CH.42

The blacked-out Bentley glided past the seething mob gathered outside the imposing granite edifice of the courthouse, their raucous chants and shouts reduced to a dull, muffled roar behind the heavily tinted glass.

Knox's steel-flinted gaze flickered momentarily toward the mayhem, catching a fleeting glimpse of Serena's slender figure beside her lawyer while a woman in a tailored suit barked out terse responses to the hungry media scrum swarming around them like flies drawn to rot.

There she stood with her shoulders squared and chin raised in defiant poise as the incessant barrage of camera flashbulbs illuminated her delicate features in staccato bursts, casting her fine bone structure into stark relief one moment only to plunge her into inky shadow the next.

Amid the incessant throng of curious onlookers and chattering parasites competing for their next juicy nugget of information to sell, Knox savored the sight of her regal and uncowed manner.

Her full crimson lips parted, no doubt ready to deliver scathing retort laced with that biting wit of hers that spark a flicker of dark amusement within him.

--

The reporters had swarmed around Serena the second she walked out of the courthouse, shoving mics and cameras in her face like a pack of hungry wolves.

Jenkins stepped in front of her, using his body to block the barrage of yelling and questions raining down.

The on-stand security guards nearby moved swiftly to keep the ravenous reporters from approaching Serena too closely.

"Serena! Over here!"

The crowd surged forward in a mass of bodies and jutting microphones thrust her way.

"Ms. Bolting! How does it feel to be exonerated after those horrific allegations?"

News sure travels fast.

Kate immediately stepped up, placing a protective arm around Serena's shoulders as she glared at the frenzied mob. "Back off, you vultures! Give the woman some damn space!"

Serena shot her manager a grateful look.

Jenkins raised a calming hand, his imposing bulk creating a buffer against the clamoring crowd. "If I could have your attention, please."

The mass of reporters jostled even closer, microphones poking out like bayonets as the deafening cacophony swelled.

Serena drew a fortifying breath, leaning into the strength of the two people who had stood by her through this entire nightmare.

"As you've just heard," Jenkins began in that steely baritone that could command any room, "Ms. Bolting has been fully exonerated of the outrageous charges leveled against her by Mr. Montgomery's fraudulent claims."

A susurrus of shocked whispers rippled through the throng.

"Will you make a comment on this matter?”

"How was the truth revealed?"

Jenkins straightened his immaculate suit jacket. "The so-called evidence presented against my client was nothing more than a festering pile of lies and manipulation, fabricated by a desperate, unscrupulous man willing to sacrifice an innocent woman's life for his own selfish gain."

His words dropped like a sledgehammer that sent shocked murmur rippling through the crowd before he mercilessly trampled over it.

"Mr. Montgomery perpetrated a vicious campaign of cruel deception against Ms. Bolting, entrapping her in a sham marriage through coercion then smearing her reputation with salacious falsehoods when she dared defy him." Jenkins' eyes blazed with righteous fury. "Make no mistake, he will be held accountable for his reprehensible actions to the fullest extent of the law."

The mention of these occurrences made Serena's heart tighten. No matter how hard she tried to ignore Alex's treachery, the pain persisted. The memory still sent new strands of agony coiling around her broken heart.

"We'll be pursuing civil charges against Mr. Montgomery and his associates for defamation, fraud, and a litany of other offenses," Jenkins continued. "No stone will be left unturned in exposing the depths of his depravity and deception. He is not only a liar but also carried on an affair with Diana Delaney, Miss Bolting's closest friend, and her sister, Miss Kylie Bolting, compounding the emotional trauma he inflicted."

A thunderous surge of shouts and questions exploded around them at this salacious revelation.

Jenkins forged ahead, "However, we cannot lose sight of the fact that Diana Delaney's death remains an unsolved mystery, a case made exponentially more complex by Mr. Montgomery's trail of lies. My firm will relentlessly pursue all available legal recourse against him while working tirelessly to uncover the truth about Miss Delaney's tragic demise. The pursuit of justice remains our top priority on all fronts."

Jenkins raised his hands in a placating gesture as the barrage intensified to a deafening roar. “Additionally, Miss Kylie Bolting will not be spared from judgment. The emotional distress and false accusations that she made against my client will be taken into serious consideration. Thank you, everyone. That will be all for today." His voice strained to be heard over the clamor. "We appreciate your patience as these cases continue to unfold."

Serena's face stiffened at the mention of Kylie. She didn't realize the snake had escaped the courthouse earlier. But she wasn't about to let any of them off so easily.

Serena lifted her chin high despite the fatigue in her eyes. "This has been an extremely painful experience, but now I can finally start putting my life back together without Alex poisoning it anymore. I want to thank everyone who believed in me and knew the truth would come out." Serena finally gave a statement.

With that, she turned and let Jenkins and Kate hustle her away, shielding her from the relentless press pack and their endless questions.

Kate threaded a protective arm through Serena's, her expression hardening into a glare that could melt steel as they pushed through the throngs of rabid reporters.

The noise of the incessant camera flashes and shouts seemed to be clamping down on Serena like a vice.

Then, they finally emerged from the scrum into open air and blessed silence swept over them in a strange hush.

A storm of bitter, convoluted emotions roiled inside Serena as she sucked back a ragged breath and her fingers trembled.

These vultures crying for her attention now were the very same ones who had so readily condemned her when the first salacious accusations surfaced.

Their fickle loyalty turning on a dime the moment she became the newly exonerated tragic heroine rather than the vilified murderess, sickened her to her core.

One moment they branded her a cold-blooded killer without a shred of solid evidence, the next they fawned over her like a fallen starlet ripe for redemption fodder.

The hypocrisy churned in her gut as merciless recollections bombarded her - the vile headlines, the screaming protesters with hateful placards, the death threats...All that vitriol from the very same people now clamoring for her story.

"Did you see them?" she hissed through gritted teeth, fighting back the angry tears that burned her eyes. "Those bloodthirsty mobs turning on a dime now that I've been exonerated?"

"The court of public opinion has always been a fickle master, I'm afraid. They latch onto narratives, not facts." Jenkins stated flatly.

"That's putting it mildly," Serena scoffed, raking a hand through her tousled hair. The silky strands had escaped their bound, framing her face in a wild tangle. "They were ready to bury me without a shred of solid evidence, all because of that snake Alex's lies."

Kate's hand found her elbow. Let's get you out of here and somewhere you can decompress. You've been through enough of a media circus for one day."

Serena nodded gratefully, the fight draining out of her as the adrenaline rush faded. She allowed herself to be ushered into the waiting car, collapsing against the plush leather interior as the tinted windows closed out the unrelenting glare of camera flashes.

As the vehicle pulled away, leaving the baying hounds of the press behind, Serena closed her eyes and let the tears come at last - tears of relief, of anger, of lingering heartbreak. She wept for all she had lost, and for the long, arduous road still ahead to find true justice.