The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Zinnia gasped and turned to look at Leopold Sterling, who was smirking weirdly, "Who are you calling an old hag?!"

"Hey, isn't that Austin's mom over there? Why is your daughter sitting with the Littleton family's witnesses? Don't tell me she's the witness Vivienne Hawthorn mentioned."

Zinnia retorted, "Impossible! She's my daughter; why would she side with strangers?!"

Leopold chuckled disdainfully, "Oh, now you remember she's your daughter? What were you doing before?!"

"You!"

"Order!"

The judge frowned, banging the gavel for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

Looking down at Cassidy, who stood confidently in the witness stand, the judge's frown deepened, "Witness, please present your testimony."

Cassidy glanced towards her mother Zinnia, who was staring at her in shock, and smiled slightly, "Your Honor, my name is Cassidy. I'm supposedly the girl Julian was accused of harassing."

"I can affirm, Julian has been the best teacher I've had since starting school. He did not harass me. The whole situation was a scam orchestrated by my mother Zinnia and Kipling Abernasy." The courtroom erupted in shock.

Zinnia screamed, "You little brat! What nonsense are you spouting?! Get down here, I've done so much for you, and this is how you repay me?!"

Kipling was equally unsettled, "Cassidy, have you lost your mind?! Do you realize what you're saying? Come down now!"

Cassidy's smile only grew wider.

the masks from Zinnia and Kipling layer by layer, "Of course, I know what I'm saying, Your Honor. I am the victim here, and I can assure everyone more than anyone else that

standing aside with her makeup

surprised that Vivienne had managed to bring Cassidy, the very person

suffers from severe depression. Can we really trust the testimony of someone

amnesia. People with depression are only emotionally down but their

"Legally, there's no rule against people with depression testifying. Especially

bastards! What did you do to my daughter? Your Honor, I demand a medical examination to check if Vivienne

back! Don't make a scene here. How could I, as

"What do you know?"

to sell me off to influential old

me in a hospital? If it weren't for this attempt to frame Julian

when you did all those things to me, you should

of finding another witness were slim, and Jerry's eyes gleamed with the success of

the police line and approached Cassidy, "You traitor! How much did they pay you? Tell me, I'll double it.

"Get lost!"

was quick to kick him

calm gaze not showing a hint of panic. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ

the trial, she remained composed, her eyes filled with fierce determination when looking at Kipling, "Why?! Kipling, have you forgotten what you did to me five years ago?!" "Your Honor, I wish to press charges against Kipling. Five years ago,

to Zinnia, she said each word clearly, "Zinnia was

widened

Vivienne, "Is she telling the truth? How could there be a

she snorted, "Kaitlyn, there's no shortage