Mr. Moneybags | jb

Chapter 53 - Court in session

The morning after I woke up in bed next to Justin. He must've carried me inside after I fell asleep outside. Today was the day. We had a quick and quiet breakfast before we headed back to the city. Both of us changed right away and then we were off to court. I put on a simple black dress that looked formal and simple, yet elegant and matched my age. The plan was not to draw too much attention to myself. My hair fell down in waves behind my back and I only wore very little jewelry including the bracelet Justin had given me for my birthday and a ring I inherited from my mom.

Also Justin and I took separate cars so we wouldn't cause too much attention. The press had found out about the lawsuit and they were eagerly awaiting me and Justin. Lucky for me the hearing took place in private meaning no reporters, fans or others not involved had access to the court room.

"Ready to go?" His voice interrupted my thoughts.

"As ready as I'll ever be..." I forced a smile as Justin hugged me placing a kiss on my forehead.

"Emma, you can do this. I know you can. I'll be with you the whole time and whatever happens I'll be there every step of the way. I believe in you. Okay?"

"Yeah. Thank you."

"I love you." A tender kiss was placed on my lips. "I love you too. Thanks for being here with me." For once a genuine smile spread on my face.

The hearing was a pain. They went over all the details of what happened and what I had been through. For the most part I zoned out. The bastard cried over feeling bad about what happened and muttered something of regret. It was painful to watch.

"Miss Lockwood?" Dr. Meyer pulled me from my thoughts and I looked at him expectantly. "You're up next. Remember what we discussed?" I nodded in response mentally thanking him for pulling me back to planet earth before anyone realized I hadn't been listening.

"...calling Emma Lockwood into the stand." That's me. Here we go. Emma, you can do this. I got up and walked over to the witness stand. First they went over my personal data so I could ease in. For a split second I exchanged a look with the bastard. He looked like he was in pain, like this actually affected him.

"Miss Lockwood I understand this is difficult for you, but I have some questions." The judge said. "If it gets too much we can always take a break." I nodded.

"Please start by explaining to me how the actions of the defendant affected you over the past two and a half years." Wow, where to start?

"I lost my mother, father and twin brother because of the accident. So after I felt lost and alone. The people I would always turn to for help were gone. There is no safe haven, no safety net where I could fall into." I began. Because I had taken a pill beforehand I felt calm and collected. "Losing my twin, Max, was especially hard for me. We grew up together and shared our lives in a way that is hard for people to understand who don't have a twin. Whatever I was doing, I told him. He knew everything about me to the point that he knew me better than myself. Not once did I have to explain myself to Max, he always understood without words. We shared everything in life, had the same talents, hobbies, passions and story. I spent most of my time with him."

"When you say talents are you referring to music? We already know that Mr. Lookwood was a keen and very talented musician."

"Yes. Max and I worked together on a lot of projects."

"So you say you miss your brother because you shared a passion for music?" The bastards lawyer rudely interrupted.