As the courtroom fell silent, Abhijeet stood up with a plea, drawing Judge Reina's attention. She then permitted him to speak.
Abhijeet rose and with a calm composed tone, took a few strides forward as he began, "Your Honor, what I am about to say might sound like something unrelated to the case, but believe me, it is deeply connected.
"My client, Evan, is not only a victim of abuse and mistreatment at the hands of the defendants but also a pawn in their deceitful schemes. He was adopted under pretenses, subjected to cruelty, and denied his rightful identity."
"Furthermore, these two assailants planned to make Evan a victim and force him to confront Suri. In fact, all of this was a scheme by these two to extort money from Suri."
"We urge the court to consider Evan's innocence in this matter and to hold the defendants accountable for their actions."
Upon hearing this, Henna and Migol suddenly felt a chill down the spine. Henna, in particular, struggled to maintain her composure.
"What did you say, beast?" she shouted.
"Silence!" Judge Reina hammered the gavel, demanding to maintain the order.
"Mrs. Henna, if you continue shouting, we will have to forcefully throw you out of the courtroom."
Meanwhile, Martha pinched Suri and asked in shock, "Now what is this sudden twist in the story?"
"How can I know?" Suri retorted with a dark expression.
"Evan, do you have anything to add to this case?" Judge Reina inquired, her gaze looked gentle yet probing.
Evan took a deep breath, summoning the courage to address the court.
"Your Honor," he began, his voice steady but tinged with emotion, "I just want to say that everything Abhijeet said is true. I have suffered abuse at the hands of my adoptive parents, Henna and Migol, for years."
His words hung heavy in the air, the weight of his revelation palpable in the courtroom.
Judge Reina nodded solemnly, prompting Evan to continue.
"I've endured physical and emotional abuse, and have the evidence to prove it," Evan continued, his voice unwavering. "They treated me like I was nothing… like shit. Every day of living was a torture for me."
As Evan spoke, Henna and Migol exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions betraying a mixture of distress and panic they felt.
Their lawyer, Johnson, has his eyes widened with horror as he stared at his clients as if silently questioning, 'What the fuck is this?'
'Child abuse?'
'What the hell is going on?'
Generally, a lawyer had to be informed on every detail as even a small gap might lead to crucial errors.
When Evan finished speaking, Judge Reina turned to Henna and Migol. "Is there any truth to these allegations?" she asked, her tone firm.
Migol shook his head vehemently. "Not, Your Honor."
"These are baseless accusations concocted by Evan and his lawyer to deflect from their wrongdoing."
"Lies….Lies…Everything he said is a lie," Henna pleaded and started sobbing.
"We have loved him dearly. Is this how you treat us? These accusations are outrageous and false."
The courtroom buzzed with tension as Judge Reina considered the conflicting testimonies before her.
She then turned to Henna and Migol, her gaze piercing. "Do you deny these allegations?" she asked firmly.
"If this proved to be a lie then…"
Migol nodded in agreement. "We've always provided for Evan and treated him like our own child," he insisted. "These accusations are nothing but lies."
Abhijeet rose to his feet. "Your Honor, I have evidence to support Evan's claims," he interjected, holding up a folder of documents. "Medical records, witness statements, and recordings of the abuse."
The courtroom fell silent as Abhijeet presented the evidence, each piece adding weight to Evan's testimony.
As the truth of Evan's suffering became undeniable, Judge Reina's expression softened with empathy.
"Thank you, Evan, for your bravery in coming forward," Reina said with her voice filled with compassion. The cold expression on her face disappeared, taking Evan and Celina into surprise.
Following Abhijeet's plea, he swiftly moved to present compelling evidence to support Evan's case. With meticulous care, he produced a forged DNA certificate, clearly exposing the deceitful actions of Henna and Migol in adopting Evan under false pretenses.
Additionally, he played a video recording depicting Evan being subjected to physical abuse at the hands of his adoptive parents, the grim reality of his suffering lay bare for all to see.
With a solemn nod, Judge Reina directed for the evidence to be formally submitted and played out in court.
