All Chapters of From Ashes To The Billionaire's Arms : Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

SOPHIA The courtroom was an imposing space...high ceilings, dark mahogany benches, and rows of people seated in tense anticipation. A large, circular chandelier hung in the center of the room, casting a harsh but even light across the proceedings. The air smelled faintly of old books and polished wood, mixed with the distant, lingering scent of anxiety. Caleb and I walked in together, his mother right beside us. She squeezed my hand in silent reassurance, but I barely felt it. My heart was pounding too loudly, my hands clammy despite the cool temperature of the room. On the other side of the courtroom, Victor arrived with his mother, his brother, and a swarm of people who had either come to support him or to witness the spectacle that was about to unfold. I could feel their stares burning into me, some filled with judgment, others with curiosity. But I didn’t flinch. I had come here for justice. The courtroom followed the usual formalities. The bailiff instructed everyone to r

SOPHIA After Victor sat down, Evelyn Potter said. "Mr. Lucas Sinclair, please continue and tell the court exactly what happened." Lucas exhaled deeply, his shoulders tense as he continued. "I regret everything I did," he admitted, his voice laced with guilt. "From the moment Sophia was married into our family, I thought she was just like Victor's past girlfriends, so I made the mistake of going to test her.I went to Victor’s bedroom that night. She was there with him. I tried to seduce her, but she slapped me." Murmurs spread through the courtroom. "Then my mother walked in. She was furious, and I panicked. Instead of telling the truth, I lied. I said Sophia tried to seduce me." A collective gasp rippled across the room. "And ever since then, I felt terrible about it," Lucas admitted, his voice strained. "So I left for a few years. I ran away. But when I came back, my brother had woken up, and I saw that nothing had changed for Sophia. If anything, things had gotten wo

SOPHIA As I continued speaking, I couldn’t hold back the tears. The pain, the memories....everything came rushing back too fast, too strong. "When I told Victor’s mother I needed medical attention, she refused." I swallowed hard, my voice breaking. "I was desperate. I told her I would go on social media and expose everything." That was the only reason she finally gave in. She helped me because she wanted to protect their reputation. I took a shaky breath. "When I went to the hospital, I found out I was pregnant." Gasps rippled through the courtroom. Evelyn, my lawyer, stepped forward, handing a document to the judge. "Your Honor, this is the official medical report from the doctor who examined my client at that time." The judge accepted the papers, scanning through them as I continued. "According to the reports, I was malnourished. I had barely been eating because I had no money. I had been selling off what little jewelry I had just to survive. I was so weak, and I l

SOPHIA I looked Victor’s lawyer straight in the eye. "Fine," I said, my voice strong. "You want me to talk? Then I’ll talk." The courtroom fell into a tense silence. I leaned forward slightly, my tone sharp and unwavering. "What exactly could I have done?" The lawyer opened his mouth, but I didn’t give him the chance. "After Victor and his mistress left me to burn in that fire, I was traumatized. I was injured. I was bedridden for an entire month." I paused, letting the words sink in. "For one month, I couldn’t even leave my room. But that doesn’t mean I was unconscious." My nails dug into my palms. "I was aware of everything. I felt every ache, every moment of helplessness. And you’re telling me that Victor was mourning me? That he set up foundations and trust funds in my name?!" I let out a cold laugh. "Let me tell you what he was really doing." I turned slightly, motioning toward Evelyn. She nodded and stepped forward, handing evidence over to the judg

VICTOR "No." I said it firmly, without hesitation. I could hear the frustration in my lawyer’s voice, but I didn’t care. "Victor, listen to me...." "If you’re not competent enough, I’ll find someone else who is." There was silence on the other end of the line. I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. "Find someone who can get to the judge and bribe him. Everything will be fine." My lawyer let out a slow breath. "Victor, that’s very risky." "So what?" I snapped. "Do you think I care about risks right now?" He hesitated before saying, "If you try to bribe the judge and he turns against us, we might lose more than we bargained for." I rolled my eyes. "That won’t happen." "You don’t understand," he continued, his voice lowering. "This judge is strict. He’s a man who always stands by the law. Even if I wanted to, I don’t have the ability to meet with him personally." I clenched my jaw, my patience running thin. "You’re a coward," I muttered. "Forget it.