Chapter Three: Next Trial

IT was late night when I got home. My eyes are puffy due to my non-stop crying.

I kissed my mom's cheek when I saw that she was still there in the living room. Sitting in her wheelchair and entertaining herself by reading a magazine.

"Where have you been?" she asked.

"Office, mom." I lied.

"Oh alright, eat first before you go to your room," my mother said calmly.

"Why aren't you asleep, mom. You need to rest."

"I waited for you. I was worried. It's already nine o'clock and you're still not home."

"Sorry mom. I badly needed to fix a few things, that's why I arrived home late. And how about dad? Has he fallen asleep yet? "

"No. He's still in his study room."

"Oh, okay, I'll take you now to your room so you can-"

"Nah, I still want to join you here," she protested.

"Mom, look at you...you're still weak and you're not allowed to stay up late. You should rest at this hour."

"What are you talking about? It's normal for someone with stage four cancer to be weak. Besides, you know that I won't be in this world much longer, so indulge me in the little things that I want to give you. I want to talk to you more so I don't want to sleep early."

"Hmm, it's up to you mom." I was forced to agree. Since my mother started chemotherapy, her condition only got worse, that's why we decided to stop it.

I was about to leave my mother so I could get something to eat in the kitchen. But dad suddenly came out, causing me to feel a bit of nervousness in my chest.

"Carolina, you should get some rest now. I'll take you to your room." my father said who even glanced at my direction.

"Oh, you're here Scarlet! It's good that we can talk later!" he added before he finally led mom away.

I just nodded at him. I guess that we were going to talk about Lucas's case, so I set aside my earlier plan to get food.

After a while, dad came back.

"What the hell have you done again, Scarlet?"

"I'm sorry dad. Like I told you, I'll find a way to get Lucas out so..."

"So you thought of using my name, that way you would get your Uncle Kurt and-"

"Dad, Lucas can't plead guilty. He's innocent!"

"Cut your stupidity Scarlet! It's not good for you!"

"But why? Do you also believe that Lucas can kill his father? Dad, you know him, he's not capable of killing so,eone!" I sobbed.

"Enough for this nonsense conversation! If he really isn't the killer, then who? And why does he want to plead guilty?"

I didn't respond him right away. I think my knees are shaking. I also don't have the courage to keep arguing.

I'm confused. Sometimes it makes me wonder what happened to dad and suddenly his heart become hard for Lucas. I also wonder why he and Joaquin talk so often.

THE next day Lucas' next trial has been set. He dared me to investigate and find some evidences which I immediately did. I want to reduce his anger towards me so I am ready to do everything I can.

"Oh, it's you again! How are you, Scarlet?" Uncle Kurt greeted me. He is now Lucas's public defender.

"I'm good. Hmm...Uncle, can you do me a favor again?"

"Tss! Scarlet, I don't want to do that again, especially since I found out that your dad didn't know the--."

"I'm sorry. But this time, I'll make sure of you that dad is no longer involved."

"What do you mean?" he asked me, confused.

I told him about the evidence I had gathered and all my plans to do.

"Based on our evidences, it's really hard for us to make a scenario that crucial to defend him and to make them believe that-"

"I have an idea, uncle."

"What is it?"

"Put me on the witness stand."

He immediately agreed.

After a few minutes, the trial started. As usual they still insist that it's a parricide case but Uncle Kurt, the defender...said that it's a justifiable homicide.

Few more minutes had passed. I found myself on the witness stand, facing a lot of people inside the court, including the media.

I solemnly swear in front of them, that everything I will say was facts and nothing but just facts.

"Please state your name for the record." Carl, the clerk said.

"My name is Scarlet Stanford."

"May I know your relationship with the accused?" Uncle Kurt, the defender finally asked me.

"He's my boyfriend."

"Since when?"

"Since November 10, 2019"

"How did your relationship with the accused start?"

"It was when we were six years old. We were already friends but when we grew up and we studied in both universities, that was the time that we confessed our feelings to each other.

"Objection your honor!" a tall prosecutor around his 40's said. "The defense is trying to yield a serious allegation that has nothing to do with the case!"

"It is something relevant, your honor!" Uncle Kurt insisted.

"Objection overruled!" Judge Tristan said. "Continue."

"Thank you, your honor." the defender said.

Uncle Kurt, look at me and continue to ask some questions. But the prosecutor kept on protesting him.

Until it reached the point where Joaquin provided a video file and that is what the prosecutor is currently presenting.

"Everyone in the court, I would like to set your focus to the video on screen." the prosecutor said.

It only takes a few seconds to appeared on the screen. I watched it carefully. That's a video where the masquerade party was held. It can be seen that after we removed our mask we had a deep conversation. That also took quite a while. Lucas hugged me while we were on the dance floor and after a while he let go of me and walked away.

"It is clear that you and the accused were together during the night when Mr. Miguel Peterson died. And it can be seen in the video that you took off your mask and you talked intensively. Then the accused hugged you. Meanwhile, he suddenly let go of you. Did you talk about the crime he committed and he told you that-"

"No! I attended the party because that was the night to celebrate where in Uncle Miguel, appointed him as a new CEO of their company."

"When you were on the dance floor, what did you talk about, then? Did you talk about how he killed his dad?"

"No!"

"Or did you talk about how he will run away, after killing his father?"

"I said no!"

"Objection-"

"Objection overruled! Let the witness, answer."

"It wasn't about killing, okay? We talked about our relationship. Because, that was also our third anniversary celebration."

"Really? On the dancefloor, huh?" the prosecutor looked in my eyes. And then he faced the crowd.

"That's it your honor. The witness, blinded by love and might twist facts that satisfied for her love. I revoke her liability as a witness." The prosecutor stated. Then he looked at me and flashed a tricky smile before he spoke again.

"I move a strike."

It seems that my world has collapsed again after the decision of the prosecution. Once they move a strike, it means that all of the things that I have said and done will invalid that no longer be allowed to help the accused. And I will no longer stand as a witness.