Chapter 165


    Pierre Whiw exined nonchntly, “My wife and her family are extremely sessful business


    people. They gift me all sorts o f branded items on various asions.”


    The prosecutor asked, “So, you’re saying that the government funds which entered into your ount


    were untouched?”


    “You clearly have evidence that shows otherwise. Although I admit knowing that the missing Duke


    channeled some kind of money into my ount to force my silence, I do not admit knowing where the


    money hade from or where it had gone to.”


    “You didn’t know that the money being channeled into your ount was rightfully the government’s?”


    “No.”


    “Neither do you know where it was spent?”


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    “Indeed.”


    The prosecutor then said, “Let’s see if I can jog your memory, Mr Whiw. Perhaps the funds were spent


    to help your inws and your wife start their businesses?”


    There were oohs and ahhs from journalists before Whiw answered, “I admit to chipping in a small


    portion.”


    The prosecutor raised an eyebrow and proceeded toment, “We have a very different definition of the


    word ‘small’, Mr Whiw. You chipped in ny-five percent of all their businesses, ranging between a


    few hundred thousand to a million each.”


    Whiw shrugged despite the gasps from the journalists when he said, “I’ll do anything to help my


    family.” “Even if it means stealing from the government?” She pressed.


    Whiw immediately rified, “Allow me to rephrase. What I meant to say was: I’ll do anything legal to


    help my family.”


    “So, where did the millions you chipped ine from, Mr Whiw?”


    “I assumed that it was my legit savings. I have been serving the people for a long time, since thete


    King Lucas’s reign. So, I assumed that what I spent was what I earned.”


    “Did you spend a cent of your sry before you met Mrs Whiw?”


    “Yes, but very frugally.”


    “The mansion you lived in, the limited edition car you owned and the designer wallets you collected at


    that time?”


    “Gifts from friends and my side of the family.”


    “And what do you gift them in return?”


    Whiw sighed in despair as he said, “Nothing major, I’m afraid. Being in my position, I avoid buying


    them branded goods. The media has a terrible way of portraying such purchases made by a minister.”


    She went on, “Would you say that you return their gifts by helping them stay afloat if their businesses


    struggle?”


    “Indeed.” Whiw responded affirmatively.


    “How do you help?”


    “I offer solutions, workable ones.”


    The prosecutor’s eyes bore into Whiw’s own as she questioned, “Such as?”


    “Well, I’d introduce them to friends who can help turn their businesses around, I’d.”


    “Offer money?”


    “Sometimes.”


    “In the millions?”


    “I don’t know the exact figure. It varies greatly.”


    “I have to agree that it does.” The prosecutor flipped the page over as she said in a loud and clear voice,


    “It varies between a million t o a billion.” Silence ensued, and the prosecutor continued, “You said that


    you helped your wife start her business?”


    “Yes.”


    “What does she do?”


    “She designs the most beautiful jewellery.”


    “How’s her jewellery business?”


    “It’s doing quite well, as far as I know. It just celebrated its fourteenth anniversary three weeks ago. She


    has quite the talent.”


    His wife’s lips curled up into an arrogant smile when she felt everyone’s stare on her. Mis Whiw finally


    got the attention she had been craving for ever since she entered the courtroom. She made sure she


    dressed well for the cameras. But everyone’s eyes kept going to the in-looking wolf for some reason.


    Now, Mrs Whiw had the attention she rightfully deserved. Seducing Pierre Whiw was the best


    investment she had ever made for herself and her family.


    The prosecutor proceeded to say, “Mr Whiw, I don’t know about her talent in jewellery design but her


    talent in keeping her business afloat despite the years of deficit proves to be extraordinary, even


    impossible, I must say.”


    ‘A woman of multiple talents. She turns the impossible to the possible.”


    “If that is so, why did you pour millions into her bank ount every month as soon as her business was


    close to bankruptcy, which was…she checked the figure and said, “…twelve years ago until your


    ounts were frozenst week?”


    “I didn’t make such transactions.”


    “Everything is in ck and white. This document clearly states that the transactions were made from


    your bank ount to hers, minister.”


    That doesn’t mean I made the transfer. You should check with my bankers.”


