Teresa sank into her seat, her legs almost giving out beneath her. She hated Irene so much it hurt. "If only it were Irene sitting in the defendant’s seat instead of Jennifer," Teresa thought bitterly.
She thought, "I wish Irene could finally taste what it's like to be hated and spat on by everyone. But sitting right next to that old hag is Jonathan."
It was only at this moment that Teresa finally glanced at him. This was the same Jonathan who had once crossed thousands of miles from Nareigh to Jarisburg just to see her. The same man who had almost killed Yalena by mistake.
The same Jonathan who had grown up fatherless, raised by his mother alone. And more than that, he was the father of their children. He was also the one she kept buried deep in her heart, the one she never dared to admit she loved.
Seeing the pain and restraint on Jonathan’s face, Teresa welled up with tears in her eyes. Suddenly realizing the gravity of the situation, she hurriedly tried to salvage things, turning anxiously to Jennifer. “Apologize to her. Right now!”
Gary, standing nearby, quickly jumped in as well. “Jennifer, apologize to Irene. Just say you were joking earlier.”
Jennifer’s fists clenched so hard her knuckles cracked. She thought, "Me? Apologize to Irene? Yeah, right. If I could actually apologize to Irene, I wouldn’t be the one on trial right now."
Since Jennifer was still refusing to apologize, her defense lawyer quickly spoke up, “Your Honor, my client was simply too impulsive. People blurt out all kinds of things they don’t mean when they’re upset.”
“Wait a second,” the plaintiff’s lawyer jumped on that. “If she was really just acting on impulse, how come she couldn’t even say a single word of apology?"
"Your Honor, Jennifer not only forged a DNA test and has zero respect for the law, but she even threatened to kill my client right here in court. Someone like this, who openly defies the law and shows no remorse at all, deserves a heavy sentence.”
If Jennifer really got hit with a heavy sentence, that was three years, minimum. Teresa got flustered. “She just blurted it out because she was upset. I’ll apologize to Irene for her…”
“Wait, no!” Jennifer finally spoke up, her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. She felt so guilty and indebted to Teresa far more than she could ever make up for. There was no way she could let Teresa bow her head to Irene because of her.
She locked her icy gaze on Irene, her eyes like frozen glass…utterly emotionless, not a trace of warmth to be found.
“Sorry.” Jennifer forced the broken word out between clenched teeth, biting down so hard she could taste blood in her mouth.
Irene sneered, a cold smirk curling at the corner of her mouth. “What did you say? I didn’t hear a thing,” she taunted.
“There’s no way you didn’t hear me. I already apologized. Don’t go too far.” Jennifer felt like her dignity and pride were being crushed under Irene’s heel at that moment.
Irene snorted and put on a show of being scared. “Your Honor, just look at the way Jennifer’s glaring at me. Who knows, maybe she’ll come after me when she gets out.”
Jennifer’s defense lawyer shot back, “Your Honor, it was the plaintiff who provoked my client in the first place, which led to her saying something rash in the heat of the moment. Besides, my client has already apologized to the plaintiff.”
Irene snapped back, “Why shouldn’t it? What if she really does kill me? Are you going to answer that?”
“Are you done yet?” Jonathan finally spoke, barely keeping his anger in check. Only when he spoke did Irene finally show a trace of fear, her lips pressed together tightly.
Jonathan yanked Irene back down into her seat and stood up himself. He said, “As the plaintiff, I understand why the defendant wanted to protect her sister. I hope the court can show some leniency in sentencing her this time.”