THE HEIR'S REVENGE

chapter 53

The past few days were so fun that I didn't even feel like going back to work but it didn't matter what I felt. I learnt early that it didn't matter how I felt, I just had to do my work at the proper time.

The hearing for the Hargrove case was on Tuesday morning at nine o'clock.

I woke up by five thirty not because of my alarm but because of the urgency of the work. Even during the night, I couldn't sleep properly. I laid in the dark for a while overthinking everything before I could even get a decent amount of sleep.

I went through everything in my head countless times, the way my brain always did. It made me feel completely sad. It made me realize that you can truly never trust a person.

Gerald's voice echoed to my ear. We had met to confirm the morning arrangements. He told me to come in confident but not arrogant. He said that I shouldn't be scared and only say the right thing when asked.

“Just be present and let Patricia and her team do the work.”

I nodded.

He trusted me with his advice and knew that I was going to follow them to the core.

When I went downstairs, Henry was already in the kitchen.

I wasn't surprised knowing how agile and fast Henry could be. I looked at him, hoping I could find out about the reason why he didn't show up at the party but I didn't notice anyone.

He had made coffee and there was toast on the table. It just seemed like he was waiting for me, patiently. I sat down on the chair and faced him.

“When did you get back?” I asked him and he gave me a small smile. “A few minutes ago.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” He paused while bringing my coffee and toast. “Are you ready?”

I nodded. I looked at Henry again. It was obvious that he didn't want to talk about whatever it is that made him stay away from us for some days.

“Are you okay?” I asked for the last time.

“Yes.” He answered. “Patricia called at five forty and said that she wanted to confirm the Winters emails that have been fully recovered and authenticated.”

I was relieved a bit. The deleted folder in Winters corporate account has been recovered.

“Patricia said that this was the cleanest connection we had about Victoria's attempt to influence a board member.”

“Good.”

“She also confirmed that Hargrove's pate is fully documented. There were two payments made into his account.”

I thought about it.

This didn't seem to be great evidence. I picked up the coffee and looked at it for a moment.

“He was paid for delivering it?” I said.

Henry nodded at me.

“How's Lily?” I asked.

"Still asleep," Henry said. "She had a large weekend."

I almost smiled. "She did."

Henry was quiet for a moment. I knew him. He could be quiet but this one felt different, it was too solemn.

“Go on, say what you have to.”

“I was simply just making an observation.” He said carefully.

“Tell me.” I was suddenly interested.

“You seem to be different this morning than you have seemed before.”

“Different?”

“Yeah. I mean you look unburdened.”

Did I? I mean I was literally overthinking this whole situation like a few minutes ago and now it was like this? Unburdened.

Anyways that was good news right? I didn't want to look burdened after all.

“There were days that you literally carried everything and everyone. The meetings with Marcus, the unexpected one with Victoria. It was all too much for you but now you look like a man who has put down all his worries.”

He was right. That was exactly how I felt. Of course I was worried but I was going to let the lawyers do their job.

This was going to be the end of Victoria and she would leave me alone.

"I just want it to be over Henry," I said. Not with defeat. Just honestly.

"I know," he said. "It nearly is."

By 7:30, we already left for the courthouse and got there by 8.

Henry had said it was better we got there on time. He just didn't want any injustice happening and I got him.

Patricia Osei was already there with two other members of her team.

I knew it was supposed to be normal but I was really impressed by her professionalism. It's not everyday you find someone who loves doing their job and doing it well.

She shook my hand and gave me a stern look.

We arrived at the courthouse at eight thirty.

"Good morning," she said. "How are you?"

"Ready," I said. I seemed to be saying that a lot this morning. Maybe because I had to say it several times to actually believe it.

She looked at me for a moment like she was assessing Mr. Then she nodded like she had confirmed exactly what she wanted to.

“Good because these people are good at making fake scenarios real. You have to promise me that you won't let them get to you.”

“I won't.” I answered but I wasn't so sure of that answer. I still didn't know what Victoria had under her sleeve.

"Good," she said. "Because they are going to come in with everything they have left and I want you to be prepared for that."

"What do they have left?" I asked.

“My guess is that they'll engage a specialist that would testify that patients in Richard's physical condition usually experience cognitive fluctuations..”

“But we all know that he didn't experience that at all.”

“We might know but does the judge know?” Patricia paused, maybe so I could realize what I was saying.

I was saying that it was the truth. Yes, Patricia wasn't arguing if it was really the truth, she was just more worried if anyone would believe that it was true.

“The doctor would likely go ahead to say that passing a competency test didn't mean that Richard was fully clear at the moment so his decision cannot be verified.”

I took a deep breath.

I was tired. Honestly tired.

I had left the Pierce house to finally live on my own but it seemed like I couldn't run away from those people.

“Then what is their proof that he wasn't clear at that particular moment?”

“That is their weakness. They have no proof. They'll apparently find something else to say which I don't know.” Patricia paused. "Their argument is theoretical. Ours is documented."

"And Hargrove?" I asked.