I Was Sent Into A Shitty Urban Novel-Chapter 19 - . Trail (Optional)

Chapter 19 — "The People vs. Lang and Park"

The heavy oak doors of Courtroom 3C swung open at precisely 9:00 a.m. The gallery was packed—reporters, disgruntled ex-employees, concerned citizens, and a few masked influencers who couldn’t afford to miss history. The air buzzed with the same electricity you’d feel before a lightning strike.

Manager Park sat hunched in a wrinkled gray suit, flanked by his defense attorney. His leg bounced uncontrollably under the table. Beside him, CEO Lang looked less shaken—tailored suit, hair neatly slicked, jaw set like he was about to close a merger, not face a murder charge. But his eyes... they flickered with panic beneath the calm.

Jason sat in the back row, wearing a charcoal suit and neutral expression. Daisy sat beside him, tablet in hand, face unreadable behind her glasses.

"All rise," the bailiff announced.

Everyone stood as Judge Morano, a silver-haired woman with a razor-sharp gaze and zero patience for theatrics, entered the room.

"The Superior Court of Riverstone is now in session," the clerk began. "The People vs. Gerard Lang and Dae-Hyun Park, charges of second-degree rape, premeditated murder, and obstruction of justice. How do the defendants plead?"

"Not guilty," both lawyers replied in perfect sync.

The judge nodded slightly. "Very well. Prosecution, opening statement."

A woman in her early forties stood. Assistant District Attorney Monica Voss had a voice like sharpened steel. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury," she began, walking forward. "This is not just a trial about two men. It’s a trial about an entire system that failed Vanessa Clark. A young woman who trusted the people she worked for. Who believed her company would protect her."

She clicked a remote. A photograph of Vanessa Clark appeared on the court screen—smiling, vibrant, alive.

"She was silenced. Brutally. And these two men—men with power, influence, and money—believed they could bury her story along with her body."

Jason noted how still the room became.

Voss continued. "You’ll hear evidence of how they altered internal records, fired anyone who spoke up, and used company lawyers to block investigations. But the truth has a funny way of coming out—especially when it’s buried under so many lies."

Lang’s lawyer stood next, a man named Ronald Haskins, old-school, gray-bearded, with a voice like molasses. "Let’s not pretend this is about justice. This is about a media circus. About politics. My client had no motive, no opportunity, and most importantly—no reason to harm Ms. Clark. The prosecution will paint a picture, but remember: shadows aren’t evidence."

And so the trial began.

—

First came the witnesses. Vanessa’s friend, a fellow employee, took the stand. She talked about Vanessa confiding in her about harassment from Manager Park.

"She told me she was scared to speak up," the friend said. "She said... she said if anything happened to her, it wouldn’t be an accident."

Jason watched the jurors. One of them, a middle-aged woman, clutched a tissue. Another, a man with a military haircut, clenched his jaw.

Next was the forensic analyst, who walked through the autopsy with chilling detail.

"Cause of death was blunt force trauma to the back of the skull. No defensive wounds. No alcohol or drugs in her system."

Then came the real blow—the digital analyst.

"We recovered deleted footage from the company’s internal security server. It shows Vanessa entering Lang’s office at 6:12 p.m. the night she died."

"Objection," Haskins snapped. "That footage was tampered with."

"Overruled," Judge Morano said, voice like a blade. "The chain of custody is intact."

More damning evidence followed: email trails showing Park threatening to fire Vanessa, a company expense report showing a cleaning service billed unusually late the night she died.

Lang’s defense tried to discredit the evidence, but cracks were forming. Park, once sweating lightly, now visibly trembled each time his name was mentioned.

Jason leaned over to Daisy and whispered, "They’re going to crack."

Daisy nodded once, typing on her tablet.

The defense called a character witness—Lang’s wife. She looked worn, thinner than photos Jason had seen.

"Gerard has his flaws," she said softly. "But he’s not a killer."

Jason studied her eyes. Not a shred of belief behind the words. She looked like a woman rehearsing lines for a play she didn’t audition for.

As the trial entered its second day, the prosecution revealed their final witness: Hendricks.

He took the stand in a simple gray suit, his beard trimmed, hair neat.

"Mr. Hendricks," Voss asked, "can you tell the jury what happened after Vanessa’s death?"

"I was fired," he said simply. "No explanation. My project was reassigned. My emails erased. They wanted me gone."

"Why?"

"Because I had been in a meeting with Vanessa the day she died. I heard her mention filing a report."

"And you believe your firing was retaliation?"

"I know it was."

Hendricks looked directly at the jury. "I kept quiet because I was scared. But I don’t want to be scared anymore."

There was silence. Even Lang looked away.

By the time Judge Morano recessed court for the day, the gallery knew what was coming.

Guilty verdicts were nearly guaranteed.

Jason walked outside, slipping into the back seat of his car. He rolled down the window, letting the cool evening air wash over him.

Daisy glanced at him. "Should I prep the asset folder?" her tablet read.

Jason smiled faintly. "Do it. By this time tomorrow, everything changes." ƒгeewёbnovel.com

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