Too Late for Regret novel Chapter 85

Why Would You Throw it Away?

Chapter 85

Charlie’s POV

“Are you sure that you want to do that, Ms. Vaughn? Attorney Stevens is one of the best attorneys in the city.

I doubt that you will be able to replace him with someone better,” the judge asked.

“He hasn’t taken this trial seriously,” Tiffany replied angrily.

I could see her attorney’s expression as he looked straight ahead. No one wanted to go up against Rodney, he was the best trial attorney that money could buy. The other issue was that Ana was a Caldwell. No one

wanted to go against the Caldwell family by helping Tiffany out. She really hadn’t thought this out. Her attorney was pissed, shamed by her blaming him for what happened. If she really fired him, she wasn’t going

to be getting him back on her side again. no matter what she said.

The worst part? Her attorney had believed in her. That was why he had been caught unaware. He should have looked at the evidence against her and discussed it with her. They both bore some of the blame, but Tiffany bore the brunt of it. I’m sure that he won’t be caught unaware again. He will now take all future clients with a

grain of salt. I’m sure that this will be the last time that he falls for someone who looks innocent.

“If you’re sure, Ms. Vaughn. We will then reschedule a court date after you’ve obtained a new attorney to

defend you. Jury, you are excused. Thank you for serving. Please do not discuss the trial or anything that

you’ve heard today. It could cause issues for the next jury and prevent them from being unbiased. You’re all dismissed,” the judge said before standing up and exiting the room after the jury.

“Tiffany, you shouldn’t have done that,” her father was the first to speak after the courtroom cleared.

“I agree. Because no one else will be willing to take you on as a client. Craig here is an excellent defense

attorney. You made a serious mistake. We will still come out victorious, despite your attempt to prolong this.

It will actually end up working against you,” Rodeny assured her.

“You don’t know that,” Tiffany snapped out.

“I’m afraid I do. Your reputation précedes you, Ms. Vaughn, as does mine. I can assure you that we were giving you a break by presenting less than half of our evidence. Since you want to play hardball, you can rest

assured that is exactly what is about to happen. You’re so spoiled that you think by causing this little bump

in the road, you’re causing us problems. Let me help you with a reality check. Your friends back there are s..

in cells because they lied to protect you. Now, what do you think they’ll do the next time they get questioned?

“Rodney asked her.

I see understanding dawn on her as she realized that they would have it out for her the next time around. They were the two who knew the most, all of her dirty little secrets. The things that hadn’t been brought up today. Tiffany looks like she’s about to be sick.

“Don’t sweat it now, Tiffany. You wanted this, and honestly, I’m glad you did it. Getting a conviction against you will be even easier now that I’ll have a lesser opponent. I can promise you that firing Craig as your attorney will be as bad a decision as what you did to Ana in high school. Enjoy your freedom while you have it, as you’re a flight hazard. I’m going to have to have you picked up on those assault charges from earlier,” Rodney told her with a smile.

Why Would You Throw it Away?

Tiffany turned to try to leave at hearing his words. She saw the head bailiff behind her, his handcuffs already out, and two more bailiffs behind him. She fought, but she was taken into custody much more easily than she was earlier today. She was again calling out instructions to her parents on what they needed to do to help her as she was removed.

“Did you really have to go this route?” Naomi cried out towards Ana.

“What route is that, Mrs. Vaughn? The route to punish your spoiled daughter? Or the route to justice, which was denied to my client for so long. Tiffany’s actions are what led us here. She doesn’t care about anyone, except herself. Her friends lied to protect her, and look where that got them. I don’t feel sorry for her. You and your husband both know that she was never going to leave Ana alone. She would have continued to come for her until she was successful. Tiffany left Ana alone before because she always kept a low profile. But don’t mistake that for her having changed, because she didn’t. Tiffany does what she wants and has done so her entire life. Better make sure your next attorney is up to speed. Oh, and don’t let Tiffany lie to them, too. I’m going to make sure she has no way out next time around,” Rodney said as he closed his briefcase.

Craig had just finished putting his paperwork up as well. Hudson stopped him as he went to leave, “Would you consider staying on, Counselor Stevens? Could you resume the trial and look at a way to get Tiffany out of this?”

“Your daughter tried to pin this all on me. I hate that I believed her allegations that she was innocent and that

this was a bogus trial. That’s on me. I know better than to believe her. However, I will not take her as a client

again, regardless of how much you offer. Rodney is right. You had such a tough time finding someone to take the case because no one wanted to go up against Rogney Briggs. Especially when it’s a case between two

powerhouse families, it’s going to be very tricky. Good luck with that,” Craig replied.

