"That idiot’s taking too long," Frederick grumbled as he paced back and forth in his cell. "He said everything would be ready before lunchtime.""He’s probably got diarrhea again, so that’s why he’s not here," Vanessa sighed.The police had placed them in adjoining cells, which was a small comfort, though it was obvious they were kept together so they could be more easily watched. Still, it was better than being thrown in with the general prison population."Tch… how long does it take to get a signature?" With each passing minute, Frederick felt time dragging on. He couldn’t understand why this was taking so long—he had always secured those kinds of signatures in seconds from his previous victims."Relax, love," Vanessa said optimistically. "He’ll be here soon with the good news. He’s probably just finalizing the paperwork to get us out of here.""You’re right, my love," Frederick sighed, finally stopping his pacing. "And once we’re out, we’ll figure out how to deal with those two
I don’t really care, but I suppose you two will need to find yourselves a new lawyer to deal with this mess,” the officer remarked nonchalantly. “Anyway, I’ve delivered the news, so you can go back to imagining your freedom,” he added, turning on his heel to leave them alone once again.Frederick and Vanessa were seething with anger. That cop had only come to humiliate them, mocking them with such grim news.“That bastard couldn’t even do that right?!” Frederick shouted, slamming his fists against the bars. “How hard could it have been to get the mute girl to sign? Damn it... I never should’ve trusted a fool like him.”“I told you we shouldn’t have trusted that idiot!”“Alright, alright, woman... I admit it was a mistake. But how did they find out?”“Forget that… We’ve got a bigger problem now.”“What?”“You told him about our plans yesterday. What if he spills everything to Detective Morgan about what we wanted to do to Deborah?”“Shut up. He knows better than to talk. It woul
One day before the trial, Christian was organizing his papers while explaining the plan to Deborah. They had heard that Frederick and Vanessa had found a new lawyer, so they wanted to be prepared for anything as they were unsure of what to expect from this new opponent.They were gathered at Deborah’s house, trying to make the most of their time to go over their strategy, even though it meant working on a Sunday.Though “working” was a loose term; their partners were busy in the kitchen, completing the meal. Jayden had mentioned he wanted hamburgers and fries drenched in various sauces for dinner.“And look, this is the evidence... well, you know, the forged orders and documents Frederick used to get Debbie’s grandpa and mom... uh, well...” Christian trailed off, making a face before glancing over to the shelf on the right, where they had placed the recovered keychain next to a photo of Deborah’s grandfather and mother.“Relax, son. It’s a terrible truth... but at least now my fath
Deborah smiled and nodded in agreement, reaching for her juice.“Come on, chubby, help me get the burgers onto the trays,” Caroline called.“Here you go, father-in-law, take this to the table,” Jayden said, handing him a bowl of fries.“Got it,” Nicholas replied with a grin, amused by the joy on his daughter’s face as she eyed the food.[Don’t forget the sauces, please,] Deborah requested.“Haha, that’s my grandson talking,” Nicholas teased, making Deborah blush.“Come on, don’t give them a hard time,” Jayden laughed, carrying a tray with the sauces.Caroline and Christian brought the burgers to the table, and soon everyone was eating.The five of them enjoyed a pleasant moment, chatting about the arrival of baby James and the nursery’s decorations.After the meal, Deborah fell asleep, and Jayden carried her to the bedroom for a more comfortable rest.“Alright, we’re going to follow Deborah’s example and head out,” Caroline said, taking her husband’s hand.“Thanks for coming
The big day had arrived. It was time to determine who was lying and who was the real victim in the Anderson family.The truth behind this mystery was the scandal of the moment, with all the news and media outlets closely watching the trial. After all, today would finally reveal how the third most powerful family in the city had suddenly fallen, only to reappear mysteriously as a wealthy family led by a pair of strangers.One particular couple, eager for the spotlight, planned to make the most of this grand stage. They were confident that after today, once they had crushed that stupid girl, they would have all the money in the world, and those fools who had rejected them at first would come crawling back, begging to become their partners and increase their fortune even more.At that very moment, Frederick and Vanessa were dressed in the clothes their new lawyer had provided—clothes they had specifically requested, as today was a celebration. Today would mark the end of their long ord
“That’s true, especially since James might get uncomfortable,” Caroline agreed.“Hey, don’t whisper secrets like this. Remember, everyone’s watching us,” Christian teased with a grin.“Shh, this is girl talk,” Caroline chided him playfully.Christian and Jayden exchanged amused glances, shaking their heads. It was true that several reporters had noticed Deborah’s presence in the courtroom and were paying close attention to her conversation. However, upon realizing the discussion revolved around motherhood, they lost interest in digging deeper.Suddenly, a buzz of excitement rippled through the room. The doors swung open, and the “Anderson couple” entered, dressed to the nines. Despite their handcuffs, they strutted in with the confidence of victors.Deborah’s eyes narrowed at their smug display, all her fears vanishing in an instant. These monsters were not, and never had been, her family. They were nothing more than murderers who destroyed her real family and kidnapped her for th
“Please take your seats. We’ll begin by hearing from Attorney Herman Roberts,” the judge announced, adjusting his papers.“Thank you, Your Honor,” Herman said as he stood and began addressing the jury and the gallery. “First, I’d like to clarify the misunderstanding regarding my clients’ use of the Anderson name. You see, they loved Ms. Anderson so much that, to make her feel like she truly belonged to their family, they decided to adopt her surname. They wanted to create a harmonious, safe, and loving environment for her.”Deborah crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at the blatant lie.“Objection,” Christian called out, standing up.“And why is that?”“Well, I hate to interrupt your little soap opera,” Christian said sarcastically, glaring at his opponent, “but nothing you’ve said is true. This pair of lowlifes never loved Deborah. They kidnapped her, robbing her of a life with her real father, all to steal the Anderson family’s fortune. A fortune they failed to obtain when Ms.
"Well, when she requested an appointment, I reviewed her medical records and discovered that her last visit to the hospital was when she was discharged at the age of ten after the accident."That statement caused many in the courtroom to start murmuring."Silence!" the judge ordered, striking his desk with the gavel."Objection," Herman interjected with a hint of sarcasm. "This information is relevant because…?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow. "And no offense to your expertise," he added, addressing the doctor, "but there are many children without detailed medical records, and that doesn’t necessarily indicate neglect.""Perhaps my specialty is different, but as someone who studied general medicine, I know that after an accident, a patient should have at least a year of follow-up care to prevent any long-term issues that might not be immediately apparent due to swelling of muscles and organs," Dr. Martin responded, frowning. "For instance, when a child breaks an arm, they don’t