Chapter 105 Final statement
CHAPTER 105
Final statement.
Rain clouds gathered above the city, covering the skies in dull gray as tension continued building around everyone connected to the case.
Inside the Carter penthouse, Leo stood near the floor-to-ceiling windows, staring silently outside while adjusting the bandage around his neck. He was wounded from the fall, he was lucky Blake could catch him on time, that could be another issue.
The pain was nothing compared to the anger burning inside him. Behind him, Blake walked out of the kitchen holding coffee while Alex flipped through documents on the dining table.
“We still need stronger evidence tying Trent directly to the man,” Alex said seriously.
Leo finally turned around. “We already have enough.”
“For Clara, yes,” Alex replied. “But Trent’s lawyers are trying to separate him from the actual planning.”
Blake handed Leo a cup before speaking. “They’re trying to make him look uninvolved.”
Leo’s jaw tightened instantly. “He funded it.”
“Proving it completely is what matters,” Alex added.
For a few seconds, silence settled. Then Leo suddenly remembered something.
“The culinary school.”
Blake frowned. “What about it?”
“That was the same day of their graduation, and she was attacked in the hallway.” Leo said carefully.
“There were cameras in the hallway.”
Alex’s eyes widened slightly.
“You think something was recorded?”
Leo nodded slowly.
“I think so.”
Blake immediately placed his coffee down.
“Then let’s move.”
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Ruby remained under observation. Due to the coldness that entered her body, she hasn't been able to recover. Her room stayed quiet most of the time. The television remained muted while soft rain tapped against the windows.
Carl stood outside her hospital room like a statue, arms folded tightly while carefully watching everyone who walked through the hallway.
Leo had personally ordered him not to leave Ruby alone.
A nurse approached carefully.
“Sir, you can at least sit down.”
Carl barely looked at her.
“I’m fine.”
Across the city, Leo, Blake, and Alex arrived at the culinary institute Ruby attended. Students whispered immediately when they noticed Leo walking through the building with his injured neck.
The scandal surrounding the incident had already spread across the entire city..Some students looked nervous others looked curious.
The trio moved directly toward the administrative office where the head chef waited nervously.
Chef Adrian adjusted his glasses immediately when they entered. “Mr. Carter.”
Leo gave a short nod. “We need access to your security footage.”
The chef hesitated briefly before sighing. “This is about Miss Ruby, isn’t it?”
Alex placed legal documents on the desk immediately. “We already have authorization.”
Chef Adrian rubbed his forehead tiredly. “I knew something was wrong between that man and Ruby.”
Blake crossed his arms. “Have you witnessed anything?”
The chef nodded slowly. “Several arguments and threats too.”
Leo’s expression darkened instantly.
“Show us the footage.”
Minutes later, they entered the security room. Several monitors lit the dark space while a technician searched through archived recordings.
Alex sat before the system carefully.
“Pull footage from last week.”
The technician nodded immediately.
Hours passed as they reviewed different recordings, hallways, parking lots, kitchen entrances, nothing appeared useful at first.
Until suddenly “Wait,” Leo said sharply.
Blake leaned closer. Onscreen, Clara stood near the back entrance of the culinary building late at night. Standing beside her was Luke.
Blake frowned deeply. “What the hell is Clara doing there?”
The footage continued. Clara handed Luke a thick envelope before speaking aggressively.
There was no sound, but Clara’s furious expression said enough. Then another figure appeared briefly near the parking lot. Even from the blurry footage, the face matched the suspect connected to the attack.
Blake stared at the screen in disbelief.
“This is it.”
Alex immediately copied the footage onto a drive, but Leo’s face became colder the longer he watched because Clara eventually pulled out her phone and onscreen Ruby’s picture appeared.
Luke looked at it before nodding slowly.
Silence filled the room heavily.
Chef Adrian looked horrified. “Oh my God…”
Alex stood instantly. “This destroys their entire defense.”
Leo’s eyes remained fixed on the screen. “They planned everything.”
That same evening, Trent was taken back in for questioning after the footage surfaced. Inside the interrogation room, detectives placed the evidence before him silently. Trent watched the screen carefully. At first, he remained calm but once the man appeared onscreen, his expression changed slightly.
The detective leaned forward. “Are you still denying involvement?”
Trent laughed bitterly. “You people already decided I’m guilty.”
“We want the truth.”
The detective slid another file toward him, bank transfer, call records and surveillance footage, every piece connected directly back to him.
Trent rubbed his face tiredly before leaning back heavily in his chair.
Then finally.
“Yes.”
The room became still.
“I paid him.”
The detective narrowed his eyes immediately. “Why?”
Trent’s expression twisted with anger.
“Because Leo ruined everything!”
“You tried killing Ruby over jealousy?”
Trent suddenly slammed his fist against the table. “You don’t understand!”
Officers quickly restrained him but the confession had already been recorded.
And by morning… The case was finished.
The second day at court became even more crowded than the first. Reporters filled the courthouse entrance while cameras flashed endlessly outside.
Inside the courtroom, tension swallowed the atmosphere completely.
Leo sat quietly beside Blake while Alex organized documents nearby. Although Leo looked calm outside, his mind remained focused on Ruby at the hospital.
Across the courtroom, Clara looked completely exhausted. Her makeup could no longer hide the fear and sleepless nights destroying her appearance.
Beside her, Trent sat silently with his hands clenched tightly together.
The judge entered shortly afterward.
Everyone stood. Once seated again, the prosecutor immediately presented the new evidence recovered from the culinary school.
The footage played across the courtroom screens. Gasps spread immediately the moment Trent appeared beside Clara. Then the accused man appeared onscreen.
Whispers exploded across the room.
The prosecutor then played Trent’s recorded confession. The courtroom fell silent listening to his voice admitting involvement in the attack.
Blake folded his arms. “That’s over.”
Alex nodded. “They can’t escape this.”
After several more arguments from both lawyers, the judge adjusted his glasses seriously.
“This court finds Clara Benson and Trent Carter guilty of attempted murder and criminal conspiracy.”