Chapter 3 - The Broken Alibi
Julian’s lawyer objected instantly, claiming Chloe was just an innocent spectator with no relevance to the case.
Judge Thorne overruled the objection and commanded Chloe to approach the witness stand.
Chloe walked forward on unsteady legs, her high heels clicking loudly in the silent courtroom.
She placed her trembling hand on the Bible and swore to tell the whole truth.
I walked out from behind my table and approached the witness stand with the forged document in my hand.
I asked Chloe to confirm if she was the official notary public for Julian’s real estate firm.
She quietly answered yes, refusing to make eye contact with me.
I held the forged wire transfer document up so she could clearly see the purple crescent stamp at the bottom.
I asked her if that was her official notary seal validating my supposed signature.
Chloe swallowed hard and glanced nervously at Julian before nodding her head.
She confidently stated that she had personally witnessed me sign the document in their office on October the twelfth.
Julian leaned back in his chair, looking incredibly satisfied with her perjury.
I walked back to my table and picked up a thick medical folder.
I presented the folder to the judge and asked her to read the highlighted admission date.
Judge Thorne announced to the court that I had been hospitalized for emergency appendicitis on October the twelfth.
I was under heavy general anesthesia for the entire day, making it physically impossible for me to visit Julian’s office.
A collective gasp echoed through the courtroom as the devastating lie was exposed.
Chloe burst into tears on the witness stand, covering her face with her hands in complete shame.
I leaned in closer and asked her if Julian had forced her to forge the document to frame me.
Chloe sobbed hysterically and nodded her head, confessing everything into the microphone.
She admitted that Julian had promised to marry her once he successfully destroyed my life and took my money.
Julian slammed his fists on his desk and screamed that Chloe was a lying, hysterical woman.
His lawyer buried his face in his hands, realizing his entire legal strategy had just imploded.
Judge Thorne glared at Julian with a look of pure, unadulterated disgust.
She informed him that forging a financial document and suborning perjury were severe felony offenses.
I felt a massive wave of relief wash over me, knowing I had finally broken his web of lies.
I turned to look at Noah, offering my brave little boy a warm, reassuring smile.
But before the judge could formally strike the forged document from the record, a loud crash echoed from the gallery.
Eleanor had collapsed onto the wooden floor, clutching her chest and gasping for air.
Julian rushed toward his mother, screaming for someone to call an ambulance immediately.
The judge was forced to suspend the hearing and clear the courtroom as paramedics rushed in.
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As they loaded Eleanor onto a stretcher, she opened one eye and looked directly at me.
She offered me a wicked, terrifying little wink before closing her eyes again.
