My gaze continued to sweep the courtroom, searching for Isla. I finally saw her, tears streamed down her face as she clung to a woman I didn't recognize. But even amidst the tears, I could still see the hatred in her eyes.
They actually believed this? Who the hell had spun such a vicious web of lies?
The prosecutor's voice cut through my thoughts. "Do you have anything to say, Mr. Clarke?" he asked, his tone firm.
Quinton stepped forward, his expression calm and collected. "My client needs time to process the allegations, your honor," he said, his voice smooth and authoritative. "He will speak when he is ready."
I mentally thanked Quinton, because indeed, I was speechless.
The judge banged his gavel, his eyes scanning the courtroom before coming to rest on me. "We will rest for one hour to allow both parties to review the evidence presented. After that, the court will proceed with testimony and questioning."
Quinton was by my side in a flash. "Let's get you out of here," he whispered.
Quinton ushered me into a quiet chamber next to the courtroom, an officer closed the door behind us with a soft click. "What's going on, Anders?" I asked desperately. "Who came up with such a story, and why?"
"I don't know," he answered, shaking his head in frustration. "But VD is digging into it now."
I turned to Quinton, my voice laced with desperation and doubt. "Do you think Harry and Isla really believe all this?"
Quinton's expression was grim. "I have spoken to them, Damen. Unfortunately, yes, they do believe it."
I felt a wave of frustration and despair wash over me. "Why would they believe such outrageous lies?" I demanded, my voice shaking with emotion.
His expression turned serious. "This might help explain things," he said, handing me a thick file.
I opened the file, and my heart sank as I scanned the contents. There were screenshots of text messages, pictures, a flash drive with a video and several phone recordings.
Quinton moved closer to me and inspected the file with me, suddenly he said "I have had them verified, they are all authentic. No photoshop or editing."
"I know they are, Quinton," I replied calmly.
Quinton's eyes widened in shock, his gaze locked onto mine with a mixture of surprise and curiosity.
"I could never have imagined you could cheat on that bitch, no matter how much I hate her." It was Harper's voice.
"Harper, you are here," I said curiously.
Harper smiled as she moved to hug me tightly. "Of course, I am here, you are still my brother, no matter how much I despise you right now." She paused, a sly smile spreading across her face. "I had even hired a lawyer, but none can compare to Mr. Quinton."
I looked at Quinton. "The next court hearing will have the media, right?" I asked him.
He nodded curtly. "Yes."
I asked. "Has the court officially registered you as my lawyer?"
Quinton's expression turned grave. "No."
I relaxed and replied, relief evident in my tone. "Great, you'll step down, then."
"What?" They both answered at the same time, their voices laced with surprise and protest.
"Come on look at this," I said as I handed them a photograph. "This picture may seem like Mrs. Blaze and I were heading to a hotel together, which is true because her car was actually in the hotel basement, and she called me to fix it."
I pulled out the video footage on his phone. "This video appears to show me massaging Mrs. Blaze's neck while she is wearing a towel, making it seem intimate. But what it doesn't show is that Harry was right here with us, and he is the one who asked me to massage her neck because she was in pain. And as you know, our family has a medical background, so they called me to help."
I clicked on another video and continued to explain, a hint of frustration in my voice. "You see this video of us on the beach? She was going through a tough time, and I just happened to be there working on a project. We met by accident, and I offered her some business advice that ended up working for her. Which brings us to this photo." I gestured to the picture "This date was just her way of thanking me for my help. But I know how it looks, and I know that no matter how reasonable these explanations are, they will never be accepted as the truth in court."
"You will step down." I said firmly, a sense of determination in my voice. "If am going down, I'm not taking you with me. You have built a reputation as the most fearless lawyer in the business, we need to keep it that way."
Quinton shook his head in denial, his voice low and resolute. "No, I won't do it. You know I would sacrifice the entire world for you, Dam."
"I know that's why I am asking you to make this sacrifice. We will go to Plan B; I won't be staying in prison." Quinton looked into my determined eyes and he finally grasped what I meant.
He nodded submissively. "As you say, boss."
"What the hell is going on here?" Harper asked, looking utterly confused. "So, you are going to prison, even though you are innocent? Are you crazy, Damen?"
"Don't worry, Harper, it won't be long," I reassured her, as I rubbed her hair.
She pushed away my hand and glared at me, her eyes blazing with anger. "What do you mean by not long?" she spat. "Prison is prison, Damen, not a joke!"
Quinton stepped in, his voice soft. "Calm down, Harper. Damen will be fine." He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
We were summoned to court once again, but this time, it wasn't Quinton standing by my side.
The prosecutor's voice was firm as my charges were formally stated, and then the questions began.
"If the defendant denies being in a relationship with Mrs. Blaze, can he explain this?" He pulled out a recording.
The courtroom fell silent as an audio was played, the sound filling the room and commanding everyone's attention.
The audio recording sent a shiver down my spine as a panicked voice pleaded, "Damen, Damen, can you come get me, babe? I am so scared." The voice was unmistakable, it was Zoey's.