Chapter 3

The public gallery erupted in gasps, some people's eyes red with emotion:

"Those mother and daughter are so pathetic, to run into this pair of scumbag spouses!"

"Arrest the woman too! Accomplices are despicable!"

Amidst the angry shouts, I clenched my fists:

"How can you prove that voice is my husband's?"

Mr. Davidson looked at me:

"The evidence is here. After technical comparison, there's a 95% probability that this voice belongs to Daniel Miller!"

Facing such evidence, I retorted emphatically:

"Impossible, that voice is not my husband's!"

Because I knew perfectly well that Chloe could never have met my husband.

Mr. Davidson frowned deeply:

"Defendant, the evidence has been professionally authenticated! You can't just dismiss it with an empty denial!"

Chloe wiped away tears:

"That was... when he had me pinned down, I desperately managed to secretly start the recording... every word, every cry is real! How can you still lie like this, even now?!"

By the end, she was almost incoherent with sobs, her slender shoulders heaving violently, looking utterly pathetic.

I let out another cold laugh:

"There are plenty of people in the world with similar voices. How can you be so sure it's my husband?"

Mr. Davidson looked at me and scoffed:

"Since the defendant finds the evidence unconvincing, I have a second piece of evidence."

He lowered his head and continued to operate the computer.

Moments later, the large screen at the front of the courtroom lit up.

A video began to play.

It was surveillance footage from my living room, from the evening I left home.

The living room lights were dim, and a man opened the door and walked in.

He walked directly towards Chloe, who was standing in the living room:

"You're Chloe? Tsk, she didn't lie to me, you really are... quite pretty."

Before he finished speaking, he reached out and grabbed Chloe's wrist.

The bottle in Chloe's hand fell to the floor, and she struggled weakly, her voice terrified:

"What are you doing! Let go! Help me—"

The man easily overpowered her resistance. After a few rough tugs, he actually lifted her over his shoulder and strode towards the bedroom.

The door slammed shut with a bang.

Immediately after, faint cries and sounds of struggle seeped from under the door, startlingly consistent with the previously played audio recording.

The video ended there.

Mr. Davidson turned to the entire courtroom, his voice heavy with grief:

"This is surveillance footage extracted from the defendant's home camera!"

"After professional comparison, the man in the surveillance video, his build and clothing, are highly consistent with Daniel Miller!"

Then he turned to me:

"Defendant, are you still going to say this isn't Daniel Miller?"

The public gallery murmured with disbelief:

"Irrefutable evidence! The footage is crystal clear!"

"She was so stubborn just now, let's see how she spins it now!"

Someone even stood up excitedly and shouted:

"What's there to say to an accomplice with no conscience like her?! Your Honor, pass judgment quickly! Make them rot in jail!"

Under the countless burning, contemptuous, and angry stares, I slowly rose, my gaze fixed on Chloe:

"You keep claiming that was my husband. So I ask you, have you ever actually seen Daniel Miller in person before this?"

Chloe stood up, holding her belly:

"I worked at your house for three months, how could I not have seen your husband?!"

"And he opened your door so naturally, his build and clothes match, who else could it be but your husband?"

The people in the public gallery also began to insult me:

"The audio and video evidence are laid out, and she still won't admit it!"

"Helping a rapist bully a vulnerable girl, how despicable!!"

"Just looking at her, you can tell she's no good. The couple is just as disgusting!"