The Truth Surfaces Five Years After My Death

"Gabriella, I'm here to talk about Victor Patton."

As soon as my name rang out in the courtroom, I jolted and instinctively looked at Gabriella. I saw her stiffen, a murderous glint flashing in her eyes.

Oliver snorted, seeming pleased with her reaction. He leaned back in his chair as if unbothered by whatever came next.

Gabriella came to her senses and said coldly, "Victor Patton was a disgraced police officer who went rogue.

"Back then, he colluded with you, leading to more than a dozen police officers' deaths. He even fled the country after embezzling hundreds of millions of assets. What? Are you going to reveal his location?"

Oliver clicked his tongue, wagging a finger at her.

"I wouldn't say that. He was an officer killed in action. I paid a heavy price just to kill him, but what choice did I have? He killed my younger brother.

"Good thing I had spies on your team. Just before he died, all he could think about was you." Oliver closed his eyes, as if he were savoring the memory.

"What nonsense!" Gabriella scoffed. "He must've bribed you from overseas to say something like that. He made you put on a show before your execution!"

Her gaze swept across the reporters in the courtroom. "Anyone who spreads these rumors will be prosecuted for leaking classified police information. No exceptions."

The audience erupted in chaos, and the reporters' cameras clicked even more frantically. A murmur ran through the courtroom.

The presiding judge struck the gavel three times in a row before the audience finally fell silent.

Once the commotion in the courtroom died down, Oliver let out a snort. "What's the rush? I sealed his body inside Pier 17 of the Joy Bridge.

"You remember that place, don't you? Seven years ago, Victor led a team to intercept our cargo ship in those waters. He was the one who fired the shot and killed my younger brother."

Gabriella immediately went pale. Her rage vanished in an instant, and all she could hear was the growing thud of her heartbeat.

The presiding judge asked for more details, but Oliver kept silent. He cocked his head at Gabriella, grinning as if he were enjoying the drama unfolding.

Without speaking to Oliver, Gabriella turned and walked out of the courtroom.

As I was a soul, I had no choice but to follow her. Behind her, reporters hurried toward her, but she ignored them and quickly got into the car.

"Contact the media immediately. We're holding an emergency press conference in 30 minutes."

Half an hour later, Gabriella and I stood in the press room at the Gakoli Police Station. I looked down from the stage—everything felt strangely distant.

Dressed in a crisp police uniform, Gabriella delivered her official statement before the cameras.

"In today's public trial, statements made by death row inmate Oliver Rypien were nothing more than malicious lies. There was no evidence to support them.

"We have solid evidence that Victor Patton went rogue five years ago. The Gakoli Police Department forbids anyone from using the statements of a death row inmate to mislead the public, defame the police force, or challenge a lawful conviction."

At her words, something struck deep within my soul. The pain was so intense that I felt like I was being torn apart.

In Gabriella's eyes, I was a traitor who had been living it up for the past five years.

A reporter immediately raised her hand, asking, "Chief Campbell, Oliver Rypien already made it clear where Victor Patton's body is. Will the Gakoli Police Department conduct any drilling at Pier 17 of the Joy Bridge to verify his statement?"

Gabriella's gaze swept across the room.

"No. It would be irresponsible of the Gakoli Police Department to damage the city's key transportation hub over the baseless claim of a death row inmate, as it would pose a risk to public safety."

Once the press conference was over, the head of the narcotics unit stopped Gabriella as soon as she stepped out of the press room.