I Wish You Never Met Me

32

A/N: pic of Meghan's suit at the top

CHAPTER 32

"Care to explain this?"

"We were having a discussion about someone else," he tried to save himself.

"But in the audio, you are clearly talking about Meghan. You believe she's innocent, don't you?" she asked him.

He was sweating through his suit. "Of course not, she hacked the girl's computer. She doesn't deserve another chance at a redemption."

"I don't mean to make this personal but...you're doing this for your daughter, aren't you?" Gisele then scrolled to the next image. One that shifted this entire trial left completely.

"How did you—"

"They're threatening her, aren't they?" she asked once more.

"If you went through my phone, that's an invasion of privacy, Mrs. Smith." He pointed out. "I can have you arrested for that."

"Not when I was the one who sent it to her," a voiced chimed from the audience.

"Ellie?" his voice was soft, timid as he saw her.

"You think I don't know what you're doing behind my back, dad. Selling me off to the Runnels family for some money?"

"If I didn't get that money, how else were we going to do that tour around Europe like you wanted."

"Mom wanted that! You couldn't stomach the fact you have a daughter and still can't accept me. So, what better way to get rid of me than to sell me off to one of the richest family in the state, right?!"

"No, Ellie. I wasn't trying to—"

"YES, YOU WERE! I'm not dumb, dad!"

"Order in the court! Order in the court, please!"

The chatter of the audience lowered as Mr. Yen's daughter was escorted outside of the courtroom. I don't think there was any way that they were going to turn this around to work in their favor. From this moment, I could feel a weight lift off my shoulders. For the first time, I felt the air in my lungs smile.

"On the count of defamation, how does the jury find Maverick law firm?"

"Guilty."

"On the count of invasion of privacy. How do you find?"

"Guilty."

"The Maverick law firm will compensate Ms. Hawkins, 15 million dollars for every smear campaign that the firm has orchestrated. All head lawyers of this firm will be subjected to 20 years each in prison for obstruction of the Judicial system and human trafficking with no parole. Case closed." As the judge hit the ladle with the hammer, cheers ensued. All I could was watch. I wasn't going to celebrate because it was far from over. I wasn't done yet. I won't be until it's time for the real trial. The sole reason of my "disappearance". The sole reason of everything that has happened to me throughout the entire year.

To think, I almost missed out on my senior year of high school because of this. I lost everything because someone was so jealous of the appeal, I had with people that had to orchestrate an elaborate plan to ruin me completely. She took the team, the friends, the boyfriend—well ex-boyfriend. She killed my fashion career. She successfully ruined my life.

The moment we stepped outside, we were swarmed by the press.

"Meghan, how does it feel to yet another victory?"

"Meghan, what will you do once the Runnels family finds out what you've been doing?"

"Shut the cameras off," Jaxson's voice rose over theirs. Power illuminating off it. Like puppets, they obeyed. "They won't know. Because by the time this gets out, it'll be too late. You are not publishing any of this. If you do, you'll have me to deal with and hell to pay."