Chapter 8 In Court
Someone seemed to be strategizing for Olivia, as she stopped showing up before me again after that incident. Instead, she turned on her live stream daily, whining and crying about challenges she faced.
Her action drew increasing attention. Not only did the company stock price become volatile, but my residential address was leaked, too, attracting certain “righteous” people blocking the entrance to my neighborhood.
They loudly condemned me for my “crimes“, blaming me for the deaths of Grayson and my unborn child.
“Ms. Ross, now is not the best time to sell your stocks.” My fund manager showed me the company stock price and the Internet comments about me. People seemed to have unanimously sided with Olivia.
I refused to believe she had orchestrated it all by herself without any advice.
Thankfully, the fund manager introduced me to a very trustworthy private detective, Cliff Keenan. Soon, Cliff brought me some unexpected news.
“So, do you suspect that she’s pregnant with the child of this stranger?”
We sat in a café with an excellent environment. Cliff offered me a stack of photos, each taken from a different angle.
The subjects were all Olivia and another unknown middle–aged man. Sometimes, she’d bring Alex to these dates. They looked like a happy family of three. No–they were a happy family of four.
As I had guessed, Olivia was indeed pregnant. The day she fainted at the hospital out of anger, she was confirmed to be pregnant after the medical staff performed a checkup on her.
She insisted it was Grayson’s baby, but she did not immediately make a scene in front of me. Instead, she disappeared for a while before showing up again.
“Based on the information I gathered, the two of them are frequently in touch. Hence, my guess is totally plausible,” said Cliff.
I stared at the man in the photo as various wild guesses popped up in my mind.
Could he be a new victim, whom Olivia had secured to be the father of her unborn baby?
Somehow, I had an uneasy feeling–a sense of familiarity.
Since I could not figure it out just yet, I did not want to stress myself out. I decided to take it as it came.
For now, I collected those photos and instructed Cliff to reach out to me again if he had any updates.
To my delight, it did not take long for Olivia to make a move.
The day after I received the photo evidence, I was called to court.
Judith, as my mother–in–law, had sued me for illegally usurping her fair share of inheritance. Also in attendance was Olivia, whose baby bump had started to show.
The court was filled with many reporters and average citizens who were curious about the proceeding, as the case involved a large company in the city, The public interest was also fueled by Olivia’s recent live streams, during which she publicly wept and moaned about her situation.
Judith carefully helped Olivia take a seat. She even thoughtfully prepared back and seat cushions for Olivia. One could not tell that they just had a fallout not long ago.
“You little bitch! You’d better hand over all of Grayson’s wealth to Alex!” Judith’s arrogance and resentment toward me were on full display.
Olivia must have told Judith she was pregnant with Grayson’s child.
I stared at them blankly, my vacant expression scaring Judith into shielding Olivia behind her.
“Ugh, look at that evil face! I’m warning you–do not ever think of hurting Alex!”
I looked away, refusing to pay any attention to Judith’s clownery.
Still, an uneasiness lingered. Ever since that accident during my pregnancy, I had been trapped in a whirlwind of hatred and mood swings. It wasn’t until Grayson’s death that I was willing to go through my memories occasionally.
At the very beginning of our marriage, my relationship with Judith didn’t seem that bad. I could even say we got along weil. I still remember how brightly she smiled at me when I first told her I was pregnant. The very next day, she even took me to buy a locket for the baby.
When did everything start to change? Was it when Olivia returned to the country? Or was it even earlier?
The pounding sound of the judge’s gavel pulled me out of my tangled thoughts.
My lawyer looked at me with concern. “Ms. Ross, are you alright?”
I shook my head, pushing aside all those strange and chaotic thoughts for now.
“Olivia is carrying Grayson’s child. A posthumous child has inheritance rights. We demand a redistribution of the estate!”
Judith was the first to voice her demand. She charged forward while Olivia quietly sat in the back, holding a cup of water.
My expensive lawyer was no pushover. He responded in a steady and methodical manner, “My client acknowledges the inheritance rights of a posthumous child. But how can you prove that the child is indeed Mr. Rockwell’s?”
Judith was furious at the lawyer’s question, pointing her finger as she raged, “Nonsense! Do you think I wouldn’t recognize my own grandchild?”
“That’s not necessarily true. Didn’t you once mistake someone else’s son for your precious grandson?” Lexposed her mercilessly.
Judith was momentarily speechless. Her face flushed red with anger.
After a long silence, she finally spoke again with an ashen face, her gaze sinisterly locked onto me, “Order in the court! I need both parties to please present your evidence.” The judge promptly put a stop to the meaningless at gument.
“You might be an easy woman, but do not assume every woman is like you.”
Hooked at Olivia, who sat there unfazed. An unbearable limitation rose in my heart.
“Ms. Mendel, if you claim that you are carrying Grayson’s child, please explain this
who is this man you’ve been frequently seen with since Grayson’s death?”
At my cue, my lawyer raised a photograph. In the picture, Olivia was intimately holding onto the arm of an unfamiliar man with a sweet and bright smile. A wave of murmurs rippled through the courtroom.
Everyone had witnessed Olivia’s passionate display of devotion to Grayson on the Internet these past few months. Now, all eyes turned toward her.
