Chapter 135: Dragged to Court
"Hand it over for her to raise..." Sienna muttered to the empty air. "That woman is low-born... not fit to raise a Green heir..."
Those words were like a poisoned dagger, stabbing through her heart and shredding every ounce of her dignity and love. To Damian, she had never been more than a tool to satisfy his lust, a vessel for breeding. Even with his child in her womb, his only thought was to please that bitch, Evelyn!
As long as Evelyn lived, Damian’s heart would belong to her. Sienna and her child would always be nothing more than the dirt beneath that woman's feet.
"Evelyn... you have to die," Sienna whispered, her eyes swirling with murderous insanity.
Back at the orphanage, Damian was still rambling, trying to brainwash Evelyn with his ridiculous logic. "Evelyn, stop fighting me. You’re my only true wife..."
Evelyn looked at the loathsome man before her. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted his phone on the floor. The screen read: In Call - 05:23.
She watched Damian like he was a clown performing on stage, unaware that the curtains behind him were already on fire.
Evelyn deliberately raised her voice. "Damian, I hope your 'true love' is as obedient as you think when she hears that."
Damian froze. He followed her gaze to the floor. At that exact moment, the screen light flickered and went black.
The call had ended. On the other side, Sienna had hung up.
The moment Evelyn stepped out of the orphanage, her phone vibrated violently. It was Sophie. As soon as she picked up, Sophie’s hysterical sobbing filled her ear.
"Evelyn... I can't do this... I’m going to prison..."
"Sophie, breathe. Tell me what happened."
"Omni Group’s legal department just sent me a lawyer’s letter... and a court summons. The trial is in three days." Sophie was hyperventilating. "Damian is suing me for leaking trade secrets. He claims I sold core data to a competitor. He’s demanding... fifty million dollars in damages!"
Fifty million. It was a death sentence.
Evelyn’s grip on the phone tightened. She knew exactly what this was. It was Damian’s revenge, or perhaps Sienna’s move. They couldn't touch her while Ryan was protecting her, so they were going after the person closest to her.
The next three days were hell for both of them. Damian used every connection the Green family had in New York’s legal world. Every major law firm refused to take the case the moment they heard the defendant was Sophie Martin. One lawyer told Evelyn bluntly, "Mr. Green put the word out. Anyone who helps her is an enemy of Omni Group."
Sophie sat in the corner of a cheap café, looking hollow. She had lost weight, her eyes were sunken, and she looked like a ghost.
"It’s no use, Evelyn," Sophie said, staring out the window. "Fifty million... I could never pay that back in ten lifetimes. I’m done. My career is over."
"It’s not over." Evelyn grabbed Sophie’s hand and slammed a bank card onto the table. It held the proceeds from selling all her jewelry, designer bags, and the prize money from the recent design competition.
"I’ve contacted an independent lawyer from Chicago. He isn't afraid of the Greens," Evelyn said firmly. "Don't worry about the money. As long as I’m breathing, I won't let you take the fall for me."
On the day of the trial at the New York District Court, Evelyn accompanied Sophie inside. In the defendant’s dock, Sophie was shaking, unable to look at the mocking faces of the Omni executives in the gallery.
Damian didn't show up. Only Sienna sat there as the "victim’s representative."
The gavel struck. The trial began. Omni’s lead counsel stood up and produced a thick stack of documents.
"Your Honor, these are the server logs showing the defendant, Sophie Martin, downloading core databases during her employment. We also have records of private wire transfers between her and a competitor."
On the giant screen, perfectly forged data logs, chat records, and transfer slips for an offshore account Sophie had never even seen were displayed one by one.
"Objection! This evidence is fabricated!" Evelyn’s lawyer shouted. "My client never owned that offshore account!"
"Objection overruled," the judge said coldly. "The evidence has been verified by a third-party agency as authentic."
Evelyn sat in the front row, watching Sienna’s smug profile. Her nails dug into her palms until they bled. Bribing witnesses, forging evidence, buying off agencies—this was the power of capital.
Then, a witness took the stand. It was Jack, a male colleague who had been close with Sophie.
"Yes, I saw Sophie copying the files with my own eyes," Jack said, keeping his head down and reciting a rehearsed script. "She complained to me that Evelyn told her to do it to get back at Mr. Green."
"You’re lying!" Sophie screamed, jumping up. "Jack, how could you? You were the one who asked me to help you print those!"
"Silence!" a bailiff shouted, pinning Sophie back down.
Sophie collapsed into her chair, closing her eyes in despair. Just then, her phone vibrated under the table. It was an anonymous text.
See? This is what happens when you’re her "best friend." Evelyn knew Damian would retaliate. She has big players protecting her, but she purposely didn't warn you. She used you as a shield. You’re just a pawn in her game. Pathetic.
Sophie stared at the words. She instinctively turned to look at Evelyn. Evelyn was leaning over, talking urgently to the lawyer, her brow furrowed in worry.
But a seed of doubt was planted. If Evelyn really cared, why did she drag me into this mess? Why does Professor Hayes only praise Evelyn’s talent while ignoring my hard work? Why am I the one facing ruin while Evelyn sits there perfectly dressed?
Jealousy and panic grew like weeds in the dark.