Return of the Crowned Heiress

Chapter 228

Laurence continued in an even tone, "Additionally, our forensic team has verified the video's authenticity. There are no signs of tampering or editing. The video is genuine and admissible as evidence."

He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle before continuing, "On the night Ruben died, Kayla had him accompany her to the mall to carry her purchases. This has been confirmed by the mall's security footage and statements from the sales staff working that evening.

"Street surveillance shows Ruben stopping at a bank, where he withdrew a hundred thousand dollars in cash for Kayla. The two were last seen driving together toward Cedar Street. The final footage of them shows the car heading in the direction of the beach. And " "Enough! That's enough!"

Dexter cut him off, raising a hand in resignation. His voice, though firm, carried the weight of defeat. "Captain Quinn, I trust in your department's ability to conduct a thorough investigation. If my daughter is guilty, the law will deal with her appropriately. If she's innocent, the truth will clear her name."

Standing toward the back of the room, Felicia raised a brow, catching the subtext in Dexter's carefully chosen words. Though he appeared impartial, his statement left room for doubt, subtly implying that Kayla's guilt wasn't yet a certainty.

By framing it as her "cooperating with the investigation", he gave her actions an air of ambiguity.

a calculated

with the

of them stepped forward, ready

she broke into hysterics, screaming, "Dad! Please don't let

relentless. They pried Myra away, separating mother and daughter as Kayla screamed and sobbed. For the first time, Kayla felt the true weight of isolation. She felt like a lone tree battered by a

being dragged

eyes scanned the

with sorrow. That look was like a dagger to her heart,

and despair, she twisted to glare at Felicia, who stood quietly among the onlookers. Her voice, filled with venom, echoed through the room. "Felicia-it's you! You did this to me! This is all your fault!" Her

body. The ever-elegant Mrs. Fuller, always composed and graceful, was now a picture of despair. Her vulnerability was laid bare for all to see. Sebastian

approached Mina, his movements heavy with regret. Taking her hand in his, he said in

didn't respond. Her face was streaked with tears, but her expression was void of emotion. She had watched the video of her husband's murder countless times. Each time, it cut deeper into her soul. The pain of seeing his final moments was a wound that would never