“She needs help,” Hudson called out to Craig as he headed towards the doors.

“Yes, she really does. Hopefully, she’ll get some help before the trial begins again. Your daughter is a

disgusting bully. One with violent tendencies who took joy in what she did to Mrs. Billingsley. She had no remorse whatsoever for her actions. I saw the evidence as it was presented, did you? Because Tiffany is one hundred percent guilty. Your daughter might look sweet and innocent on the outside, but she is completely rotten to the core on the inside. I’d wish you luck, Mr. Vaughn, but I wouldn’t mean it. I’m very glad that my name and reputation are no longer associated with Tiffany. Enjoy your day” Craig said before nodding at the

rest of us and heading out of the courtroom,

“Ana, please, don’t force this to go to trial. It would be for the best for Tiffany to go and enter the marriage !

arranged for her,” Naomi cried out, with tears running down her face,

“You can’t be serious about asking her that,” I stepped forward to stand between the Vaughns and my wife. Rodney, Drew, and Jon stood around her, sending a clear message. No one here is going to hurt my wife.

“She is about to ruin Tiffany’s life,” Hudson roared out.

“No, you’re wrong. Tiffany’s own actions ruined Tiffany’s life. She knew what she was doing this whole time. No one told her to attack Ana; that was her own choice. She was confident Ana couldn’t prove anything. That’s who your precious daughter really is. Ana was silent for over a decade while your daughter caused her some very serious injuries. But now that Ana refuses to stay silent anymore, suddenly she’s the bad guy? You’ve got to be kidding me. You are both delusional,” I responded in amazement. Everyone in this family has

something wrong with them.

The Vaughn family doesn’t deserve the standing they have in the city. Tiffany’s a vicious bully. Holden’s

Winy Would Yet Throw it Away!

totally despicable. Their parents are clearly just as bad How are they friends with the Caldwelle? Peid and Alicia are good people. Seth might be a jerk, but it’s basically because he’s just weak. He cart form his own opinion on something and stick with it. He tends to flip flop around, rather than doing what he feels is right

“Yes, she made mistakes, but it was because she was young. We’ve all made mistakes when we were younger. I hate that she hurt Ana. We love Ana. If I had known what Tiffany was doing. I would have stopped her. No one knew that she was the reason Ana changed so much. I understand that you love Ana and want to protect her. I get it. So why can’t you understand why we want to protect Tiffany? She’s our only daughter W’s our job to take care of and protect her. You’ll understand why once you have children. I need to do everything in my power to help her, and that’s what I’ll do,” Hudson Vaughn replied. He was assertive, and it came out more like a threat than anything else.

“That’s what I plan to do, as well, Hudson,” a voice came from the back corner.

“Reid, I didn’t know that you were here,” Hudson replied. He was much less aggressive than he was before “Your daughter’s the very reason that we’re here. She chose to go after our daughter. She even got others involved so Ana could continue to be tormented after she graduated. We were late because I had some things to attend to during our lunch break. I can’t believe how twisted Tiffany has become. She was given everything, from not just you but us, too. Yet look at how she turned out. Spoiled, entitled, depraved. What good has she done? You also know what Holden did to Ana. He broke her heart. Yet, despite how badly both your children treated my only daughter. You’re willing to stand there and be her champion. I’ll allow it, Hudson. I understand the depths we go to in order to protect our own,” Reid replied.

I stepped over and stood in front of Ana. I know that things are about to take a turn for the worst. Reid Caldwell never does anything halfway. If he came here late for Ana’s trial, it was because of what he had heard and seen earlier that day. Hudson looked relieved at what Reid said, but he didn’t listen to what he said. I heard him. I knew that things were about to change completely between the two families.

“I’m glad you understand, Reid. I didn’t want to lose your friendship over this. I know Tiffany did wrong, but I believe that it would be better to send her off to live with the husband Naomi chose for her. He will be able to bring her in line, I’m sure of it,” Hudson said with relief evident in his voice.

“The friendship, and our partnership, are now over. If the roles were reversed, would you let Ana off for assaulting your daughter?” Reid asked.

The expressions on their faces gave their answer. They would demand that Ana be punished if Tiffany had been the one who was bullied and hurt. So why couldn’t they understand why we were upset? They really were a twisted family.

“Wait, this isn’t worth losing our friendship over, Reid. You can’t be serious,” Hudson asked in shock. We could all tell it wasn’t the loss of the friendship that was scaring him.

“Alicia, are you really going to allow Reid to destroy our friendship over something so trivial?” Naomi asked, her voice shaking with emotion.

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