Chapter 528 Unexpected News
Chapter 528 Unexpected News
Time had passed in the blink of an eye. It was the day of the trial.
Anne had tied her hair into a bun, revealing her slender neck. The exquisite makeup accentuated her features.
Kevin looked tall and handsome in his black suit. He had trimmed his beard that showed his chiseled jaw.
The couple had become the center of everyone's attention. Kevin and Anne were made for each other - - they were a match made in heaven.
Lester Chen appeared at the court. He was representing the TS Company today.
Both Anne and Kevin looked at the ambitious man. "Mr. Chen, what does the TS Company mean to you?" they queried, smiling politely.
Lester Chen arched his brow and looked at the couple. "The TS Company has helped me earn money and respect. I make a living working for the company. Without them, I wouldn't have found a platform to demonstrate my talents!"
His answer revealed how important the company was to him. Anne crossed her arms over her chest and scoffed.
"Well, in that case, I hope you do not push the TS Company into the abyss of destruction. If someone threatens you, you should call the police and let them deal with it instead of managing everything on your own."
The smile on the man's face vanished in an instant.
He wondered if Anne knew somethingNôvelDrama.Org © content.
"Mr. Chen, you are a popular person in the apparel industry. Can't you see the obvious? Did you think that you could turn the fake designs into real ones?" Anne shook her head as a knowing smile crept onto her lips. "The eighteen designers you have stolen from us are incredibly talented. But do you think they will work for you if you threaten them? One cannot force creativity. They might be scared of you, but they won't exhibit their full potential because you have stolen their freedom."
The man's face darkened.
Many reporters had gathered around them, clicking pictures of their conversation. Lester Chen's expression revealed more information than words could. There was an intense battle between the two parties even before the trial had begun. Today's news was sure to take the internet by storm.
Lester Chen took a deep breath and finally spoke, "Mrs. Anne, don't try to destroy my reputation in front of so many people. There is no point in arguing with me now. The judge will give justice to the innocent, so wait and watch."
"Then, I wish you good luck, Mr. Chen."
Anne smiled and walked inside, holding Kevin's hand.
Lester Chen looked at the woman with his mouth hanging open in shock. She was surprised by her audacity. The woman had wished him good luck.
Did that mean they had admitted defeat? However, their confidence told otherwise. He wondered if they had any new evidence.
Lester Chen grew nervous.
He dropped his gaze to the ground and continued to walk ahead.
Finally, it was time for the trial. Everyone entered the courtroom in order. Anne and others were sitting in the dock.
"If the defendant can't provide strong evidence by today, he has to accept the judgment without any protest!" declared the judge.
Anne looked at Kevin; he held her hand, nodding reassuringly.
"We have new evidence, your honor," the lawyer said, submitting a disk.
It was a video of the design room. Anne and the other designers were in an animated discussion, preparing for the beauty pageant. Their faces were lit up with joy and expectation of the future.
The video had a clear view of the designs and had recorded their conversation as well.
Lester Chen looked at the screen in horror.
They had destroyed the surveillance cameras of the LF Group. He wondered how they had found the backup.
The footage had ruined all their plans.
"Does the plaintiff have an explanation for this?" the judge asked.
Lester Chen's face flushed with embarrassment. He was staring at the video with wide eyes.
His face had turned pale; he shook his head in disbelief. He was confident about winning the case. However, the evidence proved that the LF Group was innocent.
Anne closed her eyes and silently thanked Coral for helping her get justice for the LF Group.
"Your honor, we are going to sue the TS Company for stealing our draft and destroying the cameras of our company. In addition to that, they have hacked our confidential information and stolen the contract of our employees as well," the lawyer declared.
A commotion broke among the crowd. The TS Company had posted a lot of comments on its micro- blog site to denounce the LF Group. They were confident about suing their rival and dragging them down.
Over time, people began supporting the TS Company.
However, the video footage revealed the truth. The TS Company had indulged in fraudulent activities.
They had copied the designs of the LF Group.
The company had not only threatened the designers of the LF Group to disclose the confidential information, but had forced them to work for their concern as well.
Anne and Kevin watched the argument between the two lawyers. It was a relatively simple case. The evidence proved that the TS Company had stolen the design draft of the LF Group. Therefore, the judge declared them innocent. The TS Company had to compensate for the losses.
Anne smiled and looked at Lester Chen. Their case was a perfect example to prove that facts speak louder than words.
Numerous reporters swarmed around Anne and Kevin the moment they walked out of the court. The bodyguards of the Fu Family took their position. They expelled the crowd while ushering the couple into the car.
The LF Group didn't need any monetary compensation. They wanted the world to know that the designs belonged to them. As expected, the truth had come to light yet again.
However, considering Lester Chen's attitude, they had to make the TS Company pay the price for their crime. Otherwise, they would never repent.
Anne and Kevin decided to accept the compensation.
"Thanks to Coral. Otherwise, we wouldn't have won the case." Anne smiled at Kevin.
