Chapter 81: The first hearing pt 3
Isabella felt her stomach turn. It was the same tone he had used on her for years, gentle, protective, making himself sound like a caring guardian while subtly telling everyone around her that she was too weak and broken to make her own choices.
Niko stood up again, picking up a single white sheet of paper from his desk.
"If Mr. Carter is truly concerned about the timeline of events and the trauma my client experienced," Niko said smoothly, "then we should address one of the primary reasons for our request to expedite these proceedings."
Niko turned toward the judge. "Your Honor, we have officially submitted a request for the Court to receive and review independent laboratory findings regarding a chemical analysis of the eye drops prescribed to Mrs. Carter prior to her departure from the Kingston estate."
The moment the words ’eye drops’ left Niko’s mouth, Kian’s entire body went rigid.
The room seemed to drop five degrees.
Kian’s breath hitched in his throat. His mind raced, slamming against a wall of sudden, dark panic. His eyes snapped straight to Isabella.
’If those results come back,’ Kian thought, his chest seizing up.
The single, overwhelming thought that made his blood run cold was the realization that if those lab results were read in open court...
Arthur’s eyes narrowed instantly. He hadn’t been told about any laboratory tests.
He glanced sideways at Kian, catching the sudden, stark paleness in Kian’s face, and Arthur’s sharp mind immediately put two and two together.
Arthur’s posture stiffened slightly, a cold calculation passing through his eyes.
"Laboratory results?" Judge Daniel asked, looking over his papers. "When are these findings expected to be finalized?"
"Within four to five days, Your Honor," Niko replied smoothly. "The testing is being conducted by an accredited, court-recognized independent facility in New Jersey."
Arthur quickly stepped forward, trying to regain control of the floor. "Your Honor, this is the first we are hearing of any medical re-testing. If the petitioner’s team is attempting to introduce new medical evidence, we will require time to review it with our own experts."
Judge Daniel raised a hand, cutting off the back-and-forth. He sat back in his large leather chair, looking down at both tables with a heavy, unreadable expression.
"This Court will not permit the presence of wealth, intense public attention, or personal influence to substitute for clear evidence," Judge Daniel stated, his voice echoing with absolute authority. "From either side."
He picked up his pen, making a series of sharp notes on the file before him.
"Here is how we are going to proceed," the judge said firmly.
"I am not granting the dissolution today. We are ordering a formal evidentiary hearing. Both parties will submit full financial disclosures within seven days. The petitioner’s team will submit the completed independent laboratory findings immediately upon receipt. Any claims regarding coercion, undue influence, or improper conduct must be submitted in writing with supporting documentation, or they will be dismissed without consideration."
The judge looked over his glasses at Kian and Aaron and finally Arthur.
"The next hearing is scheduled for September eleventh at ten o’clock in the morning," Judge Daniel announced, bringing his wooden gavel down with a sharp, final ’crack’.
"Until that time, both parties are instructed to refrain from any conduct that could interfere with these proceedings or contact each other outside of legal counsel. Court is adjourned."
The judge stood up and walked out through the side door, his black robes billowing behind him.
Instantly, the quiet in the room broke as people began standing up, chairs scraping against the floor, and the low hum of hushed conversations filling the air.
Isabella let out a long breath, sitting back in her chair. It wasn’t over. The divorce wasn’t granted yet, but the first line had been drawn in the sand, and they had held their ground.
Niko began packing his papers into his briefcase, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. "Not bad for day one," he murmured to Isabella. "We gave them nothing to hold onto, and we put the lab results on the judge’s calendar."
Aaron stood up slowly, picking up his coat. He looked down at Isabella, reaching down to gently take her hand, helping her up from the chair. "You did well," he said quietly into her ear.
"I felt like my heart was going to burst," she confessed in a quiet whisper, letting him wrap his arm around her waist to guide her toward the aisle.
"It didn’t," Aaron said softly. "And we’re leaving."
Across the aisle, Kian remained standing by his desk, staring at them as Aaron guided Isabella toward the rear doors. His face was entirely pale, his fists still clenched tight at his sides.
Arthur leaned in close to Kian, his voice dropping into a barely audible whisper that was sharp as broken glass.
"What eye drops was her lawyer talking about, Kian?" Arthur asked quietly, his eyes fixed on Kian’s pale face.
Kian didn’t answer. He couldn’t speak. He just watched Aaron’s hand resting on Isabella’s waist as the heavy wooden doors opened, taking his wife out of his sight once again.
. .
The heavy glass doors of the courthouse swung open, and the world immediately blew up into noise.
Cameras started clicking instantly, thousands of quick flashes blinding the security team pushing through the crowd. Shouted questions rained down from every direction, loud and overlapping, bouncing off the concrete steps.
"Isabella, are you marrying Aaron Kazarov?"
"Will you be getting married here in America?"
"Mr. Kazarov, did you cause the divorce?"
"Isabella, are you living in Russia now?"
Isabella squeezed her eyes shut behind her dark glasses. She couldn’t see the crowd, which made the noise so much worse. It felt like a wall of sound pressing against her face, the heavy thud of heavy boots on stone, shouting reporters, microphones shoved past guards.
"I’ve got you," Aaron’s low voice sounded right above her ear.
He didn’t wait. Aaron moved through the sea of reporters like a tank, holding Isabella tight against his side.
His guards formed a moving ring around them, shoving through the press until the heavy back door of the black SUV opened.
Aaron lifted her slightly, guiding her straight onto the soft leather seat, stepping in right after her and slamming the door shut.
The instant the door clicked shut, the noise vanished.
The thick glass and heavy doors cut off the screaming reporters completely. Suddenly, it was just the soft hum of the air conditioning and the smell of clean leather and Aaron’s cedar wood cologne.
Isabella let out a long, shaky breath, her shoulders sagging. She rested her head back against the seