Chapter 1195
“Why do you want to be my defense lawyer?” she asked at the time.
“Because Amelia expressed her desire to inquire about her friend’s whereabouts, and you were willing to share that information on the condition of securing probation for yourself, is that not correct?” Rosalie inquired.
“So, you’re helping her? A lawyer like you wouldn’t need to do such a thing for money, would you?” Alicia replied sarcastically.
“I’m doing this solely for my friend,” Rosalie affirmed.
“You are the lady of the Youngblood family. In Strico, there are many people who seek to gain your favor. Why would someone like Amelia be your friend? She’s just a concession stand owner! Don’t you think it’s beneath your status to be friends with someone like her?” Alicia remarked.
“If you measure friendship in such a way, you’ll find it challenging to make genuine connections. When I was facing difficulties, it was Amelia who extended a helping hand. Since she didn’t look down on me from the beginning, how could I look down on her? Alicia, you never intended to become friends with Amelia, and you could have had her carry your gratitude throughout her life. But… you were too hasty.” Rosalie continued.
Though there were words left unsaid, Alicia understood what Rosalie was implying.
She was too eager to turn the favor she had done for Amelia into personal gain.
If she had maintained that goodwill, when faced with actual danger, Amelia would undoubtedly seek help from Warren or the Youngblood family on her behalf.
Just like now, Amelia had gone to great lengths to seek the assistance of Warren and the Youngblood family in her quest to discover Riley’s whereabouts.
As it stood, even though Alicia now recognized her mistake, it was too late.
The trial spanned two days, during which Alicia adhered to Rosalie’s script, refuting most of the evidence that was unfavorable to her.
When Warren and Amelia appeared in court, Alicia couldn’t help but feel envious. She had learned from the police the extent of Warren’s sacrifices for Amelia and the injuries he had endured to save her.
Amelia thought to herself, “How could such an exceptional man do all of this for her?”
This made Alicia feel more and more unlucky. After years of being with Ryan, she had ended up in this situation.
During the trial, when Jasper saw Warren and Amelia appearing in the courtroom, he quickly called out, “Mr. York, Ms. Haab, this was all Alicia’s idea. I was also misled momentarily! I’m a victim as well!”
Just then, the judge yelled to silence Jasper.
After giving their testimony, Warren and Amelia left the courtroom, but instead of leaving the building, they entered a nearby room. In this room, various screens of different sizes displayed scenes from the trial.
Jonathan was sitting in the room, watching the trial on the screens. Beside him stood a prominent Strico lawyer.
Upon seeing Warren enter, Jonathan greeted him with a smile, “You’ve worked hard. Consider this a rehearsal for the actual trial.”
“Mr. Youngblood, it’s your effort that made this elaborate charade possible,” Warren replied.
Alicia and Jasper remained unaware that the trial was nothing but a performance that served to make them believe it was real.
In reality, it was just an intricately staged performance meant to misdirect them.
It had taken extensive preparation to ensure that the ruse would not be exposed.
Few in Strico were capable of doing so. Jonathan was capable of orchestrating such an act but it didn’t mean it had been an easy process for him.
“It’s my wife’s hope that no one can escape justice,” Jonathan remarked with a smile. “Both of you, please have a seat, and let’s watch. I believe there will be a verdict soon.”
Warren and Amelia took their seats. As expected, the judge swiftly delivered a sentence not long after, condemning Jasper to life imprisonment and granting Alicia a three-year prison sentence to be preceded by three years of probation.
Upon hearing the verdict, Alicia expressed a smug satisfaction, while Jasper was in disbelief, exclaiming, “How is this possible? How can she get away with just probation? She’s the mastermind!”
Jasper kept shouting. Even so, his protests fell on deaf ears.
After some time, Rosalie entered the room and informed Amelia, “I will arrange for you to meet Alicia. Then you can inquire about Riley’s whereabouts.”
“Thank you, Rosalie,” Amelia expressed her gratitude.
“It’s nothing. Once she reveals Riley’s location, she’ll be returned to the detention center. Individuals like her must face legal consequences,” Rosalie added.
Half an hour later, Amelia encountered Alicia at the detention center’s entrance, with Rosalie accompanying her by her side.
“Now that you’re out, can you tell us where Riley is?” Amelia inquired, fixing her gaze on Alicia.
Alicia smiled and responded, “Of course, I will. But I require 30 million dollars to be transferred to my foreign account, and then you must arrange for me to leave the country safely. Once I arrive abroad, I will disclose Riley’s whereabouts.”
Amelia’s face froze, and she replied, “I don’t have 30 million dollars!”
“You may not have it, but your friend does. Why don’t you ask your good friend to lend it to you?” Alicia suggested.
Rosalie’s expression darkened as she interjected, “30 million dollars is not a significant issue. However, how can we trust you? Will you truly disclose Riley’s location when you reach abroad? After all, even if you fail to reveal it, we wouldn’t be able to apprehend you, would we?”
Alicia retorted, “If you genuinely wish to learn Riley’s whereabouts, you’ll need to comply with my terms, won’t you?”
Rosalie responded with a smile, “That may not be necessary. We have the means to locate him nationwide, even if it’s a somewhat cumbersome process. There’s no need for us to succumb to your threats, Alicia. Don’t overestimate your leverage. What you possess may ultimately amount to nothing.”
Rosalie then turned to Amelia, saying, “Amelia, let’s go. If Alicia is resorting to such deceptions, perhaps she doesn’t know Riley’s whereabouts at all. Even though she’s out of prison, she’s penniless and her reputation’s tainted; her life may not be pleasant. In fact, she might end up living in worse conditions than Riley.”
Amelia didn’t respond and followed Rosalie to their car.
Alicia watched as they departed, growing increasingly anxious as the two ignored her. She recognized that her current situation, particularly after clashing with the York family, was precarious. Even though she received a probationary sentence, the York family had the means to enact retribution clandestinely.
