The courtroom erupted into chaos. The nation was in shock.
Frederic’s face drained of color as if the blood had been siphoned from his veins. He leapt from his chair as if it had burst into mes, standing abruptly without a care for decorum, staring in disbelief at Elspeth.
Cynthia? Hadn’t she taken her own life because of severe depression? How had it turned into murder?
How could the murderer be Elspeth, the woman who had shared his bed for twenty years?
“I do it!” Elspeth sobbed, shaking her head as she locked eyes with him.
Thaddeus’s icy gaze slid inch by inch onto Frederic’s pale, ster–like face. He couldn’t help but let out a bone–chillingugh from the deepest, most bitter part of his chest.
Even now, he didn’t see the slightest hint of sorrow for his mother on this callous man’s face. What Frederic felt was not disbelief out of love for Elspeth.
He simply couldn’t ept that he had been so blind, having spent twenty years married to a murderer!
Cedric felt like he’d been struck in the back of the head with a sledgehammer, his mind buzzing
Jason had blindsided himpletely. In his decade–plus career, he had never seen anything like this. It was supposed to be a clear–cut case of murder for hire, so how had Thaddeus’s mother’s case gotten dragged into this?
If Elspeth really was a killer, then he would be dragged through the mud too!
So he shouted in desperation, “Your Honor! This witness is irrelevant to the case at hand, please dismiss her right to testify!”
While Ivan hesitated, Jason struck while the iron was hot, “Your Honor, the defense previously stated that Elspeth couldn’t possibly be the killer because she’s a cultured, high–character societydy But my witness here can attest that the defense’s argument is nothing but a cunning ploy to exonerate their client. Thus, this witness is indeed relevant to the case, and her testimony should be considered!”
Ivan finally relented with a slight nod, “Then let the defense proceed with their questioning
Cedric was seeing stars from rage.
Ynda stole a nce at Thaddeus, who sat with a stern dignity in the audience, remembering the dread his presence inspired. She dared not hold back any longer, spilling the secrets that had been hidden for years.
“Back then. I was ordered by Mr. Abernathy to attend to Elspeth’s daily needs, while she was nothing more than Mr. Abernathy’s mistress. Only because she carried the heir to the Abernathy empire was she temporarily weed into the Abernathy fold, but Mr. Hamilton never truly epted her.”
The word “mistress” seared Elspeth’s flushed face like a mark of shame, and she roared in anger, “Who are you calling a mistress? Who? I’m not a mistress. I am the legitimate chairwoman of the Abernathy Group! I am Mr. Abernathy’s wife! It was Cynthia who was the mistress! She stole my husband!”
Frederic’splexion turned as dark as a thundercloud. He wished he could send someone to silence Elspeth.
Why, oh why, had he not cherished the gentle and virtuous Cynthia by his side, instead entangling himself with such a greedy, ungrateful woman?
“A madwoman, truly delusional,” Evadne muttered under her breath as she observed Elspeth’s distorted face, shaking her head in disdain. “To im what was taken from another as her own. Imprable shamelessness. No wonder she could cling to their house, ept a loveless union, and follow Frederic willingly.”
“Her subservience was but a ruse. If she truly were content, my mother would not have met such a tragic end.”
Thaddeus felt a sharp pain in his chest, though his eyes remained as cold as ake frozen over, “As for Frederic, she can have him. Such a deceitful, insincere man does not deserve my mother’s love.”
Evadne watched Thaddeus’s resolute profile, her emotions a tangled mess.
Compared to Thaddeus’s parents, her situation was undoubtedly far better.
But even now, she couldn’t be sure how much of Emeric’s affections for her mother were genuine–if his love were as deep as the ocean, wouldn’t it be <b>a </b>lifetimemitment<b>? </b>
Ivan tapped the gavel once more, reminding in a cold tone, “Defendant, <b>please </b>remain calm and refrain from causing a disturbance!”
Ynda continued, her voice trembling with fear<b>, </b><b>“</b><b>At </b>the time, there were some problems between Elspeth and Mr. Abernathy,
14:13
Chapter <b>581 </b>
but he still <b>had </b>feelings for <b>her </b>and never thought of letting her go. Even though Elspeth carried the Abernathy heir, she had <b>no </b>hopes of being officially weed into the family<i>, </i>so she coerced and tempted me, asking me to switch Cynthia’s depression medication with regr vitamins. She wanted to exacerbate Cynthia’s condition, to make Mr. Abernathy grow weary <b>of </b>her.” <b>“</b>You’re <b>lying</b>! I never told you to do that! You’re ndering me!” Elspeth raged, yet her guilt was palpable.
<b>“</b><b>If </b>I lie, may I be struck down the moment I step outside!”
Ynda’s oath was fierce, “At first, you only wanted me to switch the medication with vitamins, but then Mr. Abernathy and Cynthia began to reconcile, and she started responding to treatment! Everything was improving, and seeing no chance for advancement, you became desperate and harbored evil thoughts of getting rid of her!”
“I did not! Shut your mouth!”
“<b>To </b>utterly destroy her, you were no longer satisfied just swapping her antidepressants, you instructed me to poison her!”
Ynda stood up, pointing directly at Elspeth, her voice filled with usation, “I got cold feet and backed out, but you couldn’t wait to take matters into your own hands! Years back, I worked the counter at a little clinic’s pharmacy, <b>a </b>ce where secrets were asmon as cough syrup. You think I didn’t notice, but I did–I saw you mixing up something wicked in the back, away from prying eyes. It wasn’t for any flu or fever. It was fentanyl, and it was for Cynthia.”