One Last Chance

One

This is book two after 'Give Me a Chance', make sure you read that one first for this one to make sense.

Four years ago

...thought I heard a whisper in the breeze, I knew it was you right next to me, and I want you to know, that I'm not alone, cause there's pieces of you in this town and they carry me along.....One Last Chance❤

"Your honor my client is innocent of the accusations. From her testimony it's so clear she didn't know about the murder, she only found out later on, so, it will be wrong for her to be accused of being an accomplice in the  murder." My lawyer says but he is cut off by the accuser's lawyer.

"But we have enough evidence to prove she knew about the murder but didn't inform the police."

"Do you have any evidence to support your claims?" The judge asks and the lawyer nods as he walks forward and hands in a small gadget. I can't tell what it is.

"What is that?"

"It's a recorder, we have in it a recording of Miss Stephens explaining how she knew about the murder."

My eyes shoot open.

A recording?

I don't know how that was taken.

They play the audio and when my voice comes through, I can't hold back the tears that are flowing.

It's a recording of the day I told Trevor about Lisa's murder, the same day he told me he wanted to give it a shot with me, the same day we made love. It was all a lie. He was busy listening to me and telling me how he wanted to make it work with me when he had a recorder somewhere recording everything I was saying.

I feel so betrayed. So used.

And for the last couple of weeks, I have been trying not to blame him, not to hate him. See everything through his side of the story but this is the last straw. I should stop holding on to the fact that he is sorry.

Because this audio is just going to land my ass in jail again.

He really did hate me. I was trying to see some good in him, I was hoping that maybe he didn't do all that intentionally, but the audio tells me otherwise. He not only wanted me dead, but he also wanted me to get back to jail.

That's why Chris framed me for the attempted murder of Joe when he stabbed him.

I was so stupid, I fell for him just like I fell for Ronald and now my poor heart is paying for it.

"Miss Stephens do you have anything to say to defend yourself?" The judge asks and I shake my head. I'm just tired of fighting this. I can't do it anymore. All my life I've had to fight for my innocence. It has always been a battle of me proving my innocence to everyone, and I'm just tired.

Tired of fighting battles that I always end up losing.

Right now I'm letting fate do whatever pleases it most. I can't fight this anymore.

"Your honor just a minute." The lawyer excuses himself and walks to where I am.

"Are you okay?" He asks in a whisper and I nod.

Nelson was hired by my father, or rather, Todd, to be my lawyer. He is good at what he does, given his age, I didn't expect he would have that much of experience. He is doing a good job.

Todd said, there was no way he was going to watch me get back in those prisons, he said he would do all he can to make sure I don't end back in jail even if it means spending the last of his penny.

If you ask me, I'd say, he's just trying to redeem himself. I'm still mad at them. Him and Beatrice.

"Good, because if you don't want to go back in those jails, then you'll have to defend yourself." I can hear everything he's saying but my mind is just on something else. I hate jail, I really do but I guess I don't have a choice. I wanted to protect Ronald's name and again it is getting my ass bitten. Again.

My eyes move to the people in the courtroom. Beatrice, Todd, Tiffany, Angie, and Seline. They have been like my family through this tough time. Always coming to my court meetings and I know I have bad blood with most of them. But they are the only people that have shown me support and I'm glad.

"Nelson, it's just a waste of time you heard the audio, no judge in their right mind wouldn't throw my ass in jail after listening to that audio." I'm trying to keep the tears at bay, but my efforts are proving to be useless.

"That audio isn't enough to earn you a sentence."

"You heard it, it has been cut, the only part is where I confess how I knew about the murder, the rest of the things I said before and after that have been edited and those are the only things that would have saved me."

Trevor was so smart, he knew what he was doing. There's no way I can defend myself.

What surprises me most is that he did all these because of a wife that cheated on him and even got pregnant for another man. He must have really loved her.

"Look at me." My eyes move to his eyes, and for the first time, I'm noticing just how beautiful they are.

Dammit.

I need to concentrate.

"You need to tell them what happened, that's the only thing that can save you from all these."

What am I even supposed to tell them?

That, the audio is as a result of Trevor lying to me and making a fool out of me and that I fell for it just like that?

It won't even make sense.

I feel the lump on my throat form again, and the tears start flowing. It's getting worse by the minute, as I break down. Everyone's attention in the courtroom is now on me.

Their looks of pity are even making this worse.

"Order!"

Nelson walks to where the judge is and I can see them discuss something as they keep passing glances at me.

"Order! We will take a five minutes  break to give Miss Stephens a moment to cry."

The way she said it, just made it sound so funny. When she walks out followed by the court attendants, immediately Seline is on my stand.

"Are you okay honey?" She asks and I nod.

The tears keep falling.

I watch Beatrice and Todd and they are keeping a distance from me. I appreciate that. I'm not ready to deal with some family drama right now.

"I know you're scared."

"Of jail? Yes, I'm always scared of that."

