New beginning: Billionaire love story

Claire watched as the jury reacted to the image - some of them wincing, others nodding like they were piecing everything together.

David turned back to the jury. "And that's not all. This wasn't just a one-time thing. Lisa didn't only go after Claire. She orchestrated an attack on Abigail too. It was all connected."

"Objection!" Lisa's lawyer tried again, but he sounded less confident this time.

The judge glanced up this time, but only said, "Overruled."

David was in the zone now. "My client has gathered all the evidence."

Claire stole a glance at Lisa, whose face was now a mix of fear and anger. Her lawyer was whispering furiously in her ear, but Lisa didn't look like she was listening. She was too busy glaring at David. Claire couldn't help it - she smirked. Things were starting to fall apart for Lisa, and Claire was curious to see how this trial would unfold. She wondered if Lisa would crack under the pressure.

"Now, let's be clear," David continued, his voice lowering a little. "This wasn't just some spur-of-the-moment thing. Lisa planned these attacks. She knew what she was doing. She wanted to hurt Claire and Abigail. But, as you can see, she failed. And the evidence is right in front of you."

David paused, looking around the courtroom. "I'm not going to stand here and tell you what to think. You've seen the evidence. You've heard the facts. It's up to you to decide what happens next."

The room was silent for a moment. Even the judge seemed to be waiting to see if anyone would say something. Lisa's lawyer shuffled his papers, clearly struggling to come up with some sort of defense. But the damage was done, and everyone knew it.

One of the jury members finally raised their hand. "So, let me get this straight," they said, their voice skeptical but curious. "Lisa tried to kill Claire. Multiple times."

David nodded. "Yes."

The jury member leaned back in their seat, nodding slowly. "Okay. I think I'm getting the picture."

Lisa's lawyer looked like he was about to object again, but this time, he stayed seated. He must have realized that every time he opened his mouth, things only got worse for Lisa.

David turned toward Claire, giving her a reassuring smile. "We've got this," he whispered.

Claire gave a small nod, but her eyes were still on Lisa, who seemed to be shrinking into her seat. It was almost like watching a balloon deflate, and Claire had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning.

The trial wasn't over yet, but it was clear to Claire that the tide had turned in their favor. She crossed her arms, settling in her seat as David wrapped up his presentation. This was going to be interesting.

Lisa, on the other hand, was clearly on edge. Her lawyer leaned over, whispering something hurriedly in her ear. Whatever it was didn't seem to help. Lisa's expression grew darker as David laid out more evidence, backing up everything with photos, documents, and security footage. It was all so... obvious.

Claire let out a soft breath, her confidence growing. There was no way Lisa could wriggle her way out of this one. She had caused so much chaos, hurt so many people, and now she was finally being held accountable. David ended his presentation with a simple, "The truth is right here. Now it's up to you."

The jury exchanged glances, their expressions serious but thoughtful. Claire couldn't help but feel a little thrill of excitement. Justice was finally within reach, and Lisa, for all her scheming and planning, was going down.

The judge glanced at the clock. "We'll take a short recess before we move on to the defense. Court will reconvene in fifteen minutes."

Claire stood, stretching her arms a little. As she walked past Lisa's table, she gave the woman a sideways glance. Lisa's eyes were filled with pure rage, but there was nothing she could do now. Claire shot her a quick smirk before heading out of the courtroom, feeling lighter than she had in a long time.

Claire exhaled, feeling the weight of

the room lift off her shoulders as

she headed out. A quick coffee break was all she needed to recharge. Her mind swirled with thoughts of what had happened so far. The evidence against Lisa had been laid out, and there was no denying the facts.

As Claire sipped her coffee, she could feel eyes on her. She turned, and there, striding purposefully toward her, was Lisa's mum. Her expression was hard as stone, a look of determination in her eyes as she marched right up to Claire. "Claire," she said, her voice low but steady. "We need to talk."

Claire raised an eyebrow. "About what?" she asked, not particularly interested in whatever excuse Lisa's mum was about to make.

"My daughter," Lisa's mum said, her jaw tightening. "You need to drop the charges. Lisa didn't do anything wrong."

Claire almost choked on her coffee. She placed the cup down slowly, as if she needed a moment to fully process what she just heard. "You want me to... drop the charges?" Claire asked, tilting her head slightly. "Why would I do that?" "Because Lisa's innocent!" her mum declared, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "She would never hurt anyone, let alone you. Heck, Lisa wouldn't hurt a fly!"

That did it. Claire couldn't hold it in any longer. A burst of laughter escaped her lips, and she leaned back in her chair, laughing harder than she had in days. The sound echoed down the hallway, drawing a few curious glances. Lisa's mum blinked, clearly confused. "What... what's so funny?"

Claire wiped a tear from her eye, shaking her head in disbelief. "You really don't know your daughter, do you?" she said, her voice filled with amusement. "I mean, seriously. Lisa wouldn't hurt anyone? That's the funniest thing I've heard all week." Lisa's mum's face darkened. "What are you saying? Lisa isn't a bad person. You're framing her, aren't you? This is all because of... because she "

"-stole my husband?" Claire finished for her, her laughter fading into a more serious tone. She leaned in slightly, her eyes narrowing. "Yeah, you think this is all about him? Newsflash: it's not."

Lisa's mum crossed her arms, clearly not buying it. "Then what is it? You've been out to get her since the start."noveldrama

Claire leaned back, taking a deep

breath. "You know, it's kind of sad. You're standing here, defending Lisa like she's some kind of angel, but you have no idea what she's done. I've lost count of the things she's pulled. And you... you're just standing there, blind to it all."

it all.

"Lisa would never-" her mum began, but Claire cut her off.

"Yes, she would," Claire said, her voice sharp. And she did. You saw the evidence in there. You saw what she's capable of. But you don't want to believe it because it's easier to think your daughter's the victim. Let me tell you something, she's not."

Lisa's mum looked shaken for a moment, her mouth opening and closing like she was trying to find the right words. "I... I don't believe you. This is all some kind of trick. You're setting her up because of what happened with your husband." Claire sighed, rubbing her temples. "You know what's funny? You trust her so much, it's blinding you. Lisa's not who you think she is. She's as bad as they come, and I'm not the only one who knows it."

For a brief second, Lisa's mum looked uncertain. She bit her lip, glancing down at the floor. But then she shook her head, regaining her composure. "You're lying. You have to be. Lisa would never do those things. She's a good person." Claire looked at her for a long moment, a cold look etched on her face. "I'm here to make sure Lisa faces the consequences of her actions."

Lisa's mum's expression hardened again, but there was a flicker of doubt in her eyes. "So that's it? You're just going to ruin her life? She doesn't deserve this."

"She deserves every bit of this. She's going to pay for what she did, and there's nothing you can say that'll change my mind."