Chapter 166 CHAPTER 166

Chapter 166 CHAPTER 166
CHAPTER 166
THIRD PERSON'S POV

The morning of the fourth day dawned gray and cold, the sky heavy with clouds that threatened rain. Elysia stood at the window of Kieran's hospital room, her hand resting on her still-flat stomach, her gaze fixed on the city beyond.

She had spent the past three days by his side, her vigil unbroken, her hope flickering like a candle in the wind.

But today was different. Today, she had to go back.

The trial had been postponed, but only for a few days. Judge Chen had granted a brief continuance, understanding the gravity of the situation, but the court was scheduled to reconvene that morning.

Victor Kane's lawyers had already filed a motion to dismiss, arguing that the prosecution was "unstable and incapable of proceeding."

Elysia had read the motion, her jaw tight with anger. Kane was trying to exploit Kieran's accident, to twist it into an advantage. He was trying to make her look weak, to force her to back down.

She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

She turned from the window, her gaze falling on Kieran. He was still the same, pale, still, surrounded by the hum and beep of machines. But she could feel his presence, a thread of connection that refused to break.

"I'm going back today." She said, her voice soft. "I'm going to fight for Maya. I'm going to make sure Kane pays for what he's done to her. And for what he's done to you."

She approached the bed, her hand reaching for his. His skin was cool, his fingers limp in her grasp. She lifted his hand, pressing it to her lips.

"I need you to fight too." She whispered. "I need you to come back to me. But until then, I'm going to be strong. For you. For Hope. For our baby."

She pressed his hand to her stomach, where the tiny life was growing. "We're going to be okay. All of us. I promise."

She found Hope in the waiting room, sitting with Elizabeth. The little girl looked up as her mother entered, her eyes bright with questions.

"Mama, are you going to the courthouse today?"

Elysia knelt down, pulling her daughter into a hug. "Yes, sweetheart. I have to go back to work. I have to fight for justice."

Hope nodded, her face serious. "Like a superhero?"

Elysia smiled, her heart aching. "Yes, sweetheart. Like a superhero."

"Will Papa be okay while you're gone?"

Elysia glanced at the door to Kieran's room, her resolve hardening. "Papa is going to be fine. The doctors are taking care of him. And I'll be back as soon as I can."

Hope hugged her tightly, her small arms wrapped around her mother's neck. "I'll be brave, Mama. I'll be brave for you."

Elysia felt tears prick at her eyes. "I know you will, sweetheart. I know you will."

The drive to the courthouse was quiet, the weight of the day pressing down on her. Elysia gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles white, her eyes fixed on the road ahead.

She could feel the eyes on her, Kane's people, watching, waiting. But she refused to be intimidated.

She parked the car, her steps steady as she walked toward the courthouse doors. The reporters were there, their cameras flashing, their voices a cacophony of questions.

"Ms. Castello, how is your husband?"

"Will you be able to continue the trial?"

"Have you received any more threats?"

Elysia ignored them, her gaze fixed on the doors ahead. She had nothing to say to them. She had a case to fight.

The courtroom was buzzing with tension when she entered. The gallery was packed, the atmosphere electric. Maya was in her usual seat, her face pale, her eyes filled with concern. Elysia approached her, her voice soft.

"I'm sorry I've been away. I'm here now. I'm going to fight for you."

Maya's eyes filled with tears. "I heard about your husband. I'm so sorry—"

"Don't be." Elysia's voice was firm. "We're going to win this. I promise."

Maya nodded, her resolve hardening. "I believe you."

Crane was already at the defense table, his expression one of cool confidence. He rose as Elysia entered, his voice smooth, laced with false sympathy.

"Ms. Castello. I hope your husband is recovering."

Elysia met his gaze, her voice sharp. "He's fighting. Just like Maya. Just like I am."

Crane smiled, a thin, unpleasant expression. "I'm sure he is. But I wonder if you're in the right frame of mind to continue this trial. Perhaps you need more time—"

"I need to do my job." Elysia interrupted. "And that's what I'm going to do."

The trial resumed with a renewed intensity. Elysia called her next witness, a forensic accountant who had traced Kane's financial records, revealing a pattern of payments to associates and witnesses.

Crane's cross-examinations were relentless, his questions designed to sow doubt. But Elysia had prepared her witnesses well. They held firm, their testimony consistent and compelling.

The hours stretched, the tension in the courtroom palpable. Elysia could feel the weight of the day pressing down on her, the exhaustion seeping into her bones. But she refused to show it. She was fighting for Maya, for Kieran, for justice.

As the day drew to a close, Judge Chen called for a recess. Elysia gathered her documents, her hands trembling slightly. She hadn't eaten, hadn't slept. But she had made it through the day.

She walked to the hallway, her steps slow, her body aching. Kieran's face flashed in her mind, his voice echoing in her ears. She needed to see him. She needed to be with him.

The drive back to the hospital was a blur. Elysia's mind was still churning, the weight of the trial pressing down on her. She parked the car, her steps quick as she walked toward the entrance.

The hospital was quiet, the corridors empty. She walked to Kieran's room, her heart pounding. She pushed open the door, her gaze falling on his face.

He was still the same, pale, still, surrounded by the hum and beep of machines. But he was alive. He was fighting.

She approached the bed, her hand reaching for his. She sank into the chair beside him, her voice a soft whisper.

"I made it through the day." She said, her voice trembling. "I fought for Maya. I fought for justice. And I'm going to keep fighting."

She pressed his hand to her lips, her tears falling onto his skin. "I need you to fight too, Kieran. I need you to come back to me."

The room was silent, the only answer was the steady beeping of the machines. But Elysia felt a flicker of hope, a thread of connection that refused to break.

She would be back tomorrow. She would fight for justice. And she would wait for him, no matter how long it took.