And the fact that it's all because of Trevor. He is the only person I told about the murder, and he is the same person that betrayed me.

She moves her thumb over my cheek and dries the tears that have fallen. It doesn't make much of a change because they keep falling.

"Look, I know you've been through a lot, you feel betrayed and you just want to give up on everything, but if you do that, it will mean, you're letting him win, again." She explains as she hands me a piece of handkerchief.

"He's already won, you know." I sniff into the handkerchief. I know I look like a mess right now.

It made me fall for him and now he's probably toasting a glass of champagne with Charlotte. Celebrating a victory.

"Honey, I'm not talking about him, I'm talking about Ronald, he is the reason you're here, forget the audio, forget Trevor, Ronald made you hide the murder, he killed her because of you. He is still creating the prison, this is his fault, don't let him still control you."

I nod when she tells me that.

She is right. It was Ronald's doing, he got me into this s**t and I won't go down without a fight. I'm so done with him being too in control, even in his death.

"So, say all you know, just make sure after this we are going back home." She says and walks back to the seat just as the judge walks back in.

"Is she ready to talk?" The judge asks and the lawyer turns to look at me. I nod in agreement.

If I don't want to be thrown back in jail, then I don't have a choice but to defend myself.

The other lawyer walks to where I am and the look on his face is enough to tell me I don't stand a chance.

Miss Stephens, how well did you know the late Mrs. Mulwa?" Just a mention of the last name makes my heart race. I don't know if this feeling will ever end.

It's not a feeling of hate, just betrayal, and more of I blame myself for being so stupid.

"Miss –"

"I didn't know her." I cut him off before he pisses me off.

"But you claimed Ronald was cheating on you with her."

"He had a lot of women." That's not news.

"If I stood before this court and said you were jealous that he was choosing her over you, so you had her murdered would I be lying?"

"Your honor my client  isn't obliged to answer that." Nelson cuts in.

"Next question Mr. Gilbert." He clears his throat awkwardly before he turns his attention to me.

"Did you know about the murder?" They have been asking me that question ever since this court proceedings began and my answer has never changed. He is just trying to make a big deal out of it all.

"As I said before, I only overheard him talking on phone, I confronted him and he threatened to do away with me if I ever spoke a word to the police, he also threatened to kill my family and friends, I didn't have a choice but to keep my mouth shut and when he died I didn't see any use of telling the police."

The tears have stopped flowing and I'm so ready to fight for my freedom no matter what happens. I may look beaten but I'm not giving up just yet.

"Any other questions Mr. Gilbert? Because I don't have the time, I need to give my judgment." When she says that my heart starts beating faster.

Now, this is the moment I know if I'm a free person or I will end up in those filthy prisons again.

I'm not sure what will happen if I get back in there, I will probably go crazy.

"Given your history Miss Stephens—"

"Do not judge me according to what happened in the past, it was an accident, and the case was annulled." I know she has the power of my freedom in her hands, but I don't think it would be fair if she used that against me.

She smiles before she keeps talking.

"You should learn to let people talk first."

"My apologies your honor." I feel so frustrated with all these that I don't even care anymore.

"So, as I was saying, given your past, people are bound to see you as a bad person, a murderer even, and that's the same notion that Mr. Gilbert and his anonymous client think about you, but I'm the judge here and they don't get a say."

My heart is beating in excitement right now. I think she is on my side.

"Your only crime was to protect your ex-boyfriend's legacy, I'm a woman and I would do the same if I were in your shoes."

Maybe I'm reading too much into her words but, this woman is officially my favorite person. We should have more female judges in the country.

"So, I will give you six months of community service and after that, try and stay out of trouble, okay?"

I'm nodding in excitement as I get on my feet.

I'm free.

"Maybe get a vacation out of the country, keep out of drama."

"Thank you your honour." I just want to run out of this booth and hug her.

She is a miracle come true.

"But your honor, we have enough evidence."

"Go home Mr. Gilbert, let this girl have a break. The court adjourned." She walks out and the officer standing outside my booth lets me out.

I can't think of anything else but the fact that I won't be going back to jail. My lawyer is saying something but I don't even bother to wait and listen.

At this moment I don't care if I'm not on good terms with my parents, I run into my mom's arms and let the tears flow.

"We did it." Mom whispers as she rubs my back gently.

She is not my biological mom, but this woman has always been my strongest pillar.

"What the f*****g hell?" Angie's voice startles us all and when I turn to look at the direction she is looking at in horror, I freeze.

Joseph!

He is taking striking steps towards us, and I watch as Angie and Seline take a few worrying steps back.

"Am I allowed to join in?"

"You-you're alive." I'm mumbling with my words.

"I thought that the phone call was supposed to tell you that."

The phone call I received the day I was arrested.

I never bothered to call back because I didn't have the number, due to my broken phone and his other number was never going through.

"I.....I." He doesn't let me say another word. He pulls me into a warm hug.

==========