Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee

After the judge's long opening remarks and the sharp crack of the gavel, Dexter, the plaintiff's lawyer, was the first to speak.

Most of the evidence presented had already been submitted during the previous hearing. Still, they managed to dig up a few new pieces. Dexter addressed the court firmly:

"Our witness, Milos Raonic, comes from a working-class family. His mother was a factory worker, and his father worked construction. Such a family could not have afforded to bribe a distinguished teacher at a top-ranking school." The defense lawyer, unfazed, countered quickly, "Money can always be scrounged up when needed. Besides, it was Milos Raonic himself who accused Joseph Dyers back then. Are you suggesting that Milos Raonic committed perjury at the time?"All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

The defense knew where this was headed. With the current public sentiment, Phil Walker had no chance of winning. In fact, it wouldn't be long before he faced incarceration for another crime. Yet, the defense lawyer dutifully argued back. Dexter shook his head. "Yes, my witness did commit perjury back then, but he was coerced into it. Your Honor, this is video evidence recorded by our witness during the incident. It shows Phil Walker colluding with underground forces at the time to threaten Milos Raonic's parents. Milos Raonic's father was gravely injured by them. At just seventeen years old, Milos had no choice but to comply."

This memory had only resurfaced for Milos Raonic in recent years.

At the time, his father had been forced into their home by Phil Walker. Milos had been fiddling with an old phone he had found on the street. Startled by the scene, his hand slipped, and he accidentally pressed the record button. Out of fear of retaliation, he had never considered making the recording public.

Years later, Tina had approached him, promising protection for him and his parents. Only then did Milos dig out the old phone.

The recording was visibly aged, its visuals grainy and worn. But as the video played, it began to unravel the mystery that had haunted Elsa's family for years.

In the footage, Milos Raonic could be seen sobbing uncontrollably, kneeling on the ground, and begging Phil Walker for mercy. The jury was visibly moved, and even viewers watching the live broadcast couldn't help but feel a pang in their hearts.

"Phil Walker is absolute scum! How is someone like this even allowed to work in the education system?!"

"This is heartbreaking. Who could have resisted Phil Walker's demands in such a situation? Milos Raonic was just a seventeen-year-old kid protecting his parents."

"Surely this kind of coerced testimony shouldn't be punishable..."

"Absolutely not. Milos Raonic was forced into it. The real monster here is Phil Walker!"

Tina and the other plaintiffs couldn't see the flood of comments streaming in during the broadcast. But judging by the reactions of the jury, it was clear that the public now deeply sympathized with Milos Raonic. Now a grown man, confident and composed, Milos adjusted his glasses and spoke before the defense lawyer could respond.

"I know I made a mistake back then," he began, his voice steady and clear. "For years, I've carried the weight of my guilt and sought redemption for my wrongdoings. I don't expect forgiveness from Mr. Dyers or his family. If the law decides to punish me for my actions, I will accept it without complaint. But today, I'm here to do what's right. I refuse to continue down the wrong path."

His youthful determination shone through his eyes as he declared, "I am publicly accusing Phil Walker of forming factions, threatening his students, and framing my teacher. He is unfit to hold any position within our system!"

Phil Walker, visibly enraged, spat venomously, "You little bastard! I should've beaten your father to death when I had the chance! And now you pull this on me? Fine! Why don't you return all the money I gave you?!"

His outburst confirmed the evidence against him. Raging, he tried to lunge out of the defendant's seat toward Tina and the others, but the officers standing nearby restrained him and pinned him to the ground. The judge remained unmoved, his expression cold and detached. He struck the gavel again. "Order! Defense counsel, do you have anything to say?"

The defense lawyer looked at Phil Walker, now subdued and back in his seat, and sighed deeply. Regret washed over him-he never should have taken this case. What more could he say? Phil Walker's tantrum had essentially sealed his fate.

The defense lawyer, an older man, even older than Dexter, let out a quiet sigh. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, a member of the jury, Mrs. Ogden, couldn't contain herself any longer. "Your Honor, don't believe them! Joseph Dyers molested my daughter-how can that be a lie? He deserves everything that's happening to him!"

Mrs. Ogden had packed the jury with her supporters. With her leading the charge, others quickly joined in, voicing their outrage.

"My poor granddaughter! She was just a child when Joseph Dyers assaulted her! Thank God for Mr. Walker taking a stand for justice. How dare you smear his name like this? Where is the justice?!" "That's right! You claim Joseph Dyers wasn't bribed, but does that mean he didn't molest young girls?"

"Joseph Dyers wasn't fired for bribery. He was dismissed because of his vile behavior toward students, which is why we, as parents, united to demand his removal!"

"How does that family even have the nerve to sue anyone?"

The courtroom erupted in chaos. Whispered conversations escalated into loud chatter, and Mrs. Ogden's supporters screamed over one another in a cacophony of accusations.

The judge struck his gavel repeatedly, calling for order, but the noise refused to subside.

Phil Walker, sensing an opportunity, stood up again. "I-I was forced into it back then too! Joseph Dyers was a renowned teacher in Ashbury. If I hadn't resorted to such drastic measures, there was no way I could've taken him down!"

Seizing this supposed opening, Walker rambled on. "I know I was wrong in some ways, Your Honor, but my intentions were good. Please believe me. I never meant to harm Milos Raonic or his family-it was all just for show!"

"For show?" Milos Raonic's voice cut through the noise. He stood tall, his gaze unflinching as he stared down Phil Walker. "Was it just for show when my father spent months in the hospital? Was it just for show when my mother couldn't find work for an entire year in Ashbury? Mr. Walker, is that what you call 'just for show'?"

Phil Walker slammed his fists on the table. "That wasn't me! I didn't have that kind of power back then!"

Speculation erupted online as viewers debated.

"Yeah, Phil Walker didn't hold such a high position five years ago. Could this be a misunderstanding? How could he have pulled off something like that?"

"Even if Phil Walker coerced Milos Raonic, that doesn't absolve Joseph Dyers of his crimes."

"Honestly, neither of them seems innocent. Why not throw them both in jail?"

"Hey! Don't let Phil Walker distract you! Did you see the bank records? Money flowed back and forth between some very powerful people. Even if Phil Walker didn't have the influence back then, he clearly had connections to those who did." "I've been saying this all along-Phil Walker was just a minor official back then. How could he have orchestrated something so massive without help?"