Chapter 279 He Will Come
In law, there’s a principle called “presumption of innocence.”
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In other words, if the evidence isn’t strong enough, the defendant should not be held accountable.
Clearly, the single frame of a license plate in the surveillance footage wasn’t enough to slap Thomas with the label of suspect. But Asher was a different story–there were multiple pieces of evidence pointing toward him, not to mention Sarah’s personal accusation.
The judge naturally agreed with the male lawyer’s view.
This reaction had been well within Jolene and Jean’s expectations.
They had never hoped that a fleeting shot of a license plate would magically flip the case.
It wasn’t a powerful enough piece of evidence.
What they wanted was simply to drag Thomas into the spotlight- If he was the true perpetrator, why should he be allowed to remain hidden?
All they needed was for his name to be publicly tied to the case.
That alone was a victory.
Afterward, Jolene began presenting her argument.
Asher had already told Jolene everything he knew–his thoughts, his memory of that night. Of course, he kept the matter of his parentage to himself.
Only Jean knew about that.
Facing the judge and audience, Jolene spoke with clarity and conviction. Her voice was strong, calm, and full of weight.
She argued that Asher was innocent-
Yes, Asher had been at Tri Street that night. But he never even approached Sarah, let alone touched her. So how could he have committed the crime?
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Unsurprisingly, this line of reasoning didn’t go over well with most of the public.
“What is she even talking about?
he evidence is right there! Still denying it?”
“This is getting annoying. Come back with real proof.”
“That’s all Jolene’s got?”
“Sarah herself pointed him out. What else do they need?”
“Unbelievable. Still trying to twist the truth. Just confess already.”
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He stood quietly next to Jolene, pale and handsome, a calm layer of frost over his features.
Like a statue–silent, unreadable, still.
“Ma’am.”
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Sofia’s voice broke the tension beside her.
Jean turned instinctively and saw Sofia gently patting Mindy’s shoulder. Mindy was biting her lip, her brimming with unshed tears.
“Don’t be upset. It’ll be okay.” Sofia was clearly flustered, trying her best to comfort her.
Jean looked away.
She glanced at her phone to check the time.
Almost.
She lifted her gaze, eyes sharp, locking across the room with Jolene’s.
Jolene, sensing the signal, turned her head slightly.
Their eyes met–quietly, precisely.
And Jolene understood.
She immediately requested a recess from the judge.
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According to national law, both the prosecution and the defense were entitled to one official pause during trial.
Now, Jolene had used hers.
Asher was escorted away by police. Jean and Jolene gathered together in a private space.
“You sure he’ll come?” Jolene stood by the window, sipping bottled water, her face unreadable.
Jean nodded, confident. “Of course. He’ll come.”
Right then, Jean’s phone rang.
She glanced down at the caller ID. Her lips curved into a knowing, subtle smile.
“Look,” she said, “he’s here.”
Back in the livestream-
The court feed had been interrupted, replaced with generic advertisements. Thomas looked away from the screen. Selena furrowed her brow in confusion.
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