Chapter 135 Stranger Things - Miguel POV
The house is in complete chaos. My father hired a whole PR team to deal with the fallout of Ben's crimes.
It felt wrong to be in that courtroom today. Like I'm supporting him, when I think his sentence should be death.
I will forever be linked to his name now. It's something I won't be able to escape even if I change my last name to my mother's. The world knows I'm the brother of this sick fuck.
He just got home after his bail hearing, and he's sitting on the couch inspecting the ankle monitor they fitted him with a smirk.
Why the fuck is he even smiling? He got caught, and apparently victims of his are stepping forward to share their stories. It blows my mind that this person is sitting here and looking like all of this is just a hoax.
His lawyers which probably cost more than this house, are setting up in the dining room since Ben is not allowed to go anywhere.
One of the junior attorneys takes a seat next to him, nervously tugging her blonde hair behind her ear and blushing.
The man is being accused of drugging and raping people. Men and women both. They have the footage.
Why the fuck would this woman act this way?
Father walks into the room, exuding power even when his whole empire is busy crumbling to the ground.
"Do we have any word on those supposed victims?" He wants to know immediately. "Who are these people, Ben?"
"You know how it is." Ben shrugs. "They're just crying wolf. I didn't rape anyone."
My hand clenches around my phone, wishing I could throw the device against his head. Of course he's claiming innocence.
We're going to need more evidence. Lucille has to figure out where he's getting the damn drugs from. It's not available on the streets, and it's a drug that hasn't been tested before.
We need that damn supplier.
Whoever is manufacturing the drug is extremely gifted, and if it gets out onto the wider streets, there will be havoc.
"We're going to need names." The blonde actually smiles at Ben. "So we can ask them some questions, also to build witnesses for the stand."
Or to blackmail witnesses is what she's not saying.
Before this case is over, a lot of victims are going to decide to withdraw their testimonies, especially since this is going to become even more public than what they can imagine. And more often than not, rape victims get scrutinised so much that they decide a trial is not worth their sanity.
"What about the other guy in the videos?" The blonde wants to know, and for the first time I see Ben stiffen. "As of now, he hasn't been charged, but our source at the station says he has been brought in for questioning."
Ben's nonchalant attitude has completely disappeared, and he looks guarded now.
Jeffrey Bloomberg means something to him, and judging by those videos, Jeffrey is definitely an accomplice. He's probably going to get charged, but then turn state witness for the defence. Maybe these lawyers suspect that, and they're probably going to try to make Jeffrey look like the real culprit here.
I have to tell Lucille to look deeper into Jeffrey Bloomberg, there is definitely something there.
"What would he be charged for?" Ben's voice sounds way too calm, meaning that the woman touched a nerve.
"As an accomplice, most likely."
Yeah, judging by those videos, he was way more than an accomplice. They were doing sickening things to people where some was not even conscious. He should be locked up too.
I try getting in some work of my own, but clients want to know about their companies' future more than anything else, and the prestigious law firm my family built over generations , is also going down the drain.
And my little brother is just smirking like all of this is not his fault.
I hate being trapped in this house all over again, but if I leave, the suspicion that my father has that I'm responsible for all of this, will be affirmed.
I may hate him for not seeing what happened in his house for years, but when this is all said and done, I still want a relationship with him. It might seem crazy to some, but I do love him.
"The police is having a press conference tonight at seven regarding Ben's case." Someone suddenly shouts, and I check the time on my phone. It's almost six.
"This is ridiculous!" Father exclaims. "Why at seven? To get more publicity!"
Yes, because that's all that matters here. People will watch and the Cargill name gets thrown with more mud.
Everyone is in front of the large television screen in the media room at seven, Ben sitting with his arms crossed like a sullen child who doesn't want to do his homework.
The news anchor announces that they are switching to the police station for live footage, and the Police Commissioner comes on, making my father groan in frustration.
Last time I checked, they were actually friends.
"The police department of New York City would like to inform the public that there is an investigation under way in the criminal acts of Benedict Cargill the second, son of senator Cargill."
"You asshole!" Father shouts at the television, betrayal etched onto his face.
"There has been some very serious allegations, as well as videos that our experts are currently looking into in order to determine if these videos are legit or not. There have been people who have come forward claiming the validity of these videos. Tonight, we have one of these victims that would like to give a statement to the press. I would like to ask that you respect her decision to not answer any questions after her statement."
Murmurs break out around us, the lead criminal attorney asking Ben who it might be and what might be said, but nobody expected the commissioner to give way and for Madison to walk up to the microphone.