Chapter 198 Killer Gazes

Chapter 198 Killer Gazes
We sat in the small conference room with the legal team, going over what I could expect from the other lawyers' questions. They informed me that I would be one of the last to be questioned, expressing concern that I might be tired by then. They prepared me for the many questions I would prefer not to answer, as well as how the opposing legal team might use my responses against me.
Although I tried to appear strong and assured them I could handle whatever came my way, I was terrified inside.
Even though Spencer, Ethan, and Mum knew everything about me, I still felt terrible about discussing my life in Manhattan and opening up about what Ray had done to me. However, I realised I needed to overcome this feeling. I knew they were there to support me and would love me no matter what I revealed.
Despite our reluctance, the media showed up. Our advocacy team suspected that Ray was behind their presence, likely trying to turn the entire story against me.
"Are you alright?" Spencer asked me just before it was time to enter the room. I took a deep breath and nodded. He held my hand tightly, and I knew he wouldn't let it go this time.
As we stepped into the room, we were met with angry stares. The first gaze I encountered was Uncle Ryan's; he looked at me with a menacing expression. The other members of the Hearst family were also watching us closely as we walked in.
Carla didn't look at me; her gaze was fixed on Spencer. We took a seat, and I felt an overwhelming urge to run away. When the door opened, my heart began to race, knowing who would enter the room. It didn't take long for the police officers to bring him inside.
He appeared a bit thinner and older than I remembered, but his impeccable suit and polished appearance still reflected his prestige and wealth.
He only glanced at me for a second as he took his first step into the room, but that single glance was enough for me to realise he would kill me with his bare hands if given the opportunity.
The trial began, and I started to feel uneasy as the judge read out the details. Spencer noticed my discomfort and held my hand tighter. Unfortunately, as the discussion progressed, my feelings of unease only grew stronger.
Ray's side began by discussing my childhood, highlighting my beggar mother and my criminal father. They even portrayed me as his worker, claiming this constituted child abuse. They argued that very few children can think normally after experiencing a childhood like mine. Additionally, they mentioned that sitting in the car for over an hour with my deceased parents, who were covered in blood after the accident, likely contributed to my mental issues. Ray wanted to treat me for these issues after adopting me; however, Mum never allowed that to happen.
I felt my eyes welling up as I listened to their testimonies, despite my efforts to hold back my tears. Ray's advocates primarily questioned the witnesses about my behaviour during my teenage years. They painted a picture of a girl struggling with mental health issues, someone who was deeply dissatisfied with life. 
Carla, in particular, said some harsh things about me. She mentioned my unsettling feelings towards my brother, which she claimed explained why I consistently avoided her attempts at friendship.
Some people claimed that I was useless in the company after I started working there. They accused me of being there to seduce my brother rather than to support Ray, who had spent a fortune on my education abroad. 
They also suggested that my mental health issues were the reason I broke up with the Astor family and chose to live independently. This decision led me to work on the streets and eventually take a job as a cleaner in a hotel, which they said was a deliberate attempt to shame the Astor name.
They described me as an ungrateful, angry person who couldn't move past the mental issues stemming from my childhood, and they claimed I had a troubling desire for my sibling. I felt I had reached my breaking point, and all I wanted was to escape from that situation, but deep down, I knew I couldn't.
I began to feel better when it was our lawyer team's turn to speak. They acknowledged that I might be mentally unstable due to the difficult childhood I endured. However, I couldn't help but cry when Spencer, Ethan, and Mum shared memories of my childhood and the unconditional love they had for me.
Mum also said she had a discussion with a few psychologists after our relationship with Spencer was revealed. They said that the fact that I was six years old when they adopted me could have resulted in the sibling bond not developing; therefore, they didn't consider our romantic feelings for each other to be abnormal.
When we got to the part where Ray forced me to leave for Manhattan, I felt I couldn't continue, and Spencer needed to push me back into the room. He tried to make me understand that, if we ask the judges for a break, this trial would never end. 
When it was my turn to speak, I felt paralysed by fear. However, as I glanced at my little family and thought about Ellie's safety, I steeled myself. I talked about everything I had to endure, including Ray's threats and the consequences I faced for ignoring his demand to cease contact with my family. 
Ray's legal team tried to break me down. They asked absurd questions that made me feel anything but like a victim. Finally, the moment came for the witnesses to testify, and they had the power to change everything. 
Mr. Brown, the private detective, presented conclusive evidence that Ray had threatened him to falsely claim he had found me and that I did not wish to maintain contact with my family.
Our advocates showed the report of the shelter where I went to after Ray abused me, and from the jail, the guy, who bought me from my father, admitted that Ray contacted me to let him know where he found me. He paid him for promising that he would make me work on the streets as a prostitute. 
The next witness was a prisoner who accepted money to arrange my murder in jail. However, Ray's legal team argued that there was no evidence proving that Ray had ordered this murder.