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Chapter 46
Jeffrey Hollands was apprehended and taken in for questioning after being caught violating the conditions of his house arrest. He was accused of removing his ankle monitor, leaving his residence, and stalking his estranged wife Annika and her family. Detective Corey was determined to make an example of Jeffrey, but his precinct captain intervened, instructing Corey to release Jeffrey due to a call from the D.A.’s office.
The D.A.’s office had decided not to waste resources on a house arrest violation and instead focused on more substantial charges against Jeffrey, including evidence tampering and other criminal acts. Corey was frustrated and angry at the decision, but Jeffrey remained smug and confident, feeling that he had outsmarted the system. He was released and left to continue his schemes to ruin Leon’s reputation and win back Annika while also protecting his own interests.
Chapter 47
Annika returned home after accepting Leon’s proposal at lunch, feeling ecstatic and unaware of the consequences. Her family, although initially surprised, supported her decision, with Madalena and Micky excited to help plan the wedding. Annika reflected on her past mistakes, realizing she was still lying to herself and finally understanding what love truly meant.
As the court date for Jeffrey’s trial approaches, Sadie creates a social media smear campaign to ruin his reputation, while Jeffrey prepares to defend himself against the charges. On the first day of the trial, Jeffrey and Sadie arrive at the courthouse, where they are met by a sea of media and paparazzi. Meanwhile, Leon and Annika make a surprise entrance, hand in hand, which sparks vitriolic reactions from both Jeffrey and Sadie.
Chapter 48
Everyone in the courtroom took their seats as Judge Trainor began the day’s proceedings. Annika Silverton, accompanied by her lawyer Hunter, sat at the plaintiff’s table, while defendant Jeff Hollands occupied the defendant’s table alone. Judge Trainor warned everyone that the day would be long and rules would be strictly enforced. With that, Hunter called his first witness, Annika, who swore to tell the truth and took the stand.
Chapter 49
As court recessed, Annika was left to process the chaos she had just endured on the stand. Hunter and Leon provided her with emotional support in the conference room, where they discussed their next course of action. Annika revealed that she was adopted by the Hillers when her identity was compromised, and the family decided to keep it a secret. She had lied about her childhood to start from the bottom and be seen as a normal teenager. The trio returned to the courtroom, where Hunter called Jeffrey Hollands to the stand.
Hunter presented a series of questions to Jeffrey, who refused to answer several of them, citing his right to the fifth amendment. Jeffrey’s responses were mostly evasive and revealing, causing tension in the courtroom. He admitted to not feeling guilty about his infidelity in the beginning and only felt remorse when he saw his wife becoming distant. The jury seemed intrigued by Jeffrey’s honesty, and the tension in the room escalated. The chapter concludes with Hunter asking another question, leaving the reader wondering what other secrets Jeffrey will reveal and how the trial will unfold.
Chapter 50
Hunter called Sadie to the stand, but Judge Trainor suddenly ordered a recess for lunch, leaving everyone perplexed. Hunter was about to question the judge, but a stern side-eye from Trainor made him think better of it. Meanwhile, Annika was feeling unwell, and when her eyes met Hunter’s, she nodded reassuringly. Her friends noticed that she looked pale and was queasy.
Just then, Annika’s eyes rolled back, and she passed out. Everyone rushed to her side, and Hunter shouted for an ambulance. As they waited for help to arrive, Kenzie checked Annika’s pulse and determined it was steady but weak. Annika’s parents were worried she might have low insulin due to skipping meals, which Micky confirmed she had been doing due to stress. It turned out that Annika had a history of losing her appetite and experiencing dizzy spells when stressed, which had happened when she discovered her ex-lover’s infidelity.
Chapter 51
Annika, who is pregnant with Leon’s child, is feeling better after recovering from her fainting spell in the courtroom. She is enjoying her newfound happiness with Leon, who is thrilled to be a father. Despite the unexpected timing of her pregnancy, Annika is excited to have Kenzie, her friend and OB-GYN, by her side throughout her pregnancy. Meanwhile, Jeffrey and Sadie are stuck in lock-up, awaiting their retrial.
