The Lies Behind Her Marriage novel Chapter 27

**Chapter 27: Under Victor’s Orders**

The courtroom doors creaked open, a sound that echoed through the tense atmosphere, bringing an abrupt hush over the gathered crowd. The court attendant’s voice rang out with authority, “All rise for the Honorable Judge Thomas.”

In the farthest corner of the room, Serena and Alice rose along with the others, their faces obscured by scarves and oversized glasses, a deliberate choice to shield their identities. The air was thick with anticipation, the whispers of reporters mingling with the rustle of spectators shifting in their seats. Every bench was occupied, the collective curiosity palpable even in the stillness of the moment.

Serena’s gaze flickered across the front rows, landing on familiar faces. There, amidst the sea of onlookers, were Nathaniel’s friends, their expressions a mix of concern and intrigue. Bianca was also present, her demeanor tense as she sat beside her assistant, her fingers tapping nervously on the armrest.

As Judge Thomas settled into his chair, the court attendant announced, “Case number 47-52: The People of Velmon City versus Victor Kline.”

“Prosecution, are you ready to proceed?” the judge inquired, his tone steady and commanding.

Mr. Brown, the Prosecutor, stepped forward with a determined posture. “Ready, Your Honor.”

“And the defense?” the judge asked, turning his attention to Victor Kline’s attorney, who nodded affirmatively. “Ready, Your Honor.”

The judge’s eyes scanned the documents laid out before him. “We will now continue with the presentation of evidence. Prosecution, call your next witness.”

Standing tall, Mr. Brown announced, “The People call Nathaniel Thorne to the stand.”

As Nathaniel approached, the courtroom held its breath, the atmosphere thick with tension. He began to recount the painstaking process of gathering evidence against Victor. “Victor put me in a position where I could access older files. Bit by bit, I uncovered solid proof that the patent for Endolex had been stolen from my father. But the real breakthrough came during a conversation I had with Victor eight months ago.”

He paused, the weight of his memories evident on his face, his expression tightening as he recalled the moment.

“I fabricated a story about one of our distributors,” Nathaniel continued, his voice steady yet laced with an underlying intensity. “I made it sound as though someone was threatening the company, and I was at a loss for how to handle it.”

His gaze flickered toward Victor, icy and unwavering. “I knew he had someone who dealt with his… darker affairs. I just needed him to confess.”

“And after years of trying to earn his trust, he finally did. Victor revealed that he had a loyal enforcer, a man who had been cleaning up his messes for decades.”

A murmur rippled through the courtroom, a wave of unease washing over the spectators.

“His name is Jack Spell,” Nathaniel stated, his voice firm. “An old friend of Victor’s from high school. Victor even offered to ‘lend him to me.'”

He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as the gravity of his words settled in. “Jack and I met a few times—casual drinks, light conversation—nothing that would raise suspicion. But during our fourth meeting, he broke down. He confessed to everything he had done in Victor Kline’s name… and I recorded our conversation.”

As the recording began to play, Serena and Alice clutched each other’s hands tightly, their hearts racing. Jack Spell’s voice filled the courtroom, loud and disturbingly self-assured.

Jack: “I’ve done many jobs for Victor. So don’t worry, Nathan. You can trust me. I can assure you nothing will lead back to you.”

Nathaniel: “Give me proof. Name the biggest job you’ve done for Victor and you both still got away with.”

Jack: “Let’s see. There’s kidnapping, but I won’t tell you about that. Haha. Oh, how about a dead man’s story?”

Jack’s laughter echoed through the room, clearly intoxicated, his bravado unsettling.

Jack: “Neal Collins. Does that ring a bell? Victor stole his patent, but the fool wouldn’t shut up. So I abducted him. Took him to an abandoned warehouse outside Velmon City. There, my men and I not only beat him up, but we also plucked out his nails and pulled out his teeth.”

A collective gasp swept through the courtroom, eyes widening in horror.

Bianca, sitting in the front row, could no longer contain her anguish. She broke down, her sobs echoing through the courtroom, and her assistant rushed to steady her. Nathaniel, unable to bear the sight of his mother in distress, instinctively moved as if to comfort her.

Once the evidence was admitted, Jack Spell was called to the stand. The prosecution meticulously laid out the case, revealing how Jack had orchestrated the attack that led to Neal Collins’s death. Additional documents and testimonies painted a damning picture of Jack acting under Victor Kline’s orders. Email exchanges and text messages further implicated Victor, but the most incriminating evidence was the bank transfers from Victor’s account to Jack’s.

Throughout the proceedings, Victor’s lawyers found themselves powerless, their objections repeatedly overruled by the judge.

By the time Jack Spell concluded his sworn testimony, he admitted, “Yes. My men and I killed Neal Collins under Victor Kline’s orders.”

In a fit of rage, Bianca stood up, pointing an accusatory finger at both Jack and Victor. “You and Victor deserve to die! You both deserve to die for what you did to my husband—to me and my son!”

The courtroom erupted into chaos, the tension spilling over as Bianca’s emotional outburst reverberated through the room. She was quickly escorted outside for medical attention, her cries echoing in the hall.

Serena watched, her heart racing as she witnessed the raw, trembling fury in Bianca’s eyes.

In the back row, Serena felt a tempest of emotions swirling within her. Shame and anger clashed violently as she grappled with the horrifying truth of her father’s monstrous actions. What struck her most deeply was the realization that there had been other victims—innocent lives shattered by Victor’s ruthless ambition.

That day marked a turning point for Serena. She finally understood why she and Nathaniel were never destined to be together. The depth of Nathaniel and Bianca’s hatred for Victor ran too deep to allow for forgiveness or acceptance, and no one bore that bitterness more fiercely than Bianca herself.

But as she pondered her own identity, a haunting question lingered in her mind: What if she wasn’t Victor’s daughter? Would it still be worth it to bring the truth to Nathaniel?

Sooner than she anticipated, she would find the answers she sought.

The day of the DNA results arrived, and the outcome knocked her completely off course, sending her world spiraling into uncertainty.