The 5-time Rejected Gamma & the Lycan King novel Chapter 160

Chapter 160

“Is she in court today?” Judge Cook asked.

“Yes, right over there.“ Marie pointed at a young woman in a grey dress.

The prosecutor then argued, “My Lord, the prosecution did not receive prior notice of this evidence. I urge the court to adjourn the trial for Ms Martin while we authenticate the document.”

Judge Cook calmly replied, “Authentication goes without saying, prosecutor. But I won’t grant an adjournment. Since this document only questions the validity of the audits, the trial can move on to the corruption charges against Martin on goverment projects.”

Mr Clark argued, “Mr Lord, every eaming and expenditure made by my client will be reflected by the audits. If that is put into question, shouldn’t the prosecution’s charges with regards to government projects be put on hold as well?”

Judge Cook’s face was unperturbed when he replied, “No, Mr Clark. You very well know the evidence for the government project bribery is not just in the form of audits but also written testimonies from multiple witnesses.”

“But those witnesses aren’t present in court today to be examined, my Lord.” Mr Clark made one last attempt to get his client off the stand.

“Looks like we only have your client to question on the matter for today, Mr Clark.” Judge Cook decided.

Mr Clark knew better than to argue further with the hard-headed and hot-tempered Judge Cook. He didn’t want to anger the old man for fear of a detrimental outcome for all his clients.

Marie was shocked that the judge wanted to skip right to the issue on government projects first. She did not prepare for this! She thought, if she were lucky, the court would believe the sheet of paper she handed t o him, and that it would be admitted as valid evidence. In this best case scenario, Belle Price would be called to the stand to verify the audits they fabricated together in the past week.

Even if she got unlucky and the document had to be authenticated, Marie thought she’d get an adjournment. But she was denied even this!

Marie tried her best to mask her shock and fear, the fear that was matched by her own son. And Mr Clark was scribbling furiously on his notepad while the prosecutor and her deputy flipped through the bundle of documents in haste. The flutter of the tuming pages rivaled the tapping of a pen in Judge Cook’s hand as everyone waited.

When the prosecutor found what she was looking for in the thick ring file, she extracted it and approached Marie, apologizing to the judge for the delay before she cleared her throat and began her questioning, “Ms Martin, fifteen years ago, the government issued a tender for a project to construct a high -rise building in the east side of the Kingdom. The project was called ‘Skyline’. Are you familiar with it?”

“Y-Yes.”

“The company who successfully won the tender was Celestial Enterprise. Are you familiar with this company?”

“I-I don’t recall the name of the company that won the tender all those years ago but I know about the project.”

“Do you recall a man by the name of Joseph Rig?”

This was exactly what she and her lawyer were afraid of. “N-No.” Marie lied.

“Are you sure, Ms Martin?”

The prosecution had evidence, and neither Marie nor Clark liked it. It was almost irrefutable. But Marie still chose to deny the truth. “I don’t know anyone by that name.”

The prosecutor then asked, “Then why was he found going in and out of your home weeks before the government decided on the company which would be given the project?”

“Objection, my Lord! Personal life and relationships of the accused are not relevant to this trial.” Both Clark and Marie prayed that this reason would work.

“Ms Martin, did you or did you not have an intimate relationship with Joseph Rig?” The prosecutor pressed when silence ensued.

“I-I don’t remember.”

The prosecutor sighed in frustration and walked back to her deputy, who handed over a picture of Joseph Rig. ‘Oh, Goddess, just kill me now’, Marie thought. The prosecutor returned to the witness stand and asked, “You don’t know him, Ms Martin?”

“N-NO.”

The prosecutor then flipped the paper over to show another man before she asked, “And what about this man?”

Marie was getting paler by the second. “N-No.”

“Ms Martin, you’re just making things worse for yourself if you choose to lie. Perjury does not carry a light sentence. Isn’t this the man you had an affair with weeks before the government granted the hydroelectric project to Techno Builders?” The shocked gasps and disgusted looks everyone in the courtroom was throwing her way did nothing to ease her anxiety.

“I-I d-didn’t sleep with him.”

“Then why did his ex-wife allege that you did just that, using this in her divorce proceedings with her now ex-husband? She even had this picture to prove her case before the court.”

The prosecutor took another picture from her deputy, and just as she handed it to the judge, Marie Martin noticed her vision blurring before her head slumped on the stand with a loud thud that stunned the courtroom.

If the minister knew that all she needed to do to force the court to grant an adjournment was to faint on the stand, she would’ve done it much sooner. At least then she wouldn’t have to explain her past affairs to her sons when she regained consciousness.