In her cell, Sadie is furious to learn that Annika is pregnant with Leon’s child, and she vents her anger towards Jeffrey, who is trying to defend himself. The tension between the two escalates as they make threats and accusations against each other, both determined to hurt the other and gain the upper hand. In the midst of their argument, Jeffrey’s mind wanders to Annika and how she is now pregnant with Leon’s child, a stark contrast to their own failed relationship.
Chapter 52
Leon grumbled as he refused to leave his penthouse with his attorneys, still perturbed about his upcoming retrial against Sadie and Jeffrey. Annika tried to reason with him, pointing out that they were already engaged and expecting a child, but Leon was determined to focus on winning the case first before settling in with her. He explained that he still technically had a legally binding marriage to Sadie and didn’t want to give her or Jeffrey any leverage that could compromise their trials.
Annika and Leon headed to the courthouse, where they met with their legal team to update them on the case. Annika revealed that her baby bump was now more noticeable, and her trials with Jeffrey had been pushed back due to her sudden fainting. Despite this, she was determined to divorce Jeffrey, citing her pregnancy as another reason to escape their toxic relationship. The legal team presented their case against Sadie and Jeffrey, with convincing evidence gathered by Jorge over several months. Meanwhile, the Galloways’ family attorney, Bart, made a desperate attempt to negotiate a private settlement, warning that if the case went forward, his clients would lose everything.
Chapter 53
Annika, Leon, Kenzie, and Hunter were on a lunch break at a nearby restaurant during the recess of their trial. Annika was trying to process the revelation that Sadie was not her father’s biological daughter. Kenzie had done the math and concluded that Sadie’s mother, Mrs. Liar-Liar Pants on Fire, had known that Mr. Galloway was not the father. The group was discussing the implications when Mrs. Galloway suddenly appeared, her face red with rage.
Mrs. Galloway stormed over to the table, creating a scene in the restaurant. She accused Leon’s lawyer of being stupid and questioned why he had called her to the stand. Leon calmly retorted that his lawyer had every right to do so, as Mrs. Galloway and her daughter had defrauded him of millions through lies and deceit. The exchange escalated, with Mrs. Galloway becoming increasingly irrational and Annika calling her a “ninnyhammer” for her immature behavior. The scene ended with Leon suggesting that Mrs. Galloway had used similar tactics to steal from her own husband, putting her moral character into question.
Chapter 54
Agatha Galloway, Sadie’s mother, visits her in prison awaiting her trial’s continuance, seeking to reconcile after her recent divorce from David, Sadie’s father, due to his discovery of her lies. However, Sadie is unfazed by her mother’s tears and instead lashes out at her for her selfish and manipulative behavior. Agatha reveals that she never wanted Sadie and only married David for financial and social gain. Sadie responds by accusing her mother of ruining her life and abandoning her.
The visit is interrupted by Leon, Sadie’s cheating ex-husband, and his attorney Janko, who arrive unexpectedly. Leon confronts Sadie about her threat against his doctor, Annika, and their unborn child, and warns her that if she ever mentions them again, he will make her “disappear.” The scene ends with Sadie realizing that Leon has compromised the recording devices in the visiting room to make his threat and is revealed to be even more ruthless and calculating than she had imagined.
Chapter 55
Sadie Galloway’s trial was interrupted when Judge Trainor announced that her attorney, Bart Simmons, was no longer representing her. Bart had abandoned Sadie’s case, and his whereabouts were unknown. Without representation, Judge Trainor ordered Sadie to be remanded into custody and sent to Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women. Sadie was devastated and enraged, proclaiming that she was pregnant and would get revenge on those responsible for her situation.
Meanwhile, Annika’s trial against her ex-husband Jeffrey was set back due to Sadie’s lawyer quitting. However, the discovery of a marriage certificate revealing that Sadie had married Jeffrey while still married to Annika’s father, Leon, sparked a new investigation. The group believed that Sadie may have bribed or tricked Jeffrey into signing the certificate, which could be illegal. They speculated that the certificate was filed illegally, but it was unclear how Sadie could have gotten away with it. Annika was determined to use this new evidence to win her case against Jeffrey and move forward with her life with Leon.
