His Ex-Wife Is A Billionaire (Evadne and Thaddeus) novel Chapter 583

Yolanda spilled every secret she'd been harboring, and once she'd purged twenty years of pent-up frustration and oppression, she slumped back into her chair, her entire body drenched in sweat.

In that moment, she was consumed with genuine self-reproach and regret.

She despised herself for not revealing the truth for twenty long years!

If only she hadn't been so greedy back then, if she had had the courage to stand up to Elspeth's threats and accuse that viper of murder, Cynthia might rest in peace, and she wouldn't have suffered two decades of a life in turmoil.

She had been foolish beyond belief. Elspeth was just Mr. Abernathy's mistress back then. Why did she fear a woman so vile?

If only Mr. Abernathy and his wife had reconciled, Elspeth would never have risen to power or remained within the Abernathy family. Even if she had been carrying Mr. Abernathy's child, her fate would have been nothing more than a forced disappearance, leaving the child behind.

But it was too late for regrets.

The members of the Ashbourne family, present at the hearing, felt as if they had witnessed Thaddeus's mother's death with their own eyes.

The three ladies and Nydia were already tear-stricken, Aaron looked gravely solemn, and even the usually stoic Cassius had a telltale redness rimming his eyes.

He, his brothers, and Evadne, had all lost their mothers at a young age. But compared to Thaddeus, they were fortunate.

The greatest agony wasn't a mother dying from illness, but dying with eyes wide open, without peace.

"Your Honor, I have several questions for the witness regarding this case," Cedric said, his eyes dark as he rose to his feet.

Evadne and Thaddeus knew he was bound to cause a commotion, desperate to protect Elspeth for the sake of his future. Despite being prepared, their hearts clenched in anticipation.

Judge Ivan nodded gravely, "Proceed."

Cedric approached Yolanda, his gaze chilling, "Witness, you've accused my client of being the true perpetrator of Elspeth's murder. Did you actually see my client push her down the stairs with your own eyes? A simple 'yes' or 'no' will suffice. Nothing more."

Jason's brows furrowed in an instant, his fists clenching.

Yolanda could only answer truthfully, "No, I didn't, but I clearly heard."

Bang!

Cedric's hand slammed down on the table, nearly scaring the soul out of Yolanda, "Sounds can be made by any object upon impact. If people outside heard this bang, would they think I'm committing murder?"

Jason raised his hand, interrupting sternly, "Your Honor, I object to the defense attorney's speculative questioning!"

Judge Ivan spoke, "Please avoid hypothetical questions, Counselor."

Cedric sneered briefly before continuing, "So, the witness did not actually see the supposed act of murder by my client. Her testimony only suggests that my client was the last person to see the victim alive, a suspect, but not definitively the murderer. Moreover, you claimed my client attempted to poison the victim with fentanyl, but fentanyl is not a poison. It's a commonly available anesthetic, even obtainable at clinics abroad, a completely legal substance."

"Fentanyl might be an anesthetic, but as you know, an overdose can be lethal."

Jason felt Cedric's argument was sophistry and retorted fiercely, "Anything lethal carries significant risk. The defense should stick to the facts and not play word games!"

"Even so, the victim died from a fall. My client was present, but no one can directly link Cynthia's death to my client."

Cedric looked earnestly at Judge Ivan, "Your Honor, the plaintiff's witness cannot serve as a direct witness to this case. Plus, this witness disappeared for twenty years before testifying. After twenty years, how reliable can her memory be? Could she have colluded with others? Her testimony is utterly unreliable!"

The courtroom fell silent, all eyes on Cedric's infuriating face, anger simmering in their gaze.

Elspeth hung her head low, desperately managing her expression, her cheeks twitching with the effort to restrain herself.

She was terrified.

Terrified that she might lose control and laugh out loud in relief!

She thought, "Oh, Cynthia, you wretch! You couldn't best me in life, what makes you think you can in death? Ridiculous!"

As the case reached a deadlock, Jason sat down, his eyes a furious red, his heart unwilling to let go. The Ashbourne family members looked ready to tear Elspeth apart.

"Damn it, why all this fuss? We should've handled it from the start, like with Byron, strangled her in her cell, or drowned her in a toilet bowl, and be done with it!" Aviana seethed with rage.

"And that Cedric, nothing can shut his filthy mouth! I was too gentle with him. I should've ripped his tongue out, make him a mute lawyer!" she hissed.

Suri, empathizing with Thaddeus's mother's plight, sighed, "Killing someone is too easy. But then, the world would never know the true cause of Thaddeus's mother's death, and he would never be able to seek justice for her."