Back in the courtroom, not a single soul had moved.
The royal family and other noble guests were forbidden from stepping outside. Refreshments had been set neatly on the tables to prevent anyone from starving, though the tension alone was enough to turn one's stomach. The sickening hostility between Gerald and Stephen thickened the air until it felt almost unbreathable.
"Classless whore!! Seriously??" Stephen spat. His eyes locked bitterly at Gerald.He had it already with the old man.
The atmosphere was heavy, suffocating. Linda's eyes were still swollen from the earlier crying fit, her face marked with grief. Annabelle, desperate to comfort her mother, tried every word and gesture she could muster, but the raging woman could not be calmed. The reality that she was now truly alone—a widow—hung over her like a curse, and the sight struck the onlookers with pity.
"Haven't I warned anyone against speaking about my soon-to-be groom?" Stephen thundered.
