Chapter 167
Christianined, “With that whole line of bullsh*t answers and he needs to wait until after lunch to
reach a verdict? I bet Russell could decide faster.”
Annie red at her husband and said in a stem, hushed tone, “Tone down, Christian.”
The Duke’s temperament cooled to a point where a small smile graced his features as he lifted one of
Annie’s hands to nt a kiss on it. Then, he whispered, “As you wish, my Duchess.”
Lucianne’s eyes shone when she whispered to Xandar like an excited child, “Look at them, they’re so
cute. It’s like getting a front row seat to a romantic movie.”
Her body subconsciously leaned into her mate’s, and her adorable demeanor was so irresistible that it
made Xandar crave to hold her in his arms. So, he lifted her off her seat, and Lucianne gasped in shock.
Xandar then ced her sideways on hisp before guiding her body to lean against his chest. 1
Instead of leaning in, Lucianne parted their bodies with a hand on his chest, over his beating heart. His
feisty little freesia then looked at him with stem eyes as she demanded in a low voice, “Put me down, my
King.”
Xandar pouted, “But why? I like you here.”
“I like being here, too. But this is not the ce, Xandar. Put me down.” She hissed. Her peripheral vision
noticed the stares from everyone around them. Some were hiding smiles; some were leaning towards
their own partner at the sight; some were rolling their eyes, and others were purely jealous. But everyone
wondered whether they were allowed to take a picture.
Xandar didn’t seem bothered by Lucianne’s demand. If anything, she only looked more adorable with
those flustered cheeks that gave away her embarrassment. His smile was broad and radiant when he
nuzzled her nose before pecking a light kiss on her forehead and said, “You’re so cute when you’re shy.”
“I won’t be very cute when I beat you up for holding me here, darling.” Lucianne warned.
Christian was secretly hoping to see her spar his cousin again. Just then, Annie mind-linked her mate,
and they betted against each other to see whether it would be Xandar or Lucianne who would ultimately
give in. Christian betted on his cousin to cave in and put Lucianne down, whereas Annie betted on
Lucianne to surrender and let Xandar continue to hold her. So, all that was left to do was watch.
Xandar chuckled lightly, and leaned in to feel the warmth on Lucianne’s cheeks with his nose as he
uttered, “You’re right, you don’t look cute when you beat me.” He locked eyes with her and dered,
“When you beat me up, you look wlessly astounding and perfectly amazing, my love.”
Lucianne narrowed her eyes and asked in suspicion, “Are you trying to make me give in by saying that,
Xandar?”
“Is it working?” Xandar asked with twinkling eyes.
“No! Put me down!” Lucianne tried to crawl out herself but Xandar held her even tighter and buried his
head in her neck before whispering into her ear, “Just let me, baby? Just this once? Let me hold you like
this in public just this once?”
Lucianne’s agitation reduced, and she sighed in defeat. When Xandar’s face left her neck, moving to the
top of her head to smell her hair, she leaned into his chest and indulged in theforting rhythm of his
heartbeat. As Xandar held her in his arms, he became blind to everyone around them. Her presence
made him feel happy,plete and peaceful.
“I think I won. Come on, my love. Pay up.” Annie taunted her husband.
Christian took out his wallet in dissatisfaction as he locked eyes with the confused Lucianne and
grumbled, “My Queen, I rooted for you. How could you just let Xandar win like that? You could very well
beat him up! Did you know I was so sure you’d win that I put i n two hundred dors for this?”
Lucianne’s mouth gaped open when Xandar chuckled as they witnessed the Duke handing a few dor
notes to his Duchess, who seemed happier with winning the bet than with getting her husband’s money.
Annie’s demeanor of triumphant joy tugged at her husband’s heartstrings, and Christian beamed as he
pecked a kiss on her temple.
When Lucianne’s phone on the table beeped, everyone saw the reminder to return to the courtroom. The
cousins groaned in annoyance while the twodies exchanged cheeky smirks when Xandar was forced
to release Lucianne from his embrace.
