Chapter 13

In the video, our faces weren't clear enough for the public to instantly recognize us, the Richardsons.

But the selfy I, later on, posted made it very clear. They couldn't believe what they saw. The whole public is shocked. 

The next day all the media had it. A huge scandal for the billionaire Richardson. It is everywhere in the press. I didn't really have time to check the press this morning.

All I check was the IG page, with massive likes and comments.

"Good luck with your Cour sessions. I wish you the best. Be strong, woman. Please, keep giving us updates... etc..."

The comments are so many, I can't even read them all.

It as if they were all waiting!. I just wish it gives strength to shattered ladies.

.

.

I enter the cour with my head right up. I see Richardson seated on his own side with his lawyers, Mr. Jones.

I see a few people seated in, I don't know anyone. 

Juliana is moving behind me. I take my seat beside our lawyer's seat. Juliana seats behind me.

I am shivering!. My lawyer noticed it.

"Calm down. It gonna be fine!."

My Lawyer Miss. Sasha tells me.

"Don't panic!. We are going to win this case!."

Juliana whisper in my ears.

"Thank you!."

I tell them.

We all stand up as the Judge enders the hall. We seat as he seats. 

The hall is silent.

"Due, to the failure of the amicable arrangement by both parties, I hereby declare this judiciary open!."

The judge hit his desk with his wood bar.

"Those anyone has something say?."

He asks.

No one talks!.

"Let's start!."

He declares.

"I call Mrs. Richardson to come on the stand!."

Another man in the court speaks, let's call him the MC.

The MC is seated opposite us. While the girl taking the memoirs is seated opposite Richardson.

I move ahead, with my legs shuddering.

"Miss Vivian, please!."

I stop at the MC and correct him.

"Okay!."

MC is shocked by my reaction.

I then move to the stand.

Mr. Jones Richardson's lawyer moves forward, talking 

"You accuse my client Mr, Richard of conjugal violence. And you add that he has been doing this for years now, why report only now?. Or it's just an invention?. We should believe you?. "

Mr. Jones tries to undermine me

I don't even know what to say, I personally don't have the answer to that question.

The whole place is quiet. I don't know what to say. 

People start murmuring in the crowd. This makes me weaker.

"Talk!."

I peek at Juli, she frowns at me making signs with her hands.

"Seriously, Mr. Lawyer I don't know!."

I answer

"Is she normal?. is everything okay with her?. She isn't serious!. She might have set this whole thing up, just to extort money from this poor man!."

The crowd enunciates, places are really noisy.

Juli bends her head in dismay. Richardson smiles.

"Quite everyone!. Mrs. Richardson, sorry Miss. Vivian save our time!."

The judge strokes his table with his woody bar.

They immediately shot up!.

"I don't have an answer to your question. But what I know for sure is that I was so foolish and naive to stay with such a beast, like Richardson. In the name, of love!. I really thought I could change him to the Richardson I first felt in love with. Not realizing that Richardson had never changed, he just revealed his real nature.

Now, I can't remember what it even means to love because all he showed me was violence, torture, and so much trauma. 

At a point, I wanted to quit, then I thought of our lovely son, and every mother's wish is to give a good upbringing to her kid. So I didn't want a broken home for him, I kept on fighting for my worthless marriage. 

But I later, realize it was of no use because the same child I yearned to protect, was witnessing his father's wickedness and maltreatment on me, his mother every day.

Then, I ask myself 'Seriously Vivian, why fighting to stay in such a toxic and abusive relationship in the name of marriage and love!'.

Then I realized how void I was!. I had no answers to my own question.

I regret the day I ever got married to him."

I cry the hell out of me, I couldn't hold it.

"Take this madam!."

The judge passe me a hankie

"Thank you!."

I murmured while crying

"Yes, Lawyer, he whacks me and I still stayed with him hoping that he will change someday, for years now. Till months ago when he nearly took my life away!. I understood that some people can never change. And I comprehended that my life matters too, like that of any other man!. So I am quitting!."

Mr. Jones is steady and doesn't know what to say, he sees the sincerity in me, in my words. Yet, he wants to fight against that. 

But no one can cheat nature, before being a lawyer, he is first a human.

"Any other questions!.".

The MC asks Mr. Jones

"No one for now!."

He moves to his seats, whipping.

"Any questions Miss. Sasha!."

The MC asks my own lawyer.

"Yes!."

She moves ahead.

"Miss. Vivian how many times did he beat you?. And how did he use to best you? Did Mr. Richardson ever threatened not to quit?."

"Objection my lord!."

Mr. Jones calls up

"On what ground do you make yourself objective?."

Judge asks

"Out of topics!."

Jones insists

Judge scoffs.

"Sustained!."

The judge concludes.

Sasha isn't happy, she moves closer to the Judge's desk and Jones follows her.

"Please my lord, I am trying to bring something very important out!."

She pleads

"We don't care. it's out of topic!."

Jones insists.

She gives Jones a weird nasty gaze, then she turns back to the judge pleading.

"Accorded!. But be fast about it!."

The judge says

He goes back furious while she moves to me smiling...

"Miss. Vivian, I repeat my question....!."

She tells adding some little spices, I know what she wants to hear, so I give it to her.

"He pulled me on the bare ground, hit my body without any mercy, and as If it's wasn't enough, later on, he rapes me. He did this countless times. No, he never threatened me. It's just the fear of not being heard, who would have believed me?. It would have been my word against that of Richardson. And we all know "

I explain

Richardson frowns and whispers in Jone's ears.

"As she says 'the fear of not being heard' a lot of ladies face this!. And this is the same thing you guys are doing to her right now. No one wants to listen to the paranoid lady speak. 'All she wants is money' this what you people say. Meanwhile, it's much more than just money. Let's think over this!.

I think it's all for now!."

She moves to her seat.

I also move to my seat.

"Mr. Richardson is called in the stand!."

The MC announces

Richardson is calm and bold...

"Anyway, question!."

MC asks my lawyer Sasha 

"No, I pass for now!."

She happily forfeits

Then Jones move ahead to question him.

"Miss, Vivian accuses you of several conjugal violence. What do you have to say about this!."

Jones asks

"It happened only once, and it was a mistake. She hit herself on the table and went unconscious!. So it wasn't all my fault as she claims!."

He lies

Juli, Sasha, and I give him a smile. 

We wanted him to be ridiculous.

"It's like he hasn't watched the trending video!."

Juli, whisper in our ears

He holds our laughter.

"I am done!."

Jones moves to his seat.

"Sasha?."

The MC calls

"Yes!."

She moves ahead.

"Mr. Richardson you say it only happened once?."

Sasha insists.

"Yes!. And it was a mistake!."

He insists too

"To cut this short. In this USB key, we have evidence of different videos where we see you violating your wife!."

She moves and gives it to the Judge.

The Judge gives it to the MC who plugs it on the projector.

They hear me screaming in the video.

The hall is noisy!.

"Miss, Sasha you could have saved our time!."

The judge Affirms 

"My client...!."

She now tells what we want which is 75% of everything.

Richardson is speechless. He gets up and moves to his seat with all the shame in the world on his head.

"15min of pause before the final verdict of the day!."

The Mc announces and the Judge steps out.