Stephen gazed at Abigail for a long moment, his words finally breaking the silence. “None of us in this family are innocent. Ategel came from an orphanage, and we all looked down on her.

“We saw her as crude. She didn’t have the poise of an heiress, nor the wealth that could buy sophistication. She was embarrassing to take out in public.

“So, every time we traveled, Abigail wasn’t included. We would leave her behind and take Daniella, who always stirred up trouble…”

“Stevie…” Bianca’s voice trembled, her eyes full of disappointment.

Stephen turned toward her, his lips twisting into a bitter smile. “Are you upset? Do you think you’re the one wronged here? The one truly wronged is Abigail, don’t you think?

“You talk about depression, but Abigail was treated like that by her own parents and brothers, and she didn’t crumble.

“What right do you have to talk about depression? I can’t even count the number of times you’ve hurt her. I’m no better. Don’t think I’m defending myself. I just want to do something right, even if it’s just once.

“She was wrongly imprisoned for three years and never once complained. All she wanted was to be declared innocent. But because some random lawyer defended us, we thought that cleared us. Was Abigail guilty of something? Did she deserve to endure all that bullying for three years?

“No. The truth is, Daniella, on her eighteenth birthday, crashed the car she got as a gift, killed someone, and framed Abigail for it, sending her to prison for three years!” Stephen shouted, his voice filled with raw emotion.

The judges, listening intently, exchanged quiet words among themselves.

Marcus had met with people from the Gibson family and had already been briefed on their testimonies. Stephen had once agreed to their story, but now he was speaking out against them.

“What I need to say is this. Daniella set fire to my grandfather’s house. She meant to kill Abigail, but my grandpa went in to save her, sacrificing his own life.

“That night, Abigail’s favorite dish was laced with sleeping pills. We ate some too and didn’t notice the fire until it was too late.

“Daniella, just after turning eighteen, deliberately crashed her car, killed someone, and fled. She lied about having depression, and our entire family pressured Abigail into taking the fall and going to jail.”

Stephen looked at Marcus and said coldly, “You ask why Abigail didn’t appeal? Let me ask you, if your own family, the people you’ve always relied on, forced you into prison, would you appeal?

“When a person’s spirit is broken, they don’t resist. They accept their fate. The law doesn’t show mercy, but it should have compassion. Abigail was just eighteen. What did she know about fighting back?”

After their brief exchange, the judges turned their attention back to Marcus. “Do you have any further questions regarding the defendant’s statement?”

Marcus stared at Stephen for a long moment before finally saying, “No.”

Stephen’s confession left Gabriel and Bianca looking guilty, and Marcus realized the case was lost.

The focus now returned to the true nature of the crime–Daniella had caused the accident and framed Abigail for it.

Whether Abigail had designs on the Gibson family wealth was irrelevant here. If that issue needed to be explored, it would be dealt with in a separate case.

The gavel came down, and Abigail was acquitted of all charges.

As they exited the courtroom, Sebastian turned to Abigail. “What Stephen said today will likely earn him a suspended sentence.”

Chapter 285

Because of his confession and clear remorse, along with his offer of shares to Abigail, Stephen’s sentence had been reduced to less than two years.

With a suspended sentence, he wouldn’t serve jail time, although it would still severely restrict his freedom. It was a better outcome than prison, but not by much.

“Does this mean he’s getting away with it?” Abigail asked, her voice tinged with bitterness.

“No,” Sebastian replied. “He’ll still have a criminal record, and travel will be difficult for him. This trial was broadcast live, so if anyone recognizes him, he’ll face public scorn. It’s not much better than jail. He’ll have to be careful where he goes from now on.”

Abigail nodded, absorbing the information.

“When Ivy spoke to him, he said he would help you in court. As long as he confessed and showed remorse, his punishment would be reduced under the law. So, it wasn’t like Ivy persuaded him or gave him any special treatment,” Sebastian explained.

“At this point, it doesn’t matter,” Abigail said softly. “At least we’ve sent two of them away.”

The Gibson family was in ruins.

As Sebastian had predicted, Stephen would never again hold his head high.

They had once mocked Abigail’s imprisonment, but now those very words would come back to haunt them.

And that, in itself, was enough.

For Abigail, receiving the acquittal was the completion of her original goal.