Chapter 9
Adam’s eyes turned red from my words.
He looked at me, his expression showing a level of regret and guilt I’d never seen before.
He choked out an apology through his tears.
Every time he saw me suffering from my accident’s lasting effects, his guilt cut deeper.
Whenever he watched me sobbing at my mother’s grave, his heart felt like it was being torn apart.
“You finally found out. I’ve been terrified of this moment, but now that it’s here, I feel panic and relief. Charlotte, I regret everything so much… why did this have to happen when I love you the most?”
I laughed bitterly and threw the divorce papers in his face.
“Adam, I’m sick of your fake words. The pen is right there. If you’re really sorry, just sign the papers.”
Adam’s hands trembled as he picked up the agreement, the bold word “DIVORCE” seeming to burn his fingers.
His hand shook as he held the pen like he couldn’t take it.
He suddenly threw the pen across the room.
“I… I won’t sign! Charlotte, we don’t need to get divorced. I know I messed up, but please give me another chance. I’ll go to jail, face justice, and accept any consequence. Please, don’t divorce me!”
I stood up, my expression was completely cold.
“If you don’t agree to a settlement, I’ll file for divorce through the courts. It’ll just take longer, that’s all.”
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11:09 AM
With that, I turned to leave.
Adam staggered forward, grabbing me with his shackled hands.
He fell to his knees before me, his body trembling.
“Charlotte, please believe me. I truly love you.”
I yanked my hand away from his grip and replied without mercy.
“Really? Well, Adam, your love makes me sick. I can live much better without your disgusting love!”
Adam froze at my words, taking a moment to process what I’d said.
Tears streamed down his face like broken strings of pearls.
Behind me, his desperate sobs echoed like those of a helpless child.
I kept walking forward without stopping, not even looking back once.
If Adam hadn’t called it love, I would have thought it was the sharpest sword or deadliest poison.
I didn’t want to hear anything about his so–called love.
What Adam called love was self–interest and desire in disguise, using noble words to make it sound beautiful.
It was absolutely ridiculous!
Later, in the courtroom, I held the divorce papers in my hand, already signed by Adam.
I watched him with a cold expression, taking in his haggard appearance.
As the judge listed one accusation after andther, Adam seemed to have given up on letting his lawyer defend him.
Into the microphone, he repeatedly said only three words.
“I plead guilty.”
In stark contrast to his silence was Alisha, who behaved like a madwoman.
She couldn’t accept that the celebrity dream she had built for years was now destroyed.
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She screamed and shouted from the witness stand, directing all her resentment and hatred toward me.
“Charlotte, you bitch! You stole Addie, and now you’re trying to ruin me! It’s all your fault! That old woman deserved to die! You deserve to die, too! Why didn’t that driver finish you off in that accident? You should have died with your short–lived mother!”
The judge frowned, unable to tolerate her vicious cursing any longer.
He ordered the guards to remove her before continuing the trial to avoid disrupting the proceedings.
Alisha was only allowed back in when the judge delivered the verdict.
“The defendant Alisha is sentenced for multiple crimes, including premeditated murder and fraud. The combined sentence is 15 years imprisonment and a fine of 6.32 million dollars.”
When the judge’s gavel came down with a heavy thud, Alisha finally understood what fear meant.
She was stunned.
