cup.Beside me sat Jasmine and her body language was as rigid as my own. The silence between us was filled with all the events that occurred and there was now a sense of determination.It was strange, really. A few weeks ago I could not even count on myself to be sitting across from Jasmine in this manner. She had been there and had a hand in pulling the darkness over me, but she was here now after everything.Her betrayal was still etched in my mind, much like the mark of a scar, but the evidence she had retrieved gave me the glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.It was a call that I never required so much though without it, I felt like I was strangling.“We have to be very wise with this”, Jasmine eventually spoke in
I realized how she felt and I know really how terrible it is to be scared. Going to battle it out with Theo in particular meant that his influence was tremendous and could produce far-reaching results.But I couldn’t let that stop me. “I won’t lie to you,” I said softly.“It’s a risk. But if we do not stand up to him, he will continue to treat people like this. We have to put a stop to it. ”Maria sighed, and looked down at her hands, having a thoughtful look on her face. Finally, she agreed after a few moments had passed. “I’ll testify,”she said softly. “I will speak the truth. ”But that is when relief flooded me and then I thanked her by squeezing her hand softly. It wasn’t a lot but it was something and it could be gradually developed.But, with Maria’s testimony and the photos Jasmine had taken, we were accumulating materials. But I knew that there was still a long way to go and we were on the right track.These feelings stayed with me for some time and as the days went by I slo
The building that was to be my place of employment the following week was a concrete and steel-structured courthouse which looked rather ominous.This dark and cold building looked quite grey from the outside as if it perfectly encapsulated the grey area I was on the inside. But at the same time, when I was on the border of this place, I could also sense something else within me–determination.More so, I had walked the long journey and faced many odds in order to get this far not to speak of quitting. I had to trust the law, had to trust that this would be the time when Theo would be punished for everything he had done to me.Swinging the twin doors open I was met with a stale aroma…, the stagnated air in the courthouse was familiar – it belonged to the crowded files of the people in search of justice – our stories, etched within these walls.I was gearing up and entered the house my shoes clicking on the floor.As expected my attorney Elena Marino was already cooling her heels in one
Each day, I felt more and more like the old Varya, the woman I had been before Theo had stolen my kidney before he had broken me down and made me feel powerless.It wasn’t an easy process—there were still moments of doubt, moments when the trauma threatened to pull me back into the darkness. But with every step forward, I reclaimed a little bit of myself.Kylo was by my side through it all. I found his support quite surprising and it felt like some of the times he was following me blindly. This was the man whom I had married unwillingly, the man who was once so indifferent in our marriage.But now, he was there for me in ways I had never expected; not to die for me and protect me, but simply to phone and ask how I was. He was there for me when I fought all my inner battles and supported me when I was unable to support myself.One evening, when I came back home exhausted after spending the entire day taking preparations for the depositions Kylo and I started a conversation while seated
The courthouse was a war zone and Theo was ready to unleash his operations.The air was electric and I could almost sense the change of tide after the revelation and argument towards the defendant’s side of the story – Theo’s defense counsel were now on their feet.Theo up to this trial had not shown he was under a lot of pressure but today when his lawyer rose to present his argument before the court, I saw the fight in him.Mr. Harrison was a big shot and lead attorney representing Theo. This he did and I saw him stand up from his seat, adjust his jacket with the air of a man who knows that he’s in control.He was about to trigger his plan that aimed at dismantling all that we had been keen on establishing.Nervously my stomach twisted and turned but somehow I managed to concentrate on the happening around me.This was the moment we had waited for – the moment when Theo would try to defame me and my allegations.“Your Honor,” said Mr. Harrison softly, but somehow with authority.“We
The next day when the trial proceeded, I had some hope and at the same time, there was a certain level of concern in me.The mood or as you would call it the feeling of the people was turning against us and Theo could no longer sustain the charade that he was putting up.It was a moment that the defense team never wanted, as hard as they tried to cope with evidence and growing public sentiment.As attending the courtroom, it was clear that Theo was so frustrated most of the time. He was staring at the table his hands were making the beat of a frightened man.This new appearance indeed made the former confident man look like a hopeless man begging for an opportunity to stay alive.Hence, efforts to attempt to dismiss the accusations looked more and more futile and one could tell that the pressure was beginning to build.Another day was over and the judge banged his gavel as it was in the middle of a very intense court proceeding. I packed my belongings and slowly got up, feeling a sens
Each piece of evidence was meticulously explained, and it became increasingly clear that Theo and his family had used their resources to manipulate the situation.The courtroom buzzed with a mix of reactions as the documents were displayed. I could see Theo’s face grow pale as he absorbed the weight of the evidence against him.His defense team was clearly on the defensive, scrambling to counter the mounting evidence.As the day progressed, I felt a surge of hope. The testimonies and evidence painted a compelling picture of the injustice I had suffered.However, despite this promising turn, I knew that the trial was far from over. The legal process was complex, and we still faced numerous challenges.That evening, as I left the courthouse, Kylo and Elena walked beside me, their expressions a mix of relief and determination.“You did great today,” said the gentle voice of Kylo who sounded genuinely impressed.“Thank you,” I said in an effort to keep my beating heart from jumping out of