Too Late for Regret novel Chapter 104

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Proving Dixon Wrong

Chapter 104

Sasha’s POV

We’re the hell did this video come from? No wonder she was so effective against Roger. She knew exactly what he planned to do. The bad part was that I had spent the night with Dixon for nothing now. He wasn’t going to commit perjury; he was just planning on being evasive with his answers. That might have worked earlier, but with this video, everything was shot to hell. That video made us all look bad.

Joyce and I spoke with our attorney last night. We assured him that he knew the whole story. He was working on a good defense, but we needed him to stick with the hourly employee defense. Dixon said that he could obtain something for us that would make it appear as though he had received a weekly paycheck. Well, if you didn’t look too closely at it. However, Ana actually received the same amount as Roger. Their pay was paid out through the partnership agreement. Ana’s attorney’s speaking breaks me out of my thoughts.

“Did that help to refresh your memory, Mr. Chandler?” Rodney asked.

“I didn’t hire her, so I honestly don’t know anything other than what her official title was. Roger told me that she was the Director of Design, and that was good enough for me. I didn’t question my boss about her. Why would I? I know that video looks bad, but you have to understand, Sasha was his first love. I forgot that he married her while he was still engaged to Ana. Things have been very chaotic at work lately. I just knew that the timeline was close; it was an honest mistake. But I do remember Ana forcing Roger into proposing to her. Who even does that? She was acting like a desperate woman. Going around all high and mighty, like she created the company, instead of Roger. Trying to throw her weight around, asking him for a huge favor like that. I don’t know why he even agreed to do it. She must have blackmailed him or something,” Dixon replied.

“Mr. Chandler, you’re not answering any of my questions. You’re just trying to slander my client and dancing around with your opinions. You do realize that you are under oath. Lying on the stand is punishable by fines or prison time. I asked you if you were aware that Sasha was Roger’s legal wife before she joined the company. However, this video was taken before they went on their honeymoon and before she started at the company. Sasha was married to Roger at this time, and you knew that. Why would you be so evasive, Mr. Chandler? We’re just trying to get to the truth. Why would you lie about such a small thing? Seems like you’re trying to protect Sasha, and intentionally lie about Ana,” her attorney asked.

“I would have to get with human resources about Ana’s title. I could be mistaken,” Dixon replied.

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“Mistaken? Just like when you swore that Sasha was a better designer than Ana?” her attorney asked. I glared over at him. How dare he say that? I have been designing for years.

“I was advised that Sasha was a better designer than Ana by her former employer. Design is a matter of personal opinion, and that’s my opinion,” Dixon replied. Good, at least he was defending me.

“No, Mr. Chandler, it’s actually a matter of talent. You can also judge it by sheer volume of sales, which we can also provide numbers on. In order to show you the difference,” her attorney announced. “Your honor, we have a statement from the actual creator of the design that won Mrs. Cook’s only award. She has stepped forward and provided irrefutable proof to the presiding committee that she was the one who created the design. She’s disputing Sasha’s claim. That makes not one, but two plagiarism trials that Mrs. Cook is involved in at

this time.”

“Objection, your honor. We have not been advised of any of this occurring. There is no evidence to support what Counselor Briggs just stated. It’s hearsay at best. Therefore, it

shouldn’t be admitted. How do we even know that this other woman is the creator? Or that

anyone on the committee is involved?” William argued. About time he tried to stop him.

“I thought you would say that, so they are available to speak via satellite, from Paris. They will be sworn in as soon as the link begins. This will give Attorney Blake time to gather his questions. But I still want her statement taken into evidence,” Ana’s attorney stated.

“There is no need for this. My client won that award fair and square two years ago. Why are they just now coming forward, or trying to dispute anything? This seems like an attempt to distract from the actual matter at hand, which is that Ana Caldwell’s designs belong to Roger Cook’s company. That is the direction we were going in when we dismissed yesterday,” William tried again to block the transmission.

He knows this is going to be bad, which makes me realize that I’m tipping not just him off with my expression, but the jury as well. My heart rate is racing, and I’m starting to panic now. Her attorney is clearly targeting me. Wanting to twist everything around and make me look bad.

