Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 89162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89162 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
As for her leaving him “when he needed her most”, that made no sense. He didn’t need her for anything except as someone he could abuse and hurt on a regular basis. With his money and fame, Molly figured he could find someone else to meet his needs—she’d had enough of his mistreatment.
At Zach’s response, the jury had stirred and murmured among themselves. The Judge reprimanded Zach and told him she wouldn’t tolerate that kind of language in her courtroom. And then Councilor Paige had said,
“No further questions,” and allowed Zach to hobble off the witness stand—which he did, making sure everyone in the courtroom could see how badly he was hurt.
Councilor Paige next called on several of Molly’s ex-employers who admitted, uncomfortably, that they had fired her or “let her go” because of the salacious videos Zach had sent them and their clients.
“So there was no problem with Molly’s performance?” she probed, raising her eyebrows at the principal of the last elementary school Molly had worked for.
“Er, no.” The principal, a balding man by the name of Albert Jenkins, shifted uncomfortably in the hard wooden witness chair. “She was an excellent teacher and the children loved her. But the parents in the school got upset when the video er…got out. They started demanding that we let her go. So…” He shrugged. “We had to. It was unfortunate, but several of the parents said they didn’t want their children being influenced by someone who would make that kind of video.”
“And were you told that Molly didn’t make that video at all—did she explain that she was recorded without her knowledge or consent?” Councilor Paige asked, frowning.
“Well…yes. She did say something like that.” Principal Jenkins cleared his throat. “But there were too many angry parents. I had to make the decision to let her go.”
The story was the same with every employer that Councilor Paige had gotten to testify. They all commented on what a good teacher Molly was and how she was so good with the children in her care. But once they saw the video of her, they decided she had to go.
Molly felt sick as she watched the last five years of her life replayed. It reminded her of every humiliation she had suffered—every job she’d lost and every time she’d had to move to someplace new that nobody knew her. All because Zach was a vindictive son-of-a-bitch.
She knew that Torus must be feeling her emotions because he squeezed her hand comfortingly and put an arm around her shoulders as they watched the parade of witnesses.
Then it had been Molly’s turn on the stand. She had a horrible case of nerves and her stomach felt like it was filled with ice cubes but she lifted her chin and swore to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Councilor Paige had walked her through her experiences—how she’d had to move again and again and kept losing jobs every time Zach located her and sent out another compromising video to her current employer. Then she’d asked for the details of the latest time he’d sent it.
“How did it make you feel?” she asked Molly. “You thought that you’d finally escaped your ex-husband’s influence and then he somehow found you and sent the video again—this time to the Kindred Mother Ship.”
“I wanted to die,” Molly said honestly. “I thought—if he can reach me even after I’ve left the planet, what hope is there?”
“So you became suicidal. And you told Commander Torus this, correct?” Councilor Paige asked, raising her eyebrows.
Molly nodded.
“I did,” she said in a low voice.
“And it was after admitting this to him that he went into Rage for you and went down to Earth to confront your ex-husband, Zachary Wyndham, correct?” the lawyer asked.
Molly had nodded again.
“Yes,” she answered. She saw the members of the jury looking at her—some with sympathy. But she didn’t want their pity—she wanted justice, damn it! She kept her head high.
After that, Zach’s lawyer got to ask some questions—and that was where things got rough.
“Isn’t it true, Ms. Byrne, that you only married my client for his money?” he demanded.
“What? No. We were both in college when I met Zach,” Molly said. “He didn’t have any money then—we were both just broke college students.”
“Ah, but you could see his potential—you knew he was going to be rich!” Zach’s lawyer exclaimed.
“Objection!” Councilor Paige said, frowning. “Your Honor, I’m not sure if the opposing council is attempting to paint my client as a ‘gold digger’ but I’d like to point out that Molly Byrne asked for nothing when she left Zachary Wyndham. She didn’t get a cent from him in their divorce.”
“So noted.” The judge had frowned at Zach’s lawyer. “Please keep your line of questioning relevant to the case, Councilor.”
Zach’s lawyer had next tried to shame Molly.