    “We have, Mr Whiw. And what we found is that you used your thumbprint to verify each transaction


    before the funds were disbursed into Mrs Whiw’s ount. Are you saying that someone may have


    stolen your thumbprint?”


    “I’m simply saying that I have no recollection of such a transfer, prosecutor.”


    “Do you have any recollection of Mrs Whiw promising you sexual intercourse over the phone after


    you’ve made each transfer?” A few journalists and reporters identally snorted, and earned stern


    res from Judge Cook. Mrs Whiw stiffened visibly. She was warned about this portion of evidence


    that the prosecution had against her husband but it didn’t make it any easier to appear unperturbed when


    she was feeling embarrassed on the inside. Weren’t their phone calls supposed to be private?


    “Mr Whiw, do you have any such recollection?” The prosecutor pressed the minister.


    Whiw’s lips trembled before he uttered a fearful, “N-No.”


    “And what about…”


    Suddenly, Mr rk stood and said, “My Lord, I ask that the court adjourn for a few minutes. My client’s


    doctors had advised that he’d be given a five-minute break after twenty minutes of questioning. Here’s


    the rmendation letter.” Mi rk ignored the enraged prosecutor, and handed a single sheet of


    paper to the judge. Judge Cook skimmed through it while the prosecutor scowled at the defense counsel.


    Pierre Whiw was praying to the Goddess, asking her to forgive him for any misdeeds hemitted in


    the past and spare him by granting him an adjournment now.


    Unfortunately for Whiw, the head of the courtroom was Judge Cook, not the Moon Goddess. The


    judge handed the letter back to a very hopeful Mr rk and firmly dered, “Request denied, Mr rk.


    The prosecution may proceed with questioning.”


    The hope in Mr rk’s eyes shattered as he stammered, “B-But, my Lor-”


    Judge Cook’s eyes were partially onyx when it bore into Mr rk’s lc ones as the old man said, “Need


    I teach you how to read a simple rmendation letter, Mr rk?! It says that your client only requires


    such breaks if he is suffering from blurring vision, nausea, cold sweat AND weakened physique! Look at


    your own client, Mr rk! Is he exhibiting any such symptoms?!”


    Mr rk stammered when he gave one final shot when his client was begging him through his eyes. “M-


    My Lord, m-my client isn’t exhibiting any such symptoms right now because…he took his medication this


    morning, and the symptoms may return soon if he isn’t given a break.”


    Judge Cook took a deep breath to control his internal fury before looking at the minister and asked, “Do


    you have your medication with you, Mr Whiw?”


    “Y-Yes, judge.” Whiw answered doubtfully. Mr rk pressed his eyes closed in dismay at the wrong


    answer his client had chosen to give


    Judge Cook then said, “Good, Bailiff, fetch Mr Whiw some water, please. He’ll take his medication here


    and we can continue with the questioning.” Mr rk had hoped that Whiw would be smart enough to


    say that his medication was not with him so that Judge Cook would grant an adjournment. But clearly,


    Whiw did not exhibit such intelligence.”


    As Judge Cook started tapping his pen, the bailiff immediately dashed to the cooler in the courtroom,


    extracted a polystyrene cup and filled it with warm water before bringing it to Whiw. The minister got


    out the strip of tablets from his pocket, extracted a pill before putting it into his mouth and drowning it


    down with water while everyone waited.


    Judge Cook’s pen stopped tapping when he heard Whiw drowning down thest of the water in his


    mouth. “Well, now that that’s settled. Prosecutor, proceed.”


    Whiw was getting fearful now. His demeanor got everyone curious. He seemed okay the entire


    morning. Sure. Firm. Hopeful. Why did he and hiswyer look like they were going to be knocked down


    by a big baseball bat that they couldn’t escape from?


    The prosecutor ignored the two men and continued her line of questioning, “Mr Whiw, if you don’t


    recall making bank transactions to any of your family members, do you at least recall the ones made to a


    woman by the name of Zina Pova?”


    “What?!” Mrs Whiw’s hushed exmation was heard by everyone in the courtroom as her eyes


    widened and her rxed posture tensed up. When Lucianne turned to look at her with everyone else,


    what she saw behind the stunning woman’s eyes was shock, betrayal and, most of all, anger!