Chapter 119 Evelyn's Testimony
Chapter 119 Evelyn's Testimony
\-Evelyn-
I was here to do the right thing, I'd told myself that, over and over again.
I was in the prosecutor’s office, seated between Susan and Daniel.
My hands clasped tightly in my lap as Marcus Hale reviewed the documents in front of him. He had listened to my statement twice already.
Now he looked at me. “Once you testify, Evelyn, there's no taking it back.”
“I know.” Susan reached for my hand beneath the table. “You don't have to be afraid anymore.”
I wished I believed that.
For years, I had kept quiet because I was afraid of what would happen if I spoke. But the truth had followed me for too long.
Marcus closed the file.
“Your testimony, combined with the evidence we've gathered, could establish the connection between Reginald, James and the events surrounding Edward's death.”
I nodded. “I'll tell the truth.”
“That is all we need,” he told me.
At that moment, my phone vibrated, I glanced at the screen and saw it was Lucien. A surge of relief instantly coursed through me.
I had been trying to reach him and Celeste for hours, so I quickly answered.
“Lucien?”
There was silence, then a familiar voice.
“Evelyn Smith.”
My stomach dropped. I knew that voice now. “Jackson?”
“Good. You recognize my voice.”
“Where is Lucien?”
“That’s not important.”
“It is to me.”
He laughed softly. “Then you should leave that office, Evelyn. Forget the testimony. Forget everything you’ve told them.”
My fingers tightened around the phone. “What have you done?”
“You don’t want to find out.”
“Where is Celeste?” I demanded. “What have you done to them?”
His voice turned cold.“They’re together.”
My blood ran cold. “Let me speak to them.”
“You don’t get to make demands.”
A muffled sound came through the phone.
Then I heard a weak voice. “Mom…”
My hand covered my mouth. “Lucien?”
The line went silent, then Jackson came back on. “Now you understand.”
“What do you want?”
“You already know. Walk out of that building, or you’ll never see either of them again.”
The call ended, for several seconds, I couldn't move.
Susan stood. “What happened?”
“Jackson has Lucien and Celeste.”
Her expression hardened. “Jackson?”
A notification came in and I opened it. It was photographs that had been sent to my phone. My hands trembled as I placed the phone on the table.
They were both tied up in what appeared to be a train or boat cabin.
Susan picked it up and color drained from her face.
Marcus took the phone from Susan. “Did he give you a location?”
“No. He threatened to kill them if I testified.”
Susan turned to me. “Why would he do that?”
“Because he’s working with James,” Daniel answered before I could.
Everyone looked at him.
He continued, “Jackson has been secretly working with James behind Lucien’s back. That’s why he’s doing this now. And then Lucien suddenly announced Jackson’s resignation and declared himself CEO. Jackson knows he’s been exposed, and James has everything to gain from keeping Lucien out of the way.”
The room fell silent as we processed his words. Finally, Susan slowly let out a sigh. “I’m tired of this.”
I looked at her. “Susan—”
“No.” She shook her head. “I’m going to handle James myself.”
“You can’t,” I said immediately. “It will put your life in danger.”
Her jaw tightened. “I will not cower because of James again.”
“Susan, please—”
“No.” Her voice softened, but the determination in it didn't. “He has taken enough from us.”
She looked at me. “I want you to be able to live a normal life again. I want you to stop looking over your shoulder, wondering what James is going to do next.”
Her eyes watered as she continued. “And Edward deserves justice. After everything James did to him, I refuse to let him get away with it.”
Marcus placed the phone back on the table. “Then we do this carefully. We find Lucien and Celeste first. After that, we deal with James—”
“No, I'll do this… My way.”