They strode back together, and didn’t know about a man amongst the cafeteria crowd watching them. As
usual, the man scribbled something in his small notebook and checked the resolution of the pictures he
had taken from afar.
What was unusual for him was not knowing that another man disguised as a janitor with only one good
eye, and who’s bad eye was masked by contact lens, was observing him with great interest.
Judge Cook gave a firm nod for everyone to be seated. He then cleared his throat and began, “During
the recess, prior to my reaching of a verdict, the used persons, Patrick Dupont and Pierre Whiw
have pleaded guilty to the offenses charged. Alfred Cummings submitted the same plea after I’ve
reached the verdict, hence, on legal principle, his plea will NOT be taken into ount.”
“Corruption charges are criminal in nature, hence I can only sentence the used persons ording to
ourws if it is beyond reasonable doubt that theymitted the crimes alleged with the intention to
commit it. In other words, themission must be by their own free will.”
*All four used persons have argued that they’d been ‘coerced by the Duke, Greg w to illegally
transfer funds to their personal bank ounts, with a small percentage being sent to Wu Bi Corporation,
whose owner remains unknown due tock of evidence. Even so, there is evidence stating that the said
Duke received some form of payment, though this amount is significantly lesspared to the used
persons.”
“The coercion argument would have been believable if the money remained in the ministers’ respective
ounts. It would also have been believable if the said Duke received an amount equal to the ministers.
However, this is clearly not so.”
“Seeing that the used persons spent on personal pleasure and for the enjoyment of their family
members, I do not find their argument on coercion anywhere near credible or believable. Needless to
say, their assertions without evidentiary support is fatal to their case, especially when the prosecution
has provided ample evidence to prove its case against them.”
“I opine that any ims stating that they had been unaware of the lofty sum they received in no way
clears their names since it is
in the millions when one’s annual sry is nowhere near the amount. The prosecution has taken pains to
quantify the total savings of each minister if they had not spent a single cent, and that amount is still far
from the value of assets they acquired throughout the years.”
“The frozen assets of all four used persons shall be seized, thereafter transferred to the government,
who may apply for an order for sale to make up for the stolen funds. These assets include, but are not
limited to,nded properties, movable properties, savings and shares of any kind. Should the stolen
funds be traced to another individual, that individual is obliged to surrender the assets acquired using
these funds.”
“Although the maximum sentencing rting to corruption is only a twenty-year imprisonment term along
with a fine, an act of corruption in the service of The Crown is a term of eighty years, a fine double the
value of what was stolen and five strokes of the whip daily in the course of imprisonment. I gather no one
requires me to state the obvious fact that the fine, unfortunately, cannot b e fully recovered in this case,
and the justice system can only give its best to the government to recover as much as it possibly can.” 3
“On with the sentencing of each used person. Marie Martin, for corruption, aiding and abetting in an
act of treason and fabrication of false evidence by producing audits that were inauthentic, taking into
ount her plea of guilt: seventy-five years in prison, a fine of double of the stolen value, and five
strokes of the whip daily for the whole duration of imprisonment.”
“Patrick Dupont, for corruption and aiding and abetting in an act of treason, taking into ount his plea
of guilt, seventy years in prison, a fine of double of the stolen value, and five strokes of the whip daily for
the whole duration of imprisonment.”
“Pierre Whiw, for corruption and aiding and abetting in an act of treason, taking into ount his plea of
guilt, seventy years in prison, a fine of double of the stolen value, and five strokes of the whip daily for
the whole duration of imprisonment.”
This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.
“Lastly, Alfred Cummings, for corruption, aiding and abetting in an act of treason, attempted obstruction
of justice by asking a witness tomit perjury, without a plea of guilt, eighty years in prison, a fine of
double of the stolen value, and five strokes of the whip daily for the whole duration of imprisonment.
Seeing that Alfred Cummings is the only one who did not plead as the others have, the route to appeal
against my decision hereafter shall be open only to him. Those who have pleaded guilty are barred by
law from appealing.”
“I hold all four used persons guilty of the offenses charged by the prosecution, and order that their
sentences be carried out as I have prescribed with immediate effect. That is my decision.”