Chapter 114 Chapter 114 The Judgment Itself
Micah’s POV
After Evelyn had been asked a series of questions, she nailed the hammer on the nail, putting me in even more misery—misery I knew I could never escape from. Each word she spoke tightened the noose around my neck, making my fate feel inevitable.
“Your Honor, if it pleases the court, I would like to invite Chef Mirabel herself to the stand,” Attorney David announced, his voice firm and unwavering. My heart pounded in my chest, my anxiety reaching its peak.
This was the moment of truth—one that would drown me in the most pitiful state of my life.
At this instance, I wished I could turn back the hands of time, erase every trace of my meeting with Rebecca. She was the root of all my misfortunes. If only I had never met her, maybe—just maybe—I would still be living my life the way I wanted, preying on victims too weak to stand up for themselves.
As my thoughts spiraled, I barely registered Mirabel stepping forward.
“Do you swear to tell nothing but the truth?” Attorney David asked as she reached the stand.
“I swear,” she responded, her voice steady but laced with an underlying tremor.
Attorney David nodded, wasting no time as he continued, “Tell us your account of how this man, Mr. Micah, attempted to assault you without your consent.”
At that moment, I saw Mirabel take a deep breath. Her hands clenched into fists, and she exhaled shakily, as if drawing strength from within. It was clear that what she was about to say came from the deepest, most painful part of her memory—one she had tried to forget but couldn’t.
“It was in the morning,” she began, her voice quivering slightly.
“Madam Rebecca had left for work early, as she always did. Though I had already prepared breakfast before she was ready, I served her first and then Mr. Micah later, since he arrived at the dining table late.
“When Madam Rebecca was done, she left for work, leaving Mr. Micah behind. He was a guest in the house and had been allowed to stay for the time being.
“As soon as she stepped out, I noticed the way he smirked at me when I took his empty plate to the kitchen. At first, I ignored it, convincing myself that I was overthinking things. After all, I was only following my routine—I loved keeping the kitchen tidy, and maintaining that standard was part of the reason I had been able to keep my job in Madam Rebecca’s mansion.”
She swallowed hard, her fingers gripping the wooden stand in front of her.
“Madam Rebecca was a woman who valued cleanliness, and I made sure the kitchen was always spotless. So, as I washed the dishes, I suddenly felt his presence behind me.
“My breath hitched. I turned around—and there he was, still smirking.
“I forced a polite smile and asked, ‘How can I help you, sir?’ But he didn’t respond. He just kept staring at me.”
Mirabel paused, her eyes flickering with unease as she relived the moment.
“That was when I noticed where his eyes had fallen—on my chest. Even though I was fully covered in my chef’s uniform, his gaze was filled with something predatory.
“My stomach twisted in fear, and I instinctively clutched my hands over my chest, realizing that he was a pervert.
“But that didn’t stop him. Instead, he chuckled darkly and said, ‘Come to Daddy. Daddy will make you feel good this morning.’”
A gasp rippled through the courtroom.
Mirabel’s voice cracked as she continued, her body trembling.
“My heart raced. I screamed as loudly as I could, hoping someone—anyone—would hear me. But deep down, I knew the truth. The villa was soundproof. Madam’s private guards were outside, but none of them could hear me.
“Still, I kept screaming, refusing to give up hope.
“Seeing that no one was coming to my aid, I thought about grabbing a knife to defend myself. But then, I hesitated. If I used it, I could end up committing a crime. I was not a killer. I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”
Tears welled in her eyes.
“Before I could make a decision, he was already too close. He slammed me against the wall, his grip tightening around my throat.
“I gasped for air, struggling against him, but he was too strong.
“And then—he unbuckled his pants, letting them drop to his knees. He did the same to mine.
“He was about to pull my underwear aside, his fingers hovering over me when—” She sucked in a shaky breath. “Evelyn barged into the room.
“She didn’t hesitate—she grabbed a bat and swung it at his head with full force. He collapsed, unconscious, and in that brief moment of freedom, we ran. We ran for our lives.”
Silence filled the courtroom, thick and suffocating.
Attorney David let her words settle before he stepped forward, tapping lightly on the stand before pacing across the courtroom.
He turned to the judge and bowed.
“Your Honor, we have now heard from multiple witnesses. The evidence before us is clear—Mr. Micah is not only guilty of attempting to violate an employee in the household of Ms. Rebecca Harrington, with whom he was in a romantic relationship at the time, but he has a pattern of predatory behavior.
“My Lord, this means that Mr. Micah is guilty of attempted rape, guilty of premeditated assault, and any excuses he may have fabricated are nothing more than deceptive tactics to evade justice.
“Such a man is dangerous to the women of our society. The great city of Mandena—and indeed our nation, Manderin—must rid itself of people like Mr. Micah with every measure of strength and law available to us.”
David’s voice grew sharper, his conviction undeniable.
“Predators like Mr. Micah are green snakes beneath the grass—hidden dangers, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. We do not see them for who they truly are until they have already sunk their fangs into their prey.
“Your Honor, let us not forget Ms. Rebecca Harrington in all of this. Was it a crime for her to be kind? To open her home to someone she believed needed help?
“She was a woman of means, a lady of goodwill. And because of her generous heart, she allowed a man into her home—a man she did not realize was a parasite. A man who, instead of being grateful, repaid her kindness with evil.”
David turned to face the judge directly.
“I implore this court—do not show mercy to a man like Mr. Micah. Let him face the full wrath of the law.
“Let him be sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labor, so that he never again has the chance to prey on our women—our daughters, our sisters, our mothers.
“Let him regret his choices for the rest of his miserable existence.”
With that, Attorney David smirked, satisfied, and returned to his seat.