My Husband Divorced Me While I Was Unconscious After Giving Birth to Triplets — Then My Brother Uncovered His Fraud at the Town Assembly
Gabriel pounded his fist on the table. “I insist, Judge Albright! My wife is clearly unstable, prone to these public outbursts. This assembly cannot be derailed by her… her madness!”
He motioned frantically to the two parish constables, who finally started to move, though hesitantly, towards me and Gideon. Their faces were uncertain; they knew me, knew my family.
But Gideon, quicker and more determined, stepped forward. He moved past the hesitant constables, his eyes fixed on Judge Albright.
“Before any action is taken, Your Honor,” Gideon said, his voice clear and unwavering, “I request an immediate formal reading of these documents.”
He laid the heavy leather portfolio directly onto Judge Albright’s bench. The thud of the portfolio on the wood seemed to echo in the silent hall.
From the portfolio, Gideon carefully extracted two documents. One was the thick, leather-bound parish burial registry, its familiar cover a stark contrast to Gabriel’s accusations. The other was the smaller, sealed parchment, the 1775 Oakhaven Manor Charter with its hidden codicil.
Gabriel’s eyes widened, a flicker of panic replacing his fury. He recognized the parish registry. He had no idea what the second document was.
“What is this?” Gabriel sputtered, his voice cracking. “These are irrelevant. This is a desperate attempt to delay justice!”
Judge Albright held up a hand, silencing him. The Judge’s gaze was sharp, dissecting. He picked up the heavy parish registry first, his brows furrowed. He scanned the familiar pages, his finger tracing the entries.
He looked up, first at Gideon, then at me. A deep frown settled on his face.
Then, he picked up the sealed parchment. He broke the wax seal, a crisp snap that seemed impossibly loud in the silence. He unfolded it, his eyes beginning to read the fine script.
The whispers in the hall started again, a low hum of confusion and apprehension. What were these documents? What was Gideon doing? What was Clara’s brother truly unveiling?
Gabriel stood frozen, his earlier confidence completely evaporated. He watched Judge Albright, a dawning horror creeping onto his face as the Judge’s expression hardened with each line he read. The control Gabriel had so painstakingly built over Oakhaven was now visibly crumbling.
Judge Albright slowly lowered the documents, his eyes sweeping across the council members, then settling, cold and unwavering, on Gabriel. The air crackled with a new, potent tension. The assembly waited, poised on the edge of a precipice, for the Judge’s pronouncement.
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