“Your honor, his own client was the one who brought this up during questioning. Mr. Chandler was the one who said that not only had Mrs. Cook won an international design, but that she was a better designer than my client. I’m disputing those claims by providing the truth. I intend to prove that Sasha Cook’s designs aren’t good enough to be produced, and I can prove that, if you’ll allow it,” Ana’s attorney stated.

“You were the one who insisted that CFO Chandler be brought here to testify. He had already filled out his statement. He should never have had to take the stand,” William rebutted.

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“His statement included falsehoods. He was brought here to testify, under oath, but his statement will still be held against him, as it was notarized. Your honor, my client has won numerous awards for her designs over the years. If Mrs. Cook was so talented, how come she’s only won one award? An award that she has now lost, as it was not hers to begin with. We all heard her in the video asking Roger to give her Ana’s designs. She wanted to claim them, as well as Ana’s other designs, as her own to make a name for herself. Sasha Cook has refuted that, despite the video being verified as not being tampered with. Since she refuses to admit her wrongdoing, I will bring as many people as I can to testify against her, in order to prove her guilt,” her attorney answered.

He turned towards us to look at William before looking at me. He was dead serious. Why would he be after me like this? I’ve done nothing to him at all.

He spoke again after turning back to the judge. “I have two independent firms here who verified that the video we just watched had not been tampered with. I also have the man who filmed the video here, ready to swear to that fact as well. I used the two best firms in the city. Both are known for not only their integrity but also their professionalism. They are both willing to testify to how they verified the video. But first, I want to speak to Ingrid and Jerald Anderson in Paris. CFO Chandler, you can stay there, as I will get back to you right after we’ve spoken to them. If that is acceptable, your honor?”

“I still object to this, your honor. I believe attorney Briggs is hijacking the trial. CFO Chandler might have inadvertently mentioned the award, but that is not what the trial is about. How is anything either of the people in Paris has to say valid in any way? I’m sure this other designer is just wanting to be given the award in question when it’s taken away from my client. This person is unknown to us, and it is clear that she has an agenda. She’s obviously working with Mrs. Billingsley in order to defame my client. I see no reason to allow it. She could have been paid to give her testimony. Why now, after all this time, would she come forward?” William

stated.

That is good. He’s onto something now, after all this time. The best part? It’s already making Ana look bad, as well as Ingrid. She will appear to be maligning me before she even gets a chance to speak. He’s well worth the money he cost me. I paid half, and so did Joyce. Regina should have had to pay, but she didn’t, because she now has to depend on her mother for everything.

I’m glad that we’re finally getting somewhere. We need to make the jury doubt what either of them is about to say. It has no bearing whether Ana completed those designs on time or not. The judge needs to be reasonable in this matter. I’m being made to look like I was a thief and a liar. I don’t want to be branded like that; no one would. I held my breath while the judge considered both arguments.

“Overruled. Your client brought it up as he was being questioned. So it is admissible. CFO

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Chandler did state that Sasha was an expert designer. One that was better than Mrs. Billingsley. What harm does it do for her to have to prove it? Counselor Briggs, I assume that you can have their identities verified for us as well?” the judge finally spoke.

“I have, and the documentation has already been added to the evidence this morning before the trial started. You also had the documentation sent to your personal email by the judge in Paris. That way, you can confirm what they are about to say has been proven as fact, and not hearsay,” he replied.

“I would like to see the new evidence,” William requested.

“Your honor, can we have them sworn in while he is going over the evidence? Paris is six hours ahead of us, and they are past the end of their workday. But they both felt strongly about doing this. Someone shared the viral videos with Ingrid. She moved forward with her claims once she was aware that Sasha had left Paris. It has taken over three months for her to get everything completed, but I will let them speak to the court,” her attorney replied.

“How can they have any evidence? My tablet, which I used to create the design, had been destroyed. I couldn’t show them my proof. How are they so quick to just believe her like that? She couldn’t prove that I hadn’t made the design. I was never told that my award had been rescinded. She’s just trying to make a name for herself. She might have helped me a little, but the design idea was my own,” I snapped out.

“You will be able to speak on rebuttal, Mrs. Cook. It’s time for them to be sworn in. Please, wait for your turn to testify, the judge replied.

He’s mad at me, and it’s clear that he’s taking his anger out on me. He won’t even let me clear my name. I’m not going to stand for this. This is my life, and I’m not going to allow this pathetic little designer to take anything away from me. I’m not going to let that happen, no matter what she says.

KatVonBeck

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