How brutally he killed his own best friend.”
“Now no one can save him from the gallows.”
“Tch, tch… look at him standing there with his head hanging down.”
“Shame on him.”
“People like him don’t deserve to live.”
Those whispers were the only sounds echoing through the courtroom.
Today was the final hearing.
Evelyn Williams stood there—silent, exhausted, completely broken.
His head hung low, eyes fixed on the floor beneath his feet. He had never imagined that his life would come to this. His closest childhood friend had been murdered… and worse, he himself was accused of that murder.
He swallowed hard as a painful lump formed in his throat. His red, sleepless eyes slowly lifted toward the front bench.
There sat his wife… holding their one-year-old daughter in her arms.
The baby slept peacefully, unaware that her father’s world was collapsing.
His wife gave him a weak, shattered smile.
That was all it took.
Tears streamed down Evelyn’s face.
Everything was ruined.
His world. His life. His dreams. His name. His family. Everything.
For a moment, his eyes wandered around the courtroom. Some people were busy writing, some whispering, and some staring straight at him—with nothing but hatred and disgust in their eyes.
He let out a broken sigh and lowered his gaze again.
Waiting… for the announcement of his death.
Not far from him, Arshmaan stood quietly, observing everything.
“Tch, tch… there’s not even a hint of shame on his face,” Officer Sam muttered coldly.
“Good riddance. It’s better if such bastards don’t exist in this world.”
Arshmaan rolled his eyes.
“Who knows what will happen when the tables turn,” he replied calmly.
“Who will turn out to be innocent… and who will be the real culprit.”
“You really have a habit of daydreaming, Arshmaan,” Sam said with a smirk.
“This man won’t be saved. The law looks at evidence, not—” he lowered his voice, “—the intelligence of criminals.”
“Time will tell,” Arshmaan said confidently.
Sam clenched his jaw but ignored him. Everyone knew Evelyn Williams was guilty—a bloody criminal.
It had been two days, and no evidence had been found to prove his innocence.
And Sam was more than happy. Finally, he would be able to put Arshmaan in his place.
Minutes later, everyone stood as the judge entered.
A heavy silence fell over the courtroom.
No whispers. No movement.
Everyone waited for the verdict.
Suddenly, Evelyn’s lawyer stood up, holding a file wrapped in a blue cover.
“Your Honor… we have discovered something important,” he said, handing the file forward.
“This is Liam Wang’s post-mortem report.”
“Wasn’t this already submitted earlier?” the judge asked.
The lawyer smiled slightly.
“Yes, Your Honor. But one crucial detail was overlooked.”
The courtroom stirred. Even Evelyn looked up in shock.
“What detail?” the judge asked. “Isn’t it the same report?”
The lawyer nodded. Taking a deep breath, he spoke clearly:
“The post-mortem report states that Liam Wang was murdered at 9:02 PM.
However, the CCTV footage provided by the police shows that Evelyn Williams was at his own house at "9:25 PM.”
A wave of confusion swept through the room.
The lawyer continued, his voice steady, sending shock through everyone present:
“This single fact alone proves that Evelyn Williams is innocent.”
Gasps echoed. Eyes widened in disbelief.
Across the room, Arshmaan smirked—his gaze locking onto the **real culprit**, sitting quietly, pretending to be the most innocent person in the world.
“What the hell is going on?” Sam whispered, stunned.
“Order! Order!” the judge said sharply.
“What exactly are you suggesting? Explain yourself.”
The lawyer turned toward Evelyn, who stared at him with teary, hopeful eyes.
“actualy the distance between Liam’s house and Evelyn’s house is at least "thirty minutes,” the lawyer explained.
“According to phone records, Liam messaged his friend at "8:22 PM" At that time, Evelyn’s phone location shows he was still at home. CCTV footage confirms this.”
He handed the footage to the judge.
“Now, the message read:
I want to meet you right now. How long will you postpone this?’
These were angry words, Your Honor. Yes, Liam was upset with his friend— and this message made Evelyn look suspicious.”
The lawyer paused, then continued.
“ after that Evelyn left his house at "8:30 PM".
And I'm saying it again, his house is about half an hour away.
Even if Evelyn drove at 100 km/h, he would need at least 15 minutes. With traffic, even longer—8:40, 8:50, or more.
So tell me—how could he murder someone in such a short time?
And then return home again?
Did he fly back by plane?”
Murmurs erupted as people began to rethink everything.
The judge frowned.
“Mr. Vasiliev, evidence such as fingerprints, footprints, and the murder weapon are present. What you say raises doubt—but do you have concrete evidence? Any witnesses?”
Silence filled the courtroom.
Then Nate Vasiliev’s voice echoed firmly.
“Yes, Your Honor. I do.”
“I would like to call Miss Bella Petrov to the stand.”
“Permission granted,” the judge said.
A young woman entered.
Someone’s breath hitched.
She stood there, trembling like a leaf.
“This woman,” the lawyer said, “is a waitress from the Angel Club.”
Here....
Arshmaan smirked at Sam, whose eyes were wide with disbelief.
“So that’s why you went there yesterday?” Sam hissed.
“You still didn’t give up?”
Arshmaan whispered calmly,
“Sach ki chadar odh kar jhooth, sach nahi ho jaata."
Sam frowned. “What?”
Arshmaan chuckled softly.
“A lie does not become the truth just because it wears the disguise of truth.”
Sam stared at him, shocked.
“Oh, and Sam,” Arshmaan added casually,
“I know I’m handsome—but look there. The real show has just begun.”
And his eyes fell on the real killer.
Sam followed his gaze.
And froze.
The person Arshmaan was looking at…
Was Evelyn’s own wife
Isla Evelyn Williams.
Who was shaking uncontrollably.
---
Author’s POV – Flashback
Arshmaan’s life was about to change completely.
In a few days, he would return to the place from where he had once been taken forcefully—India.
But before that, he had a responsibility.
To save an innocent man.
Tomorrow was the final hearing. There was no solid evidence in Evelyn’s favor—but Arshmaan was certain of his innocence.
Since yesterday, he has been going through the files again and again.
Everything seemed real.
The evidence looked perfect.
Yet something was missing.
But what?
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.
His mother’s last words echoed in his mind:
"Time changes everything, no matter what.”
His eyes snapped open.
“Time…”
He checked the evidence again....
Still he did not find anything,,, but his eyes fell on the post mortem report....
The post-mortem report.
He Check the time of ( death: 9:02 PM.)
The body was found the next morning.
The knife.
The footprints.
The phone showing only one last contact—Evelyn.
Everything pointed to him.
Too perfectly.
“A lie disguised as truth,” Arshmaan murmured.
He drove first to Liam’s house—two hours away.
Then from there to Evelyn’s house—just thirty minutes.
Late at night, he parked at a distance.
Silence. Darkness.
Then—
The gate opened.
A woman stepped out.
Evelyn’s wife.
Barely dressed.
Arshmaan stared as she got into her car and drove away.
He followed.
An hour and a half later, she stopped at a club.
Angel Club.
Ar
shmaan chuckled darkly.
“her husband is fighting for his life… and look at that.___.” he gritted....
Now his suspicions were clear.
And from that night onward—
His real investigation began.
And everything…
turned upside down.
Just like he thought..
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