He nodded and let out a weary sigh. "Yeah. We can only secretly thank her. If people find out that she had helped us retrieve the footage, she would be in danger."
After all, Kim was a crazy man. He would go to any extent to harm the people he didn't like.
Anne nodded in understanding. He was right.
Just then, Anne's phone rang. Seeing Rose's name on the caller ID, she answered right away.
"Anne, since we have won the case, why don't we call all the eighteen designers back and ask them to sign the contract again?" Rose asked excitedly.
Anne shook her head and smiled. "I'm going to the hospital to take care of Eddy. You'll have to manage all the paper works. Will that be okay?"
"LF Group is the fruit of our joint efforts, so you don't even have to ask me about anything. You take care of Eddy. I will manage everything." Rose took a deep breath and continued, "I am so happy that we have won the case, Anne. I'm sure everything will be fine from now."
Anne was equally emotional. She smiled and hung up the call.
"Rose has changed a lot!" Kevin remarked.
Rose had been a selfish person in the past. She never forgave the people who hurt and betrayed her. But she was considerate enough to invite the eighteen designers to return to their company now. The
woman had understood their situation and was ready to offer them a job.
Anne was happy to witness the change in her behavior. "Rose is a lovely person now."
The two smiled at each other. Rose was transforming into a better person with every passing day.
Eddy was still sleeping when they arrived at the hospital. The two decided to consult the doctor and find out about their son's health. The doctor assured them that he was recovering well. However, Eddy was still young. They had to be careful and take extra care of him.
Kevin and Anne knew that. They always took good care of their son.
After talking to the doctor, the two stood outside the door and watched Eddy through the tiny opening. They believed that their son would be healthy from now on and would never suffer from any serious ailments.
All of a sudden, Kevin's phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and read the message from Max.
"Is it convenient for you to answer the phone now? There is some news about Colin." Anne and Kevin looked at each other in shock.
Max was a police officer. It would be the firsthand news for them.
Colin had gone missing without leaving a trace. However, there was some information about him now.
They could use the clue to find him.
The video that had circulated on the internet earlier revealed that Colin was severely injured, and nobody was aware of his condition now.
It had been a lucky day so far. After days of struggle, they won the case against the TS Company. Moreover, Eddy was getting better. They had been hearing good things and thought that they might be
able to find Colin as well.
Anne and Kevin found a quiet place and called Max.
The man answered immediately. "Mr. Kevin, we found a corpse, but it is rotten. We can't recognize the person's identity, so taking a DNA test is the only option to find out whether it is Colin or not."
They were stunned.
The news was like thunder that struck their hearts. The blood on their faces drained in an instant.
They believed that someone had abducted Colin but didn't think that he would die.
Anne shook her head in disbelief. She couldn't accept the information. She couldn't believe that Colin had died.
"No! Colin had promised his daughter that he would come back to her safe and sound. He is a man of his word. How could he die? It can't be Colin!" she said, shaking her head fiercely.
What would Ella do without her father?
Colin was all she had. The little girl's heart was full of hope and dreams. How could she break her heart by disclosing the truth?
Max let out a weary sigh. "We don't want it to be Colin either, but the physical features of the corpse are similar to that of Colin. I'm afraid..." he paused, took a deep breath, and continued, "Well, there is only little hope!"
Anne's body grew limp; she held Kevin's arm for support. "Kevin, if Ella finds out..." she trailed off.
Kevin shook his head helplessly. He didn't know what to do either. How would poor Ella live without her father?
"Anne, let us not conclude anything until we get the DNA test report. We have to be patient!" That was all they could do.
Anne nodded and closed her eyes. Kevin was right. They could only pray that it wasn't Colin.
On the way back to the ward, the two met Selma and Ella. The woman was holding a box of dessert as she fed the little girl with a doting smile.
Ella was equally happy.
The girl's smile broke Anne's heart. She didn't know about the latest news about his father yet.
The news would break her beyond repair. She would never be a happy girl again.
"Kevin, let's keep this information a secret until the result comes out," Anne requested, holding his hand.
She knew that Kevin wouldn't blurt out the news until they were sure of it. But she wanted to warn him anyway.
Kevin nodded in agreement. He was equally worried.
Ella's eyes lit up when she saw the couple. She waved her hand, grinning happily. "Mom, Uncle!"
Anne and Kevin forced a smile, trying to hide their emotions.
A wave of guilt consumed Anne. She couldn't hide the truth from the little girl, but they had no choice now. 'I'm sorry, Ella. We have no right to hide the truth about your father, but we want to protect you first.
We can't watch you cry. Please don't mistake us, ' thought she.
"Mom," Kevin and Anne greeted Selma.
The woman smiled and showed them the box of dessert. "Ella likes eating this. I, too, had a bite. Have some. This is yummy."
Anne's stomach was churning with anxiety. She didn't know if the food would go down her throat.
However, she opened the box anyway and divided it into four.