1st of January,2014.
11:45pm.

Different colours bathed the sky with soft,yet enticing glows. The new year celebration was in full swing,yet all she could think about was Kate and what would happen tomorrow.

Her stay in Kate's house for two days proved to be fruitless.

Kelsia turned away from the window,fully aware of the fact that time was not on her side. Not when Kate was to be summoned to court tomorrow.

"Would you like a cup cake,my dear?"

Kelsia looked up to find the cook,Andrea Jovoski, standing in the door way with a nice smile on her face. While she enjoyed the woman's cooking and beautiful smile, Kelsia didn't trust the woman one bit. Especially her husband,Joaquin, who always had this nasty frown on his face.

"No,thank you." Kelsia plopped down on her queen sized bed with a sigh. "Are you going to court tomorrow?"

Andrea nodded. "Of course. That wicked girl must be put behind bars,where she deserves."

Kelsia bit her tongue to stop herself from defending Kate once again. If there was anything she learned ever since she arrived in Verona,it is that people have their own opinions of others.

"Since you want nothing,Good night."

"Good night."

Kelsia waited until Andrea closed the door before laying on her bed. The phone one the nightstand beside her bed,had her sitting up. Kelsia snatched the receiver from the cradle and held it to her ear.

"Who's this?"

"Your father."

Kelsia held the phone in front of her face with a frown. How did he get this number? She wondered. After deliberating for few seconds about hanging up or speaking to him, she finally held the phone to her ear.

"Save your breath,father. I won't apologize."

"While I want to scold you about what you did, I won't. I called you for a different reason."

"You're not calling to chastise me?"

"No. When is Kate going to court?"

"Tomorrow." She frowned. "Why are you asking?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to know."

"Okay. Good night."

"Good night."

Kelsia placed the phone in it's cradle with a yawn. Thirsty all of a sudden, she got out of bed,wore her rubber flip-flops and went out of the room. The large house was far too quite than normal. There was no sign of Andrea or Joaquin,which was fine with her. The last thing Kelsia wanted was to see that man's ugly face.

Kelsia was half way across the late sitting room when she heard footsteps and Joaquin's loud voice, not wanting to see him, she dove for cover. And since the bar was the closest and safest place to her, she his herself behind it and prayed that he won't come this way.

"You know," Joaquin's loud baritone voice filled the room,making Kelsia push her body more deeper into the shadows. "I don't like the presence of that little brat in this house. Each time I see her,I feel like breaking that her chubby little neck."

Andrea sighed. "While I love your breaking her neck,you know we can't do that."

"Why? We can simply say that she fell down the stairs and broke her neck."

"We'll still be blamed. Pining the blame on that stupid Allegra was easy. There's no one here to pin it on."

Ah,so they hate me too. Kelsia thought.

"We don't have to worry," Andrea said. "Allegra is in prison and would be going to jail tomorrow. The whole property would be ours,just as her stupid parents wrote in their will."

Joaquin cackled. "They are not stupid,since they actually helped us. "He sniffed. "Enough talk now,let's go to bed already. Tomorrow is a good day for us."

"Yes,yes. Lead the way,darling."

It wasn't until their foot falls faded away did Kelsia crawl out of her hiding place. She knew who the real culprits are,but where would she get proof in time to save Kate?

Kelsia started to walk put from behind the bar when her right foot caught the bar stool. Hands flaring in the air, she fell backwards towards where the bottles of wines sat on the rack. Bracing herself for the impact and loud crashes of bottles, Kelsia closed her eyes. Only that the crashes never came,but she hit the door hard. A tiny yelp escaped her lips as she fell on the hard floor.

Surprised that she didn't hear the sound of bottles breaking,Kelsia opened her eyes.

The sight that greeted her had her mouth falling open with surprise.

~•~•~•~•~•~••~•~

2nd Of January, 2014.
09:12am.
Supreme high court, Verona City, Italy.

Kelsia smoothed the little crises in her skirt as she sat down in the front seat with Lisa and several other people she didn't know. It was evident that all they came to see was Kate getting what she deserved for killing the two people loved and well respected in the society.

"Kelsia," Lisa took Kelsia's trembling hand in hers. "It's going to be fine,okay?"

Kelsia, who was finding it difficult to swallow the lump in her throat, nodded.

"All sit!" Someone announce.

A Hush fell over the room as people began to sit down,one after the other.

"What's going on?" Kelsia's whispered to Lisa,who was busy craning her neck.

"The judge just arrived." Lisa whispered back.

It was that moment Kate was brought in. At least,they had the sense of giving her fresh sets of clothes, but Kelsia didn't miss the purple bruise on her left cheek or the bags under her eyes. Tears welled up in Kelsia's eyes.

"The next case now is 501." A female announce as she handed a manila file to the judge.

"Let the hearing begin." Replied the judge.

A man,dressed in a white wig and black robe,got up from the front where he was sitting and bowed to the judge.

"I, Jacques Thenalos,am the persecutor for this case,my lord." Then he sat down.

The other man beside him,who also wore the same attire got up and bowed too. "Joshua Landers,the defender of the accused." He sat down too.

The prosecutor,Jacques,got up and faced Kate. "Miss Allegra Dante,where were you on the eighteenth of March 2005,00:03?"

"I was at a friend's place."

"Before you left for you friend's place, did you or did you not fight with your parents?"

"I did."

Persecutor Jacques clasped his hands behind him and began to pace,never breaking eye contact with her.

"Do you or do you not take hard drugs and liquor?"

"That was before." Kate protested.

Jacques faced the judge with a smirk. "You see my lord, Miss Dante murdered her parents because they protested about her late nights out and illegal use of drugs."

"That's not true!" Kate yelled.

The judge scowled at her. "Control yourself Miss Dante,or I'll have to charge you for Perjury."

Kate bit her lower lip so hard that it drew blood.

"You may proceed persecutor."

Jacques bowed. "Thank you. A I was saying, Miss Dante-on the night her parent were murdered- took cocaine in a club called copacabana with her ex-fiancee, Sean Luggard. Upon her return, she had another fight with them and killed them with this gun."

Every eyes was fixed on Jacques as  he opened his large box and brought out two plastic bags; one containing a 9.mm, the other one containing four bags of white powder.

"The lab confirmed her finger prints all over the gun and the bag of cocaine as well." Jacques gave it to the judge before going back to where was standing earlier. "If the court would permit me,I would like to call a witness."

The judge adjusted his glasses so that it sat on the bridge of his nose. "Go ahead."

"Mr Joaquin Jovoski,please come over to the witness box."

Kate watched the man she always thought was her second father,walk into the witness box with a frown on his face. He didn't even spare her a glance,not that she could blame him.

A female,clad in a well starched white blouse and gray pencil skirts with matching grey pumps,walked over to where Joaquin stood.

"Are you a Christian or Muslim?" She asked him.

"Christian."

"Then repeat after me," she gave him a bible. "I,state your name, promise before God and man that I would tell the truth and the truth only,so God help me."

"I,Joaquin Jovoski, promise before God and man that I would tell the truth and the truth only. So God help me."

Jacques waited until the lady went back to her seat before asking questions. "Can you please state your position in the Dante's home,when they were still alive?"

"I was Mr Lazaro's driver,while my wife was their cook."

"On the night of the murder,where were you?"

"I was in my room,which is located at the back of the house."

Jacques wiggled his fingers. "Who do you think the culprit is?"

Joaquin met Kate's gaze with a hateful one. He pointed his index finger at her. Kate started to shake her head a no, but it was too late.

"She is!"