Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 619

Faith's words left me speechless.

Karina wouldn't go too far with Hiram; after all, that would draw too much attention. But if she resorted to her old ways, using subtle moves to torment him, who would know?

"We didn't expect her to just show up at the hospital with cops to look for Hiram. Otherwise, I would've whisked him away and hidden him long before she could lay her eyes on him!" Faith fumed, her anger palpable even through the phone. "After all these years, Karina's still as cunning and malicious!"

Now, I was seriously worried about Hiram's safety. I even feared that once tomorrow's court session was over, Karina might whisk Hiram away abroad. At that point, Neil's lawsuit could become entangled in international legal complications, requiring diplomatic negotiations.

After hanging up with Faith, I immediately contacted a hacker to help pinpoint Karina's current location.

But it seemed Karina had anticipated such a move, having installed anti-tracking software, making it impossible to locate her. Meanwhile, Neil hadn't responded to any of my messages, leaving me in a dazed, anxious state.

I waited all night for a call or even a text from Neil, to no avail. It had been ages since I felt this way, but this time, it was for Hiram.

The next morning, after a restless night, I managed to freshen up, though I was exhausted, and headed to court. My lawyer was already waiting for me. As I got in my car, my phone vibrated. I picked it up, hoping it was Neil finally getting back to me, but it wasn't.

It was the lawyer I had left back in Rosemont.

He finally had some good news for me. "Ms. Finch, we've made a breakthrough with Frank, but he's got conditions. You'll need to fulfill the promise you made to him."

The promise to Frank was about taking care of his family, which wasn't a big deal for me—it was something money could solve.

Apparently, Karina had been stingy on this front. After Frank went to prison, she hadn't taken care of his family properly, giving me an opening.

"Alright, agree to whatever he asks, as long as he's willing to disclose who else is involved to the authorities," I said, my spirits lifting slightly despite a sleepless night.

"Okay," the lawyer replied.

I hung up just as I arrived at the courthouse, where my lawyer awaited. This case seemed straightforward to him since Karina's accusation of me poisoning Hiram lacked solid evidence. After all, I had been the one caring for Hiram when he fell ill.

During that time, she had also visited Hiram, and the pills she had given him were in my possession—I had them tested and could use the results as evidence in my defense.

As I was discussing this with my lawyer, Karina's car pulled up. She wasn't alone; Russel was with her.

Seeing them together made my heart sink. My gaze locked onto Russel, filled with disappointment and confusion. Had he come all the way from Rosemont just to support Karina in court?

Karina's suspicious and venomous glance lingered on me before she followed Russel, leaving me with countless questions. What made her so confident? From the moment I started caring for Hiram to her secretly giving him those pills, what evidence could she possibly have gathered in such a short span? The lab results were in my favor, and hospital surveillance could prove her visit to Hiram. Moreover, as a doctor, she could easily concoct any medication.

With a mind full of doubts, I entered the courtroom, taking my place at the defendant's table, opposite Karina. Her lawyer began listing the charges against me—from snatching her child and denying her visitation to poisoning him out of jealousy.

"Why do you believe the defendant was jealous enough to poison your child?" the judge inquired.

I expected her to mention Neil, but Karina's response took me by surprise, revealing a madness I hadn't anticipated.

With a sinister smile, she looked at me and said, "Hiram is the son of Neil Whitmore, CEO of Whitmore Co., and myself. The defendant, Irene, Neil's ex-wife, is jealous of my child and me because she gave birth to twins after their divorce, who are also Neil's!"

At that moment, my world went blank, and the courtroom erupted in shock.

Even Russel was taken aback, clearly blindsided by Karina's bombshell.

Had Karina lost her mind? My heart pounded like thunder. Was she playing a desperate hand, knowing full well that her chances of getting back into the good graces of the Whitmores were slim to none? And with me and Neil still tangled in a web of unresolved issues, the future of our children and their true heritage hung in the balance. Was she using this moment to pin a crime on me, to paint me as jealous of Hiram, desperate enough to poison him?

That was the only explanation I could muster. Otherwise, I was at a loss for why Karina would do something so drastic. Her words, if they reached the ears of the Whitmore family, would undoubtedly bring them knocking on my door, searching for Serena and Brandon!