Chapter 56(Pt 1)
Jeffrey’s weekend had come to an end, but the real test was about to begin in court. Annika’s family was seeking to have Hunter take Jeffrey down through legal means, while Royce, Jeffrey’s brother, had secretly sent him evidence of their father’s infidelity with Piper, unaware that Piper was Jeffrey’s actual mother. When Jeffrey received the package, he was shocked and enraged by his father’s betrayal.
In court, the proceedings began with Judge Trainor’s warning about bribing a juror, which sent shockwaves through the courtroom. Jeffrey called Leon to the stand, and despite being an attractive and confident witness, Leon expertly deflected Jeffrey’s questions and embarrassed him instead. The jury was charmed by Leon, and Annika felt possessive of him as they discussed their engagement and impending parenthood. Meanwhile, Jeffrey’s attempts to discredit Leon backfired, revealing his own infidelity and further damaging his already tenuous case.
Chapter 56(Pt 2)
The courtroom is in shock as Hunter reveals Jeffrey’s birth certificate, showing that his birth mother is actually Piper Masters, Jack Hollands’ mistress, not his biological mother. This bombshell exposes Piper’s identity as a mistress and not a distant relative of the Hollands family. The revelation causes chaos, with Jack’s face paling in horror, Ruth slapping him, and Joey staring in shock at his family.
Hunter proceeds to present further evidence, revealing that Piper is behind the bribery of the jury foreman who was replaced. Jeffrey is stunned, and Piper tries to justify her actions by saying she did it for her son. The courtroom erupts into chaos as Annika’s family smirks at Jack’s misfortunes, and Judge Trainor holds Piper in contempt and remands her into custody. With the proceedings now calmer, Jeffrey is called to the stand, where he is questioned about his affair with Sadie.
Chapter 57(Pt 1)
Sadie, a mistress, was in prison after being beaten by inmates who hated mistresses. She had slapped several of them, which led to her being jumped and brutalized. She was left with a broken nose, a ruptured cheek implant, and a severely damaged hairline, making her appearance unbearable. Her mother, Agatha Galloway, was the only visitor allowed to see her, but even she was not unaware that her husband, David Galloway, had men following her to monitor her visits.
Sadie was furious to learn that Jeffrey, her lover, had lost everything. His fake marriage certificate was found, revealing that he was charged with bigamy. Additionally, Jeffrey was discovered to be the biological son of Jack’s mistress, Piper, making him an illegitimate child. Ruth, Jeffrey’s wife, had filed for divorce, and Jack would lose his fortune. Meanwhile, Bart, Sadie’s lawyer, had been arrested while trying to flee the country with his wife. He had made a deal, but the details were unknown.
Chapter 57(Pt 2)
Agatha Galloway awoke to find herself tied to a chair in her once-shared home with David, her husband of over 20 years. As the black sack over her head was removed, she was met with David’s angry face and the revelation that he had discovered her deception about her identity and their daughter Sadie’s paternity. David raged at Agatha, berating her for her lies and insisting that she sign an annulment, denying her any claim to the family’s wealth and possessions.
Despite Agatha’s pleas and tears, David was unmoved, forcing her to sign the annulment papers and relinquish all claim to her belongings, including her designer clothes, handbags, and jewelry. As the men who had been hired by David untied her and threw her out of the house, Agatha realized that her world was being turned upside down. She had never imagined that her deception would lead to such a catastrophic outcome, and she was left with nothing but the clothes on her back and a shattered sense of identity.
Chapter 58
Hunter returned home from Annika’s and revealed to Kenzie that Jeffrey, their friend and former colleague, had taken his own life. Kenzie was shocked and couldn’t believe it, and she expressed her disdain for Jeffrey’s actions, feeling that he got what he deserved after his numerous betrayals, including cheating, fraud, and bigamy. Hunter was torn, feeling both sadness and anger towards Jeffrey’s death.
The following day, Annika and Leon arrived at the Hunter’s residence with disturbing news: Jeffrey’s family was suing Annika for manslaughter, claiming that her public exposure of Jeffrey’s infidelity and other wrongdoings drove him to take his own life. Hunter and Kenzie were shocked and incredulous, and Leon was furious, feeling that the lawsuit was baseless and spiteful. Despite the chaos, Hunter offered to call a family attorney to get more information on the case, hoping to calm Leon down.
