CHAPTER 137: DIFFICULT SITUATION

AXEL’S POV

Two weeks flew by in a blur with all the trial preparations, security meetings, and sneaking in some quality time with Layla. The retreat had changed everything between us; we were a real team now, unbreakable in a way that terrified and thrilled me at the same time.

Trial day finally arrived. I found Layla in our kitchen, dressed in a sharp navy suit that screamed confidence, practising her testimony out loud while nursing a cup of coffee.

"And when the defendant’s vehicle struck mine," she said to the empty room, "I felt the impact from the driver’s side..."

"You’ve got this," I said, walking up behind her and kissing her forehead.

She turned, leaning into me. "Do I? Cassandra’s been all over social media playing the victim. The miscarriage narrative is everywhere."

"The evidence doesn’t lie. And you’re going to tell the truth. That’s all you can do."

Her hand found mine, squeezing tight. "We’ve got this."

"We do," I agreed, though guilt churned in my stomach. Erica was still in Tye’s custody, a secret I’d kept from Layla for weeks. The right moment to tell her had never come, and now it was too late.

In the car, Layla’s leg bounced nervously. I placed my hand on her knee, steadying her.

"Remember," I said quietly, "just answer the questions directly. Don’t let them put words in your mouth. If something feels wrong, look at Brennan. He’ll object."

"I know. I’ve been prepped a hundred times."

"I know you have. You’re ready for this."

At the courthouse, reporters swarmed like locusts, cameras flashing, microphones thrust forward. Our security team formed a protective barrier as we pushed through.

"Mrs. O’Brien! Is it true you ran Cassandra off the road deliberately?"

"Mr. O’Brien! How does it feel knowing your wife caused a miscarriage?"

"Are the money laundering allegations connected to this case?"

"Is it true this case is affecting Eclipse Beauty...?"

We ignored them all, keeping our heads down until we were safely inside. Brennan met us in the hallway with a grim expression. "We need to talk before we go in."

We followed him into a conference room. He spread several newspapers across the table, each with headlines about Cassandra’s tragedy.

"Cassandra’s team is pushing the miscarriage narrative hard," he said. "The public’s eating it up. We have solid arguments for the assault, reckless endangerment, and defamation charges, but without a witness or concrete evidence to flip their miscarriage story, we’re vulnerable."

"What about the hospital records we subpoenaed?" Layla asked.

"They show she was treated for a miscarriage, but they don’t prove whether it was natural or induced. We need someone who can testify to what really happened."

"Daniel," Layla said. "We need Daniel."

"Daniel’s still missing. And at this point, even if we found him, getting him here and verified as a witness would take time we don’t have."

My stomach dropped. Erica. There’s a chance she knows of the induced miscarriage. But telling them I had her, that I’d been holding her in secret custody with Tye, would destroy Layla’s trust.

"We work with what we have," I said, the lie tasting bitter on my tongue. "Focus on the charges we can prove."

Brennan nodded reluctantly. "Let’s go. Court’s about to start."

The courtroom was packed. Cassandra sat at the defence table with her lawyer, Harlan Reed, looking appropriately tragic in a black dress. Charles Watson sat directly behind her in the gallery.

When Cassandra’s eyes met mine, she smirked slightly before quickly replacing it with a look of wounded innocence.

Judge Schwarz, a stern woman in her sixties who’d replaced the compromised Judge Thornton, called the court to order.

"Case number 24-CR-8907, Layla O’Brien versus Cassandra Watson Hart," she announced. "Counsels, are you ready to proceed?"

"Yes, Your Honour," both sides answered.

"Prosecution, call your first witness."

"I would like to call Layla O’Brien to the stand."

Layla stood, her hand trembling slightly as she smoothed her skirt. I caught her eye and nodded encouragement. She walked to the witness stand with her head high.

After being sworn in, Brennan began his direct examination.

"Mrs. O’Brien, can you describe the events of October 8th, from around 6?"

"I was driving home from the office at that time," Layla said. "My husband was having a meeting with some international suppliers, so I drove alone... with the security team. We were on the main road, close to the intersection, when I noticed a vehicle approaching rapidly from behind."

"And what happened next?"

"The vehicle accelerated and struck me from the side with significant force. The impact sent me spinning across the road."

"Did you recognise the vehicle or driver?"

"Yes. It was my sister, Cassandra Watson. I saw her face clearly before the collision."

Brennan pulled up the dashcam footage on the courtroom monitors. "Is this the incident you’re describing?"

"Yes, that’s correct."

The video played, showing Cassandra’s car deliberately swerving into theirs. Even I, having seen it dozens of times, felt the impact.

"Thank you, Mrs. O’Brien. No further questions."

Harlan Reed stood for cross-examination, looking sympathetic rather than aggressive. "Mrs. O’Brien, you’ve testified that you ’clearly’ saw my client’s face before the collision. How fast were both vehicles travelling?"

"I don’t know the exact speed..."

"So you can’t say with certainty that you had adequate time to identify the driver?"

"Objection," Brennan said. "The witness has already testified she recognised her own sister."

"Sustained. Rephrase, counsel," Judge Schwarz replied.

"Mrs. O’Brien, isn’t it true that you and my client have had a contentious relationship for years?"

"We’ve had our differences, yes."

"Differences, including your marriage to Mr. O’Brien just days after you were supposed to marry her current husband?"

"Objection, Your Honour," Brennan stood. "Relevance?"

"I’m establishing bias and motive to falsely accuse my client."

"I’ll allow it, but get to your point, Mr Reed."

"Mrs. O’Brien, you were publicly humiliated when Daniel left you at the altar for your sister, weren’t you?"

Layla’s jaw tightened. "It was an difficult situation."

"Difficult enough to want revenge? To frame your sister for a crime she didn’t commit?"

"That’s not what happened."

"Isn’t it true that you’ve been systematically trying to destroy my client’s reputation? The social media posts, the business competition, the very public success of your company while she struggled?"

"Objection!" Brennan’s voice rose. "Counsel is testifying rather than questioning."

"Sustained. Mr. Reed, ask questions, don’t make speeches."

"Mrs. O’Brien, did you or did you not feel anger toward my client?"