chapter 99
Elena's POV:
"Miss Sterling!" The judge's gavel cracked like thunder. "Control yourself, or I'll have you removed!"
I was somewhat surprised by Professor Chen's testimony. Though I'd gathered my own evidence, hearing him speak the truth aloud brought an unexpected wave of relief washing through me.
Perhaps it was time to end this charade once and for all.
I reached into my bag and withdrew the small recording device, its weight reassuring in my palm.
Inside was Vivienne's own voice from that day at the café—her careless admission that she'd stolen Madame Flower, delivered with such arrogant confidence.
"Your Honor, I have additional evidence I'd like to submit."
The judge nodded. "Proceed."
I pressed play. The courtroom fell silent as my and Vivienne's voices filled the space, clear and unmistakable.
"Don't celebrate too early. The Madame Flower series—I will get it back. What you've stolen will never truly be yours, no matter how many lies you tell."
Vivienne's laugh was bright and cruel.
"So what if you created it? Everyone knows I'm the face of Madame Flower. The media, the industry, the customers—they all associate it with me."
Her smile sharpened. "I must say, getting something for nothing feels absolutely wonderful."
I watched her face drain of color as her own voice betrayed her, each word another nail in the coffin of her lies.
The silence that followed was deafening.
I could feel the shift in the room like a tide turning—the whispers now directed at Vivienne, the phones that had been surreptitiously recording now capturing her face as it crumpled with rage and humiliation.
The verdict came swiftly. Madame Flower was mine—had always been mine. As the judge read the decision, Vivienne's mask finally shattered completely.
"You conniving bitch!" she shrieked, her elegant facade crumbling. "You set me up!"
I stood calmly, meeting her wild gaze. "All's fair in war, Vivienne. You taught me that."
Her eyes blazed with the realization that her career—everything she'd built on my stolen work—was crumbling.
"You think you've won? Even if you get Madame Flower back, so what? You're still a murderer! A killer perfumer won't last a day in this industry. If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!"
"Enough." Sebastian's voice cut through her hysteria like a blade.
I startled slightly—I hadn't even noticed when he was back.
He stood beside me, but his presence suddenly filled the courtroom. "You know exactly who the real murderer is here, don't you, Miss Sterling?
The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. Vivienne's mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air, her face cycling through shades of red and white.
"How dare you!" she finally sputtered, her voice shrill with panic. "Making wild accusations to cover up your wife's crimes? How typical of you, Sebastian Vane—when you can't wash away Elena's guilt, you throw mud at me instead!"
She spun toward the gallery where reporters still lingered, their cameras ready.
"Since Mr. Vane seems so eager to make accusations, perhaps he'd like to explain his theory to everyone here? The media hasn't left yet—I'm sure they'd love to hear this."
The reporters perked up like bloodhounds scenting fresh prey, phones and cameras swiveling between Sebastian and Vivienne.
The promise of another scandal had them practically salivating.
Sebastian's smile was all predator. "If you're so eager to see the inside of a prison cell, Miss Sterling, I'm more than happy to arrange it."
He rose from his seat with fluid grace, turning to face the assembled media. His presence commanded absolute attention as he spoke with calculated precision.
"Since Miss Sterling insists on transparency, allow me to clarify the murder allegations. My wife, Elena Vane, has no connection whatsoever to any murder. Every aspect of that tragedy was orchestrated by Vivienne Sterling, and she is, in fact, the actual perpetrator."
The courtroom erupted in gasps and frenzied whispers.
Vivienne froze for a heartbeat, her face a mask of genuine shock—clearly she hadn't expected Sebastian to know whatever he knew. Then her eyes darted to the cameras still rolling, and panic transformed into desperate fury.
"Lies!" she screeched, her voice cracking. "This is slander! Character assassination! You have no proof of these outrageous accusations!"
She whirled to face the reporters, her hands gesticulating wildly. "Don't you see what he's doing? He's trying to destroy me because I exposed his wife! This is Sebastian Vane's revenge—he's fabricating evidence, manipulating the system—"
Sebastian didn't even glance at her hysterical display. His voice remained perfectly level as he continued addressing the media.
"As I said, I won't elaborate on the specifics here. I've already filed a formal police report. There will be another public trial where Miss Sterling will face proper judgment. Those interested in following this case should stay tuned."
The timing was almost theatrical.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the courtroom doors swung open. Lucas Ashton entered, his eyes bloodshot and raw with grief, flanked by several uniformed officers who were clearly there to make an arrest.
The reporters' cameras swiveled frantically between Vivienne's panicked face and the approaching police. The courtroom, which had been buzzing with whispers, fell into stunned silence.
"Lucas!" Vivienne's voice cracked with desperation as she stumbled toward him. "Lucas, please, let me explain! This is all a misunderstanding—you have to listen to me!"
I watched the scene unfold in complete shock, my mind struggling to process what was happening. I turned to Sebastian, gripping his arm. "What's going on? "
His hand covered mine, steady and reassuring, but his eyes never left the unfolding drama.
"Marcus called me earlier," he said quietly, his voice meant only for my ears. "The investigation into Henry's death is complete. I sent copies of the findings to both the police and Lucas."
"What did they find?" I whispered.
Sebastian's arm wrapped around my waist, gently but firmly guiding me away from the chaos. "I'll tell you everything when we get home," he murmured against my temple. "This isn't our circus anymore."
I couldn't help looking back one last time.
Vivienne was surrounded now, uniformed officers closing in as she continued her desperate pleas to Lucas.
I finally looked away, letting Sebastian lead me toward the exit.