Winning Her Heart Back (Emelie and William) novel Chapter 902

Once the case was officially filed, the police moved into the investigation phase.

Because of the time that had passed and the hidden methods of the suspects, the investigation was extremely difficult to carry out.

Thankfully, Emelie and Wesley had already gathered a considerable amount of evidence over the past three years. Once they handed it over to the police, it greatly reduced the workload for the authorities.

It was now May of the following year. Yes, it had taken the police an entire year to announce the end of the investigation and submit the case to the court. Two weeks later, the court accepted the case and made it public.

The two cases were tried on consecutive days, with all individuals involved being summoned to court.

Of course, Henry and Kaden, who had both passed away, couldn't attend. Maverick and Caleb, who had been hiding abroad, were captured and brought back to Cedonia.

Another person who was absent was William.

During the police investigation, Beathan had indeed dragged William down with him. He exposed that William had once shot and injured Emelie.

After an investigation, the police confirmed the claim and decided to arrest William for intentional harm.

However, William was receiving treatment for his lungs in Mercianna at the time, so he applied for bail.

When the court convened, he was unable to attend in person due to his health, and his lawyer represented him in court.

Yennifer flew in from Mercianna to Capebatt City to testify as a key witness in the Xander case.

Emelie and Greta testified in the "Second Generation Case", which was a name given by the public to refer to the crimes committed by the second generation people of the Middleton, Davis, Swanson, and Collins families.

As the trial was public, viewers could watch a live stream on the court's website. At one point, online attendance exceeded ten million people. This showed how many people were still paying close attention to the case, even a year later. It was no exaggeration to call it the most high-profile case in recent years.

Both trials lasted more than eight hours.

Finally, the verdict was announced.

In the Xander case, Maverick and Caleb were sentenced to life imprisonment, with permanent revocation of their political rights.

These two men who were nearing 60 had evaded justice for 29 years, only to end up in prison.

…

In the "Second Generation Case", Beathan was convicted of intentional harm, intentional murder, attempted murder, bribery, illegal detention, incitement to commit crimes, endangering public safety, transnational crime, and organizing, leading, and participating in a terrorist organization.

He was sentenced to death and had his political rights revoked for life.

Beathan wasn't surprised when he heard the verdict. Being a lawyer, he had already anticipated his fate.

He glanced to his left, where Ashley was seated.

There were no plaintiffs in criminal cases, as the People's Procuratorate brought forward the prosecution on behalf of the state. Emelie's role in the case was as a key witness. Ashley was present to file a civil lawsuit on Emelie's behalf.

Ashley, a lawyer, was seen dressed in formal attire, a red scarf, and a long black robe. She had tied her hair back, making her look intelligent, sharp, and efficient.

In a daze, Beathan felt as though he had gone back ten years. The first time he saw her was during the freshman mock trial organized by the law department. She had captivated him from the very first glance.

And then he became obsessed.

And now, he had become the villain, the one everyone wanted to see punished.

Beathan let out a bitter smile. He had nothing left to say.

…

Charles was convicted of conspiracy, attempted crime, and harboring criminals.

However, the court took into account that he had actively helped the victim, Emelie, avoid harm from Beathan and that he didn't directly participate in Beathan's crimes. As a result, his sentence was lightened.

Charles was also implicated in Edward's suicide.

The court found that Charles' pressure on Edward was an indirect cause of his suicide, so he was sentenced to three years in prison. After adding up his other crimes, the court decided on a six-year sentence.

On top of that, he still had time to serve his previous sentence for embezzlement, meaning he would spend a total of nine years in prison.

Charles thought to himself that when he was released, his daughter would already be in middle school. How could Emmie wait for him for ten years?

Throughout the day, he looked repeatedly at the jury, but he couldn't spot her in the crowd.

How unfortunate that they were destined to be apart.

…