THE FORGOTTEN HEIRESS

"Don’t tell me President Hudson is also here?"

"I wonder what he is here for? To rephrase more clearly who is he here to suppor?"

"It must be the Beazell family. Afterall they have been good business partners for so long."

"It was even rumored once that there was an engagement between him and Ms Linda Beazel."

"Hurry, let’s find out who he is supporting."

Seeing Shawn’s imposing but awe striking appearance as he stepped out of his Lamborghini, Kathleen was stunned. She didn’t expect him to come here today. Wasn’t he angry with her just yesterday?

When she saw that they were about to interview him, she stopped unconsciously to hear what he would say.

Cheryl also stopped briefly. Although fleeting, she had noticed the sudden change in Kathleen’s countenance the moment Shawn’s presence was announced.

"President Hudson, it’s so unusual to see you in places like this. May we know why you are here today?"

"I am here for the same reason everyone has for coming today," he answered nonchalantly.

"You have been close to the Beazell family for so many years, could it be possible that you are here to lend your support to a close family friend?" 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Shawn adjusted his suit as he cast a glance in Kathleen’s direction. Their eyes met and held on for a few seconds before he looked away to the reporter who had just questioned him.

"You are right. I am here for a close family member."

His words caused a murmur to break out in the crowd and as expected many people concluded he was there for Mrs Beazell given their past relationship.

But his next word threw them into confusion. "And it is to ensure that justice is served and the offender does not go unpunished," he stated calmly.

It was rare for President Hudson to grant an interview to anyone for this long, so the reporters took advantage of this rare opportunity to ask all their questions.

"If I may ask, President Hudson, on whose side are you?"

The reporter was almost lost in the brief glance she got from his entrancing blue eyes.

"Of course I am on the side of justice," Shawn declared.

His eyes drifted again to where Kathleen was standing with Ms Moore but they had already entered the courthouse.

By 9:45am, the court proceedings began with the court clerk announcing the case after which Ms Moore stepped forward to give an overview of the charges presented against Mrs Beazell.

She called her first witness to the box who happened to be Spider who testified to the fact that Mrs Beazell was the one who had hired him to kill Kathleen.

When she was called forward, Mrs Beazell pleaded not guilty just as she had done when she came for the arraignment a week back and the battle began.

True to her reputation, it didn’t take long for Cheryl Moore to convict Mrs Beazell of all her crimes.

After Spider’s testimony and the denial from Mrs Beazell, a footage of the shooting along the expressway was presented and one after the other Cheryl presented the evidence against Mrs Beazell.

Starting from her call records to Spider which have been retrieved, a strange account which she usually uses for her shady transactions, although not registered in her name but mysteriously traced to her.

The most shocking incident which almost gave her husband a heart attack was her questionable involvement with the former Boss of the Dark Ace, an underground organization which has terrorized so many lives.

There were strong evidences of all her dealings with them and the crimes she had perpetrated through them over the years.

With all the incriminating evidences and proofs laid bare before the judge and jury in addition to Spider’s testimony, Mrs Beazell was proven beyond every reasonable doubt to be guilty of the offense she had been accused of.

After the jury met and handed over their verdict to the judge, Mrs Beazell was declared guilty and sentenced to 25 years imprisonment.

Spider was given five years on the grounds that he was blackmailed by Mrs Beazell to do the things he did.

After hearing the judge’s sentence, Mrs Beazell went berserk and jumped on Kathleen who had just moved from her seat to have a word with spider before he was taken away by the court officer.

Shawn, whose eyes were trained on Kathleen all the while saw Mrs Beazell’s move and from where he sat, he sprang up like an arrow.

Within seconds he had arrived by Kathleen’s side and wrenched her away from Mrs Beazell’s ferocious grip.

Blinded by rage, Mrs Beazell pounced forward again only to be flung away by Shawn while his other hand held Kathleen close to his heart, almost integrating her into himself.

The few reporters who were allowed into the courtroom saw this scene and gaped in surprise.

President Hudson actually discarded his years of friendship with the Beazell family to defend the unknown lady.

"Who is she to him?" someone asked in a whisper.

Seeing the way Shawn held Kathleen to him protectively, the other person remarked, "She must be very special to him considering how he pushed Mrs Beazell away without bothering if she is injured or not."

"Can you still remember what he said in the interview before the court session began?" someone else asked.

His colleague nodded continuously. "Yes, yes, he said he was here to support a close family member. Could she be the one he was referred to?"

"I wonder what their relationship is? Look at the way he protected her in his arms, isn’t that too intimate?"

The courthouse went agog as they started taking pictures.

Without giving a hoot about the commotion he had caused by his actions, Shawn bent his head to stare at the woman in his arms whose face was already flushed probably because of the strength Mrs Beazell had applied on her hair when he pounced on her just now.