The Judge, The Fiancée, The Frame-up

Two Degrees

Romance | Completed

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The judge' s voice was a flat, impersonal drone. "Guilty." My fiancée, Olivia, a vision in her tailored business suit, didn' t even flinch. Her eyes, once so full of love, slid away from mine, landing on my half-brother, Liam. He covered her hand with his, a small, intimate gesture that screamed a truth louder than the verdict. They were abandoning me. My parents were gone, killed in the very accident I was now convicted of causing. Seven years I spent in hell, every appeal denied, every lead a dead end. Sarah, my childhood friend and court-appointed lawyer-and my wife on paper-was my only lifeline. She kept promising to fight, telling me everything was a lie. Then, a miracle. My conviction overturned. I was finally free. But freedom quickly turned to another nightmare. Sarah, my champion, tearfully confessed her family' s firm was bleeding money from an embezzlement scheme. She needed a fall guy, and I, a freshly released ex-con, was the perfect one. "I' ll do it," I said, believing I was repaying a debt, an honorable sacrifice for the woman who saved me. Another seven years stolen. When I was finally released, 42 years old, I went to Sarah' s mother' s house, this time to surprise her. But the surprise was on me, in the form of a conversation overheard. "Liam needs this to be over." "He thought I was marrying him to save him," Sarah' s voice, cold and sharp, cut through me. "The only reason I married him was to become the victim' s family representative. The only way to legally sign a waiver that would prevent prosecutors from ever going after the real killer." Liam. He was the killer. And Sarah, my trusted friend, my wife, had been the architect of my destruction from the very beginning. Fourteen years. Two prison sentences. All a lie to protect the man who murdered my parents.

Crime Betrayal Revenge Drama Personal growth

Chapter 10

01-06 21:08

Introduction

The judge' s voice was a flat, impersonal drone.

"Guilty."

My fiancée, Olivia, a vision in her tailored business suit, didn' t even flinch.

Her eyes, once so full of love, slid away from mine, landing on my half-brother, Liam.

He covered her hand with his, a small, intimate gesture that screamed a truth louder than the verdict.

They were abandoning me. My parents were gone, killed in the very accident I was now convicted of causing.

Seven years I spent in hell, every appeal denied, every lead a dead end.

Sarah, my childhood friend and court-appointed lawyer-and my wife on paper-was my only lifeline.

She kept promising to fight, telling me everything was a lie.

Then, a miracle. My conviction overturned. I was finally free.

But freedom quickly turned to another nightmare.

Sarah, my champion, tearfully confessed her family' s firm was bleeding money from an embezzlement scheme.

She needed a fall guy, and I, a freshly released ex-con, was the perfect one.

"I' ll do it," I said, believing I was repaying a debt, an honorable sacrifice for the woman who saved me.

Another seven years stolen.

When I was finally released, 42 years old, I went to Sarah' s mother' s house, this time to surprise her.

But the surprise was on me, in the form of a conversation overheard.

"Liam needs this to be over."

"He thought I was marrying him to save him," Sarah' s voice, cold and sharp, cut through me.

"The only reason I married him was to become the victim' s family representative. The only way to legally sign a waiver that would prevent prosecutors from ever going after the real killer."

Liam. He was the killer.

And Sarah, my trusted friend, my wife, had been the architect of my destruction from the very beginning.

Fourteen years. Two prison sentences. All a lie to protect the man who murdered my parents.