Chapter 58

Kerr had immediately filed an appeal in court, which had angered many of the

spectators. They saw it as the Preston family refusing to accept the truth,

determined to protect a murderer. As the public face of the family, Liliana was now a

target.

"Okay, thank—" Before she could finish, a hand grabbed her wrist, yanking her forward.

*SLAP!*

The sound was sharp and loud. The force of the blow snapped her head to the side, her ears ringing. The hand gripping her wrist belonged to her father, his face contorted with rage.

"Liliana, this is all your fault for hiring that useless lawyer! I see what you're doing! You want Hale in prison so you can take over the Preston family's assets! Dream on!"

Vida rushed over, pushing and pulling at her. "What have you done? Are you trying to kill your father and me? Hale was always so good to you! Have you no conscience? How can you even stand here right now?"

Liliana clutched her stinging cheek, tears streaming down her face as her mother shook her. She was just as devastated as they were. She had been steeling herself, planning her next steps with Attorney Kerr, racking her brain for a way to get Hale out. What was she supposed to do, cause a riot in the courtroom?

From a distance, Juniper, who had been on the phone with Douglas, heard the commotion. "Shit!" she muttered, hanging up and charging over. She pulled Liliana away from her parents.

"What the hell are you doing?" she yelled, a vein throbbing in her forehead. "Liliana has been running herself ragged for your son, losing sleep night after night! She's done everything for you, and you? You've been hiding like cowards, letting her take all the heat! Do you even have a shred of decency?"

Chuck didn't dare cross her, fearing the influence of the Sewell family. He glared at Liliana. "If you don't get Hale out, I'm not done with you!" he spat, then stormed off.

Vida gave Liliana a look of profound disappointment, then scurried after her husband when he yelled for her to hurry up.

Attorney Kerr looked at Liliana with a mixture of complexity and pity. "Miss Preston,

your brother's case... are you sure you want to continue?"

"Yes!" she said without hesitation. "I'm sorry, Attorney Kerr. Please, keep

investigating. You have to find the evidence. You have to save Hale."

She couldn't get lan Chase to take the case, and neither could her father. Attorney Kerr was their only hope.

"Alright. You... take care of yourself I'll get back to the investigation," he said. His professional pride was on the line; he wouldn't abandona caşe, regardless of the clients' behavior.

Juniper gently pulled Liliana's hand away from her face. "It's already swelling. Is he

even your real father? How could he hit you like that?"

A burning pain spread from her cheek through the rest of her body. Her heart was a chaotic mix of sorrow for Hale, despair, and bitter resentment. "I'm okay," she said, her voice hoarse and raw. "I can handle it." swñovels

Suddenly, her phone buzzed repeatedly with news alerts. The notifications brought her back to the present. She opened her phone.

A live media interview filled the screen. The cameras were focused on Sylvia and Cedric.

"I feel terrible about taking up public resources over a dog," Sylvia was saying, "but the other party was just so unreasonable. I'm so grateful to have Cedric by my side, supporting me. He wanted to pursue legal action to get me justice, but I feel this has gone on long enough. I don't want to waste any more of everyone's time. Thank you to the media and to everyone for your concern, and thank you to Attorney Chase for his professional advice. I

hope everyone will be kind to

animals in the future..."

Sylvia did all the talking, with Cedric standing silently beside her. He didn't have to say a word. His mere presence was enough to make the reporters treat Sylvia with fawning respect.