As the videos and audio recordings played, the atmosphere in the courtroom grew increasingly tense.
With each passing moment, the urgency of delivering justice for Evan became palpable, setting the stage for a pivotal moment in the trial.
The courtroom gasped in collective horror as the footage played.
Furthermore, Abhijeet played audio recordings capturing the vile verbal abuse hurled at Evan by Henna and Migol, the venom in their words pierced through the courtroom's silence.
With the evidence laid out before the court, Abhijeet turned to Judge Reina, "Your Honor, these materials provide irrefutable evidence of the abuse and mistreatment endured by my client, Evan. It is imperative that justice be served on his behalf and that those responsible for his suffering be held accountable."
Each of these revelations struck like thunder in Suri's mind. She gasped in shock as she saw shirtless pictures of Evan's tattered bruises.
It was ugly, but Suri felt that this was a mark of bravery.
Martha grasped Suri's hands. She opened her lips to scream, but no words came out.
"Just…what the…hell is this?"
Suri Barrett felt like her world was crashing down. She couldn't believe what she was hearing about Evan's abuse. Guilt gnawed at her heart as she realized that she had only added more flames to this man's suffering.
Memories of that day appeared in her mind. She had been so angry back then, but now all she felt was regret. Tears welled up as she remembered the mob attacking Evan, and how she had done nothing to help him.
Even her lawyer, Sina, didn't know how to react as things had developed in an unexpected direction.
In a solemn yet determined tone, Abhijeet addressed the courtroom once more, emphasizing Evan's innocence in the proceedings.
"Your Honor," he began, his voice carrying the weight of conviction, "it is crucial to recognize that my client, Evan, is not a perpetrator in this case, but rather a victim. He has endured unimaginable suffering at the hands of his adoptive parents, Henna and Migol, who have manipulated and abused him for their gains."
Pausing for a moment to let his words sink in, Abhijeet continued, "Evan should not be dragged into this legal matter as a defendant, but rather be seen as the innocent party like he truly is. He has been manipulated and exploited, his trust betrayed by these heinous scums."
With a firm resolve, Abhijeet implored Judge Reina and the court to consider Evan's innocence, to ensure that justice prevailed for him.
His words resonated with the gravity of the situation, urging all those present to acknowledge the truth and to act accordingly in delivering a just verdict.
As the courtroom waited with bated breath, Judge Reina rose from her seat, her gaze sweeping across the assembled parties.
Johnson tried to refute the claims but he was hammered to dust by Sina. With Abhijeet's lead, Sina acted swiftly to deal the final blow.
Oddly enough, Suri didn't want them to go to jail. This surprised Evan as he wanted this guy to be jailed but what can he do?
It wasn't his case.
"After carefully reviewing the evidence presented in this case," she began, her voice carrying an authoritative weight, "I have reached a decision."
"Suri Barrett, your lawsuit against Henna and Migol for defamation, property damage, and emotional distress is hereby upheld."
A murmur of anticipation rippled through the courtroom as Judge Reina continued, "Based on the evidence provided, including witness statements, medical records, and recordings of the abuse, it is clear that Henna and Migol are liable for their actions."
"In accordance with the laws about domestic violence, defamation, and property damage, I hereby order Henna and Migol to pay a fine of 5 million rupees to compensate Suri Barrett for the harm caused."
Judge Reina's gaze then turned to Evan, who sat quietly beside his lawyer, Abhijeet.
"Evan," she addressed him directly, with a gentle tone and continued, "after considering your testimony and the evidence provided, I find no basis to hold you accountable for the actions of your adoptive parents in this case."
"As such, you are hereby excluded from this trial and any legal repercussions arising from it."
A wave of relief washed over Evan as he absorbed the judge's words.
A feeling akin to a weight being lifted from his shoulders enveloped him. He glanced gratefully at Abhijeet, whose supportive presence had made all this possible.
"As for Evan," Judge Reina continued with empathy, "I encourage you to seek justice for the abuse you have endured through appropriate legal channels. You are not alone in this journey."
With her final words, Judge Reina brought the proceedings to a standstill, signaling the end of a chapter in the lives of all those involved.