Chapter 1270
As the trial approached, the news media in Lommore also reported relevant events and many of them became hashtags, hotly discussed by people in the city.
The past involving Riley, Nicholas, and Zephyr was what people began to talk about again. The online comments concerning those matters were also varied. Some people said they were sorry for Nicholas. Others felt that Zephyr was unlucky because it was his ex-girlfriend and wife who fought a lawsuit. What was worse, the two ladies were half-sisters, which made the situation intricate. Some people sympathized with Riley, hoping that she could seek justice for herself.
Surely, some netizens commented that Riley deserved it. When she was the fiancée of Zephyr, she seduced Nicholas. It was good news for everyone that she was sent to a psychiatric hospital.
Riley just skimmed those comments and didn’t take such them seriously.
After going through so many things, she didn’t care about the opinions of those who didn’t matter to her.
Now, all she thought about was to punish Harriet because she not only sent Riley to the psychiatric hospital but also caused Nicholas’s death.
Riley could hardly bear that such a good man like Nicholas died because of Harriet.
Riley murmured, “Nicholas, I must get justice for you!”
Outside the courtroom was a crowd of reporters on the day of the trial Riley and all members of the Griffin family were present. When Riley g out of the car, those reporters rushed over. Riley was surrounded by them and could barely move.
Fortunately, the security guards on this spot helped stop the reporters and finally let her in.
In the courtroom, Riley also saw Zephyr in the public gallery.
Today, Zephyr was in a black suit with a handsome but expressionless face. When he noticed her, he just glanced at her coolly and then looked away.
Riley thought of what he said in the hospital that day.
She was fighting against him now, and she would bear all the consequences.
When the trial started, Riley saw her father, her stepmother, and Harriet.
Though her father and her stepmother looked depressed, Harriet seemed to be pretty good and rather confident.
Riley stared at Harriet, guessing that Harriet must think that Zephyr would protect her from being convicted.
However, Riley was determined to spoil their plan.
As the trial began, Mr. Norris uttered opening statements as Riley, the plaintiff’s lawyer, while three famous local lawyers in Lommore were the defense. Three lawyers defended the three accused respectively.
In the courtroom, those witnesses’ testimony was designed to prove that Harriet had nothing to do with the case and that Riley’s stepmother and Peter were guilty.
Obviously, they had been informed of what would happen during the trial, having the consensus that they must help Harriet. So, they confessed their guilt.
However, they only admitted that they mistakenly thought that Riley was mentally ill and wanted her to be treated in the hospital. The reason why they transferred money to doctors and nursing workers who attended to Riley in the hospital was to get Riley better treatment.
In their opinion, Riley injured herself when she suffered from a psychiatric disorder.
Meanwhile, Harriet said that she didn’t know anything about the matter She believed that her sister was really sick and often visited Riley in the hospital. Riley’s behavior in the hospital convinced her that she was indeed mentally ill.
In a word, it was really difficult to fight this case as Mr. Norris said.
Even if there was evidence that could prove that the Summer family had paid bribes and Riley was abused in the hospital, Harriet could be immune to punishment.
The trial lasted for three days.
On the third day of the trial, the judge pronounced that Peter and Larissa were sentenced to three years in prison, while Harriet was acquitted in court.
Harriet suddenly showed a proud smile. She was happy that she was not convicted, thinking that Zephyr was helpful.
In the end, she was still a winner.
Mr. Norris, who was next to Riley, comforted her. “At least the two of them have been sentenced. If we can find additional evidence in the future, we can prosecute Harriet again!”
Riley nodded, but she knew well that since Zephyr helped Harriet fight this case this time, he must have made good preparations.
Moreover, his father and stepmother made themselves scapegoats for Harriet’s guilt. It could be seen that they trusted Harriet with their lives, thinking that as long as Harriet was fine, she would definitely get them out of prison soon.
And all property of the Summer residence could be saved in this way.
At the end of the trial, Harriet came over from the defense table and looked at Riley proudly. Then she said in a voice that could only be heard by them, “I’m sorry for you, Riley. You lost. Now even the judge says I am innocent. If you want me to go to jail, I’m afraid you have to think of another way.”
Riley looked at her coldly. “You know whether you are innocent or not. Harriet, you can’t always be so lucky.”
“Oh? Let’s wait and see which of us will be unlucky.” Harriet smiled coolly, then turned around and walked to Zephyr. She intimately took Zephyr’s arm as if they were a lovely couple.
Zephyr glanced at Harriet indifferently but did not break away from Harriet at this moment in front of the public.
Harriet suddenly became increasingly smug. She laid her face gently on Zephyr’s arm and said, “Let’s go, Zephyr.”
Zephyr then walked out of the courtroom with Harriet, but when he left, he still glanced at Riley.
He couldn’t figure out why he was unhappy when the outcome of the case was exactly what he had expected. Instead, he felt guilty as if he had committed a crime.
He was arguably guilty. He knew who sent Riley to the psychiatric hospital, but he was still trying his best to help that person avoid being convicted.
When Zephyr and Harriet walked outside the courtroom, a group of reporters immediately gathered around them and fired questions at them.
Harriet pretended to be sad and said, “I’m sorry for them. They are my family. I think my father and mother were forced to do harm to my sister. But anyway, I believe in the justice in law. Since my father and mother really did something wrong to my sister, they deserve to be punished.”
