[ Sinking ] || A Colby Brock Fanfiction

Chapter 28

Note: This fanfiction does not follow the timeline of the TFIL videos or the videos from the channels from the mentioned YouTubers. In this fanfiction, they already live in that big mansion as roommates.
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Third Person POV

Silence.

A deafening silence filled the court room once again. The evidence that the defendants have shown, the surveillance footage that they claimed to have, completely threw off the jury and the judge. True to their statements, the Francine in the video, although the face was slightly blurry, did what they said they claimed her to do. She acted as a spoiled brat and told the couple to leave her alone.

"That–" Before Francine could even say something, Atty. Kenneth placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. His eyes were telling her to calm down and let it go for now but his entire demeanor was still calm like he was not affected by the disturbing video that the couple released. She could not understand why her own lawyer, her own brother's adoptive father, was not giving a retort against her real parents. He was supposed to fight for her, right?

As if sensing her doubt, Julianne pulled Francine closer to her and whispered, "Just calm down, sweetheart. If you say something now, they might think that you are being defensive."

"But–"

Julianne cut her off immediately and gave her a reassuring smile. "We still have something up our sleeves, sweetheart. Just trust in us." Francine, although hesitant, did as she was told and stayed silent as her parents continue telling the court their side.

"That charity event that Penny mentioned, we took her home because she thoughtlessly harmed herself and we got so worried!" Cassidy continued. She was sobbing hard as she told their side of the story. "I can't believe that my own daughter would go so far as to file a law suit against her own parents, us!"

Lies after lies, Cassidy and John contradicted everything Francine has been accusing them with countless of videos that showed the total opposite of her character. Francine was forced to bite down her tongue and remain silent despite the unstopping tears from her eyes and the pain in her heart. Her parents were far too deep into their obsession with their fame and power that they were willing to break her into pieces just to save their faces. All those years of torture she was forced to endure while she clung onto the hope of regaining her parents love and the hope of seeing her brother again seemed useless to her now.

The feeling of exhaustion washed over her as her biological parents continue spouting false nonsense with crocodile tears, which the jury and the judge seemed to buy. Her nonstop crying was making her head ache and her vision—not like she was seeing anything clearly with all those tears— was starting to spin. Her ears started ringing and nothing anyone in the room were saying could reach her ears anymore. She felt numb but she knew that her hands were starting to tremble.

Yet, she said nothing.

Everyone's focus were on the Lockhart couple who sat on the witness stand as they defend themselves from the accusations that were made. Some were slowly believing the couple's persuasive act while Francine's witnesses were either looking scared for how the situation was slowly turning or looking like they were ready to jump out of their seats and have a heavy debate on how the couple are the ones who are wrong in this situation.

It wasn't until later when the judge looked over Francine to see her reaction to what her parents were saying were they realized something was wrong. The judge noticed how pale the girl has turned. Thankfully, the Lockhart couple finished stating their side a few minutes later and the judge was finally able to ask, "Miss Francine, are you okay? You look pale."

The court turned silent once again as they all turned their attention to the pale girl sitting silently with her head down. Well, as silent as she could with her heavy breathing that occasionally sounded like wheezing.

Julianne's eyes widened as she realized what was happening and silently reprimanded herself for not noticing it earlier.

"She's having an anxiety attack."

Thankfully, there were medics and they immediately rushed to Francine's side. They asked Julianne and the others to move back and give her space while whispering instructions to calm Francine down from her anxiety attack. Kenneth, worrying about Francine's health–both mental and physical, decided to step up to the judge with her condition in mind.

"Your honor, I would like to ask for a two day recess before proceeding to ensure Miss Francine Lockhart's condition. As presented earlier, she has barely healed some life threatening injuries and I'm afraid that we might have pushed her too much today." Atty. Kenneth politely requested, his tone laced with worry for the girl.

The jury pondered for a bit, glancing back and forth from the shaking pale girl to the Lockhart couple who looked indifferent. Taking notice of their lack of worry despite their statements about being worried for their daughter, they noted their behavior before agreeing for a recess. The judge got their message and announced to the court, "Let's take a two-day court break and we shall resume if Miss Francine is cleared to continue the trial." Finally, he brought his gavel down twice, the noise he made echoing throughout the court room.

As soon as the jury and judge got up from their seats, the medics rushed Francine out from the court room as she slowly fell into unconsciousness. Everyone, aside from Levin, immediately followed behind them, all wearing the same worried face for the poor girl. While they worry for the unconscious girl, the Lockhart couple were staring at the young man who claimed to be their long lost son as he glared at them with seething eyes. The couple felt uncomfortable under his intense glare but they refused to show it.

"If something more happens to my sister, I will do everything in my power to bring out all your dirt just to get you as far away from France as possible. I know about everything you did." With his final warning, he left the room to follow after his unconscious sister, leaving the couple frozen in their seats with fear-filled eyes.

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After more than a month (i think), FINALLYYYYYYY!!!!!! Guuuuuuyyysss, we are at 15k reads! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!! Sorry for the loooooooonnnnnggg delay................. And I apologize for the next lines you are to read.

Oh ghosh, I don't really want to do this... I have so many things planned for this book 😭😭

I will not be updating for a while. I just witnessed the horrible, traumatizing scene of my dad harming his partner (kind of like a stepmom but they are not legally married) while they were fighting and her screams for the neighbors to help her is still echoing in my ears. I'm really scared. It was just like that time during my childhood days when I saw my mom black and blue all over before they separated. I just can't handle it right now.

I'm really sorry guys. I just......need to think things through.

But, really, thank you for your support for this book so far. I promise I'll be back but I'm not really sure when. I hope you guys will still be there to read.

Thanks for all the love and support up till now,
-MayuPanda