Page 92 of The Billionaire's Betrayal
TRISTAN:Well?
EVA:It's signed.
A few seconds later, the screen lit up with an incoming call.
"It's done," I breathed as I answered.
From the other end, Tristan burst into laughter.
"You did it, Eva!"
A smile spread across my lips as I walked toward the car.
"Yes.We did it."
***
Tristan had to testify at Audrey's trial, and even if he hadn't expressed it clearly, I could see how much it troubled him.Audrey had almost destroyed our relationship, compromised the Australian subsidiary project, and was indirectly responsible for his accident and the health problems that followed.Her name was now linked to painful memories.
We had just arrived outside the courtroom when she appeared in the hallway, closely followed by her lawyer.Dressed in a dark suit, her face marked by fatigue and stress, she immediately moved toward us as soon as she spotted Tristan, ignoring the muffled protests of her lawyer.Tristan tensed beside me.I placed my hand on his arm to calm him.Audrey's gaze slid over me, pausing briefly on my rounded belly.I saw her features harden imperceptibly, a shadow passing over her face, before she looked away as if my presence and that of the child I was carrying were unbearable to her.
"Tristan, how are you?"she asked."I was worried.No one would give me any news about you."
"Stop the act!"Tristan cut her off sharply, each word loaded with contempt."It's because of you that I had this accident.Without you, none of this would have happened!"
Audrey stepped back, as if physically struck by the hatred she read in his gaze.
"I...I'm sorry," she breathed, her voice trembling."I never wanted to hurt you, you have to believe me."
"Then why did you do it?"he asked.
"Because...because I love you," she whispered desperately.
Tristan's jaw tightened.
"That's not love, Audrey.You were only interested in me because I represented power and wealth.You would never have looked at me if I had been just an ordinary employee.You know nothing about me, my dreams, or my plans.You claim to love me, but if that were true, you would have let me go when you realized my heart belonged to Eva.Instead, you sought revenge."
Audrey opened her mouth, but no sound came out.Her eyes shone with barely contained rage.Her lawyer placed a firm hand on her arm to dissuade her from continuing this confrontation, but she broke free with a sudden movement, too consumed by her anger to listen to reason.
"What does she have that I don't?"she finally shouted, her voice trembling with fury.
I stared at her for a moment, torn between pity and disgust.
"Something you'll never understand.A sincere heart and a pure soul."
Audrey stood speechless, as if these words had struck her to the core.A security officer then came forward to escort her to the courtroom.I gently slipped my hand into Tristan's, and he squeezed it in return, giving me a reassuring smile.The atmosphere was tense, but my presence beside him was calming.
Suddenly, Audrey straightened slightly, as if she had one last card to play.
"Wait, Tristan, I still have the recording of my conversation with Lazarus Rousseau," she said urgently."Would you agree to drop the charges against me in exchange?"
Tristan remained silent for a few moments, carefully considering his response.Then, in a composed voice that left no room for negotiation:
"No, Audrey, that recording won't save you.As for Lazarus and Aron Capital, Eva has already taken care of them.That you manipulated me to seduce me, I can understand, but I will never forgive you for trying to destroy my relationship with Eva."
Audrey's face crumbled as she realized her last attempt at manipulation had failed.Her lawyer, who had observed the exchange with an increasingly displeased expression, firmly grabbed her arm and led her to the courtroom, muttering what sounded like reprimands under his breath.
The trial lasted all day.The evidence was damning: administration of illegal substances, harassment, and endangering the life of another.When the verdict came down, the room was plunged into a heavy silence.Audrey was sentenced to two years in prison without parole.
