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.

Zinnia and Kipling layer by layer, "Of course, I know what I'm saying, Your Honor. I am the victim here, and

makeup

was surprised that Vivienne had managed to bring

and she suddenly spoke up, "Your Honor, I've heard Cassidy suffers from severe depression. Can we really trust the testimony of someone mentally

educated yourself, you'd know depression isn't amnesia. People with depression

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

do to my daughter? Your Honor, I demand a medical examination to check

trying to break through the police barrier, "Cassidy, come back! Don't make a scene here. How could I, as your

"What do you know?"

influential old

of my college opportunities, claiming I had depression, and lock me in a hospital? If it weren't for this attempt to frame

continued, "Zinnia, when you did all those things to me, you should have

by Julian, Kipling's chances of finding another witness were slim,

robe, was about to make his decision, Kipling, driven by immense fear, broke through the police line and approached Cassidy, "You traitor! How much did they pay you? Tell me, I'll double it. Why are you doing this

"Get lost!"

was quick to kick

panic. Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels

forgotten what you did to me five years ago?!" "Your Honor, I

said each word clearly, "Zinnia was his

widened in

Vivienne, "Is she telling the truth? How

were cold as she snorted, "Kaitlyn, there's no