CHAPTER 2 – The Evidence Everyone Thought Was Destroyed
Every camera in the courtroom turned toward Ethan.
His tiny hand slowly pulled out an old, scratched voice recorder.
The businessman immediately stood up.
"No!" he shouted.
The single word sent chills through everyone watching.
Why was he so terrified of a broken recorder?
Ethan looked at the judge.
"My dad gave this to me the night before he died."
"He said if anything ever happened to him... I should never let anyone destroy it."
The courtroom became deathly silent.
The judge ordered the recorder to be examined immediately.
A technician inserted fresh batteries.
Nothing happened.
For a painful moment, everyone believed the recording had been lost forever.
The businessman smiled again.
"I told you," he laughed. "It's useless."
Then...
A crackling sound echoed through the speakers.
Static.
Heavy breathing.
And finally...
A familiar voice.
"If you're hearing this... they got me."
It was Ethan's father.
The entire courtroom stopped breathing.
The recording continued.
"I have proof they stole millions... and if I disappear... it wasn't an accident."
Then another voice interrupted.
Cold.
Calm.
Deadly.
"You should've stayed quiet."
The businessman collapsed back into his chair.
His face lost all color.
The prosecutors stared at each other in disbelief.
The judge ordered police officers to lock every exit.
But just as officers moved toward the businessman...
A woman sitting quietly in the last row stood up.
"No..."
she whispered.
"That's not the whole recording."
Everyone turned toward her.
She slowly removed her sunglasses.
"I was there that night..."
"And I'm the reason Ethan's father didn't die immediately."
The courtroom exploded into confusion.
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No one realized...
The biggest secret of all had just walked through the courtroom doors.
