Chapter 8
Sophia’s murder trial finally began.
Outside the courthouse, I saw Alex again, and he looked much more haggard than before.
He reached for my hand, sadness filling his eyes. “Emma, I promise after today, I’ll give you the result you want. Will you
wait for me a little longer?”
I turned away. “I only want to see my sister’s killer brought to justice. Alex, if any part of your love was real, don’t stop me.”
Alex appeared as a witness in the case.
When Sophia was brought to the defendant’s stand, her expression was full of grievance.
Without that day’s surveillance footage, her lawyer argued vigorously.
He claimed my sister had committed suicide, and Sophia had only appeared at the scene due to a mental episode and
confusion.
Even finding the murder weapon at Sophia’s house only proved that a mentally ill person couldn’t distinguish reality from
delusion, explaining her calm demeanor about the crime scene.
“Finally, we have a witness.”
All eyes focused on Alex.
He stood from the witness stand, complex emotions churning and settling in his eyes.
I slowly clenched my fists at my sides.
If he spoke up, the case could have a turning point.
Alex glanced at me briefly, as if making a final decision. “I can testify that she wasn’t taking medication and was in a state
of mental confusion. She had no contact with the victim before the death. Additionally, I have footage proving Lily had
severe suicidal tendencies.”
As Alex produced that USB drive, my scalp went numb and nausea churned in my stomach, while Sophia looked at me with an undisguised provocative smile upon seeing the favorable evidence.
The trial ended with Sophia’s immediate acquittal, leaving almost no hope of reversal.
I couldn’t recover for a long time, shaking with cold, realizing that everything—even my child’s death-had been for
nothing, all because of Alex.
Outside the courthouse, when Alex approached with Sophia, I could barely stand. “Emma…”
Alex hurried forward to steady me. I violently shook him off.
“Get away from me!” My voice was hoarse beyond recognition. “I will never forgive you.”
Alex went pale. “I said I’d give you a satisfactory result…”
I laughed coldly, nails digging deep into my palms. “Two lives laid before you, yet you gave false testimony for her in court.
This is your idea of a result?”
Alex stammered, “Emma…”
“Don’t call me that! You don’t deserve to call me that!” I stepped back, tears breaking free. “Alex Sterling, I hate you! I curse
you both to hell.”
Faced with my overwhelming hatred, Alex’s pupils contracted sharply.
He lost the courage to speak again.
I couldn’t bear to look at these two faces anymore and turned to leave.
But Sophia followed me, utterly arrogant. “Emma, now you should finally understand. Between you and me, he’ll always
choose me.”
Her blood-red nails pointed at my stomach. “So what if you were pregnant with his child? You and that bastard could never compare to me.”
Three days later, I curled up in Lily’s room, looking at Sophia’s latest social media post.
The photo showed her and Alex toasting on a yacht.
The caption read: [Thank you for always protecting me.]
I closed my eyes, overwhelmed by helplessness.
My phone suddenly vibrated with a video call from Alex. I hung up, but he kept calling, and on the seventh attempt, I inexplicably answered.
A dim, swaying ship cabin appeared on screen.
Sophia was tied to a chair, her makeup smeared, face full of terror.
I bolted upright in bed, eyes wide.
What was happening?
“Emma.” Alex’s voice came from off-camera, gentle in a bone-chilling way. “I said I’d give you the result you wanted.”
Sophia screamed, “Alex, are you insane? Let me go! I’m scared.”
Alex completely ignored her, speaking only to me, “She has mental illness-it’s hard to get a death sentence.”
A knife entered the frame, gleaming coldly, and Sophia’s ten fingers fell instantly as blood splattered across the lens,
turning the screen crimson.
“This is international waters.” Alex’s voice mixed with Sophia’s piercing screams.
“Alex, please! I’m begging you! I won’t do it again, never again! Don’t kill me! Help! Somebody help me!”
Alex smiled. “People who hurt our child should be shark bait, don’t you think?”
I pressed my hands over my mouth, swallowing my screams as I watched Sophia being tortured piece by piece on screen
with flesh and blood filling my vision.
Finally, Alex moved close to the camera, his blood-stained face showing childlike anticipation. “Emma, did I do well? When I come back, will you hug me?”
The video ended.
I broke out in cold sweat.
My revenge was complete, but beyond relief, only fear remained.
Alex seemed to have lost his mind.
