The prosecution had presented recordings, financial records, offshore accounts, and testimony from employees who had watched the corruption unfold. But Richard Hawthorne didn’t judge cases based on morality. He judged them based on loopholes.
For three straight hours he dismantled the prosecution’s case piece by piece.
“Inadmissible due to procedural error,” he said flatly.
“Testimony rejected due to insufficient corroboration.”
Each ruling crushed the room’s remaining hope. Quiet anger spread through the audience, but no one dared interrupt. Hawthorne’s icy gray stare silenced even the boldest critic.
Meanwhile Andrew Bennett sat comfortably, adjusting his expensive cufflinks, a smug smile on his face. He clearly believed the outcome had already been purchased.
On the bench, Richard stacked the documents neatly. Inside his mind the verdict had already been decided: dismissal due to lack of admissible evidence. There would be public outrage, of course. Headlines, protests, angry speeches.
But he didn’t care.
That evening he would dine at his favorite steakhouse. And somewhere far away, his offshore account would grow significantly larger.
He lifted the gavel.
The room held its breath.