Freya's POV
After I disembarked from the bus, I received a call from Henry. I felt a bit puzzled, wondering why Henry had suddenly called me. Contemplating it for a moment, I answered the call.
"Hello, Henry, what's going on?" I asked.
"Freya, where are you?" Henry inquired.
My eyebrows shot up. Were we really close enough to address each other by our first names?
"I'm at the courthouse; I have a lawsuit to file today," I replied after a moment. "Is there something work-related, Henry?"
"No..." Henry hesitated for a moment and then changed his words. "Which court are you at for the lawsuit? I'll come over and sit in."
I considered it and said, "Sure, come over."
After ending the call, I texted him the address.
Finley asked, "Is Alpha Henry coming over?"
Henry arrived a few minutes before the court proceedings and took a seat where Kingsley had sat last time. It felt as if he were part of my family. On the defendant Theo's side, there was a woman and two children.
I cast a cold glance at Theo, who was presently seated in the defendant's chair. Theo was dressed in a suit and seemed to be in great shape these days. He had even mellowed out a bit, but the overpowering smell of cologne on him was nauseating.
At that moment, I even felt the urge to rush up and rip his throat out..
I clenched my fists, determined to win this lawsuit.
Finley gently patted the back of my hand and whispered, "Stay calm."
I took a deep breath and lowered my gaze as the court hearing commenced.
The lawyers from both sides quickly presented their arguments about the case, each with their own version and evidence.
Thankfully, Finley was well-prepared. Whether it was Theo's infidelity during our marriage or his infrequent visits to my mother in the hospital after her accident, the evidence clearly showed that Theo had neglected my mother.
After Finley made his case, he presented my claims.
The opposing attorney remained silent for a long while.
Just when I thought the case was a sure thing, the opposing counsel suddenly said, "Judge, I have a question for the plaintiff."
"Permission granted."
That uneasy feeling hit me again.
The defendant's lawyer looked at me and asked, "Ms. Freya, in what capacity are you suing my client in this case?"
I furrowed my brow, wondering what kind of question that was.
I pursed my lips and replied, "Is there a problem with me representing my mother as her daughter in this property division case against him?"
"There is a problem," the opposing lawyer said, presenting a report in his hand. His eyes suddenly bore into me as he continued, "According to our investigation, you are not my client's biological daughter. You have no blood relation to my client. In other words, you are not qualified to be the plaintiff in this lawsuit."
He handed the report to the judge, saying, "This is the paternity test of my client and Ms. Freya. It clearly shows that you are not related by blood. You were born from Livia's infidelity. My client has no legal obligation to support you, and you do not have any inheritance rights to my client's property. You are not qualified to be a part of this lawsuit!"
I froze in place, but soon my anger flared up. "Theo, this is nonsense! You're resorting to slandering my mother just to win!"
The judge said in a hushed voice, "Silence, plaintiff. Order in the courtroom."
The jury was then allowed to receive the report and verify its authenticity on the spot.
Finley furrowed his brow but tried to calm me down. "Take it easy for now, wait for the result first."
I gritted my teeth and insisted, "It's definitely fake! My mom could never have cheated on him"
Finley pursed his lips and remained silent.
The jury quickly confirmed the authenticity of the report and granted it.
I was stunned, frozen in place. It took me a long time to regain my composure.
How was that possible?
"Mommy, why is my fur white? I hate my fur; everyone else says I don't belong to the pack and won't play with me."
"Baby, don't listen to them. Your fur is special; it's a gift from God. It makes you unique."
Out of nowhere, snippets of memories from my childhood flashed through my mind.
My heart began to tighten with a frightening thought that descended upon me.
"Judge," Theo suddenly spoke up.
Everyone in the court looked at him.
Theo's eyes were filled with sorrow and compassion as he whispered, "I have a few words I would like to say to my daughter."
"Permission granted."
Theo looked at me and spoke in a choked voice, "Freya, I never thought this day would come when we, father and daughter, would face each other in court. I know your mother's death has caused you great pain, and I feel just as bad inside. Regardless of the circumstances of your birth, I had planned to love you as my own for the rest of my life. I raised you to adulthood, and in my heart, you have long been no different from my biological daughter. Even if your mother has passed away, I want to maintain our relationship as much as possible. But you should never have taken this matter to court for money. What you did has truly hurt me. Since you seem to no longer want to be my daughter, I have no choice but to sever our ties and expel you from the pack."
With those words, I was thrust into the spotlight.
My face turned pale, and I gritted my teeth, "Theo, you heartless scoundrel!"
"Plaintiff, watch your words!"
Finley hurriedly interjected, "Judge, our client is not feeling well, and we request a postponement of the trial."
"Attorney Finley is no rookie, right?" The opposing lawyer was reasonable. "We don't have a precedent for adjourning the trial here. It's either we conclude the trial today or withdraw the case."
Finley's gaze darkened, and he pursed his lips, whispering to me, "Let's withdraw the case."
I was stunned, "Finley, do you believe what he said too?"
Finley's voice softened a bit, "No matter who you are, you'll always be Freya to me. Withdrawing the case isn't admitting defeat; we need to search for new evidence to ensure everything is in order."
I clenched my fingers for a long moment before I mumbled, "I'll Withdraw the case."
I had just left the courthouse when I was surrounded by a group of people.
"Ms. Freya, may I ask for your thoughts on the paternity test?"
"Ms. Freya, Alpha Theo just announced in court that he's expelling you from the pack. What are your plans for the future?"
"Ms. Freya, who is your biological father?"
I paled and whispered, "Move aside."
The men didn't budge. "Ms. Freya, please answer our questions."
One of them brought the microphone uncomfortably close to my chin. My thoughts were so confused that I reached out and pushed the microphone away, but the man pushed me harder.
The next second, the world spun, and I tumbled down the steps.
A sharp pain shot through me, and just before I lost consciousness, I heard Finley and Novia shouting nervously.
"Freya!"
I struggled to look over, only to see Tracy hiding in the corner behind her sunglasses, flashing me a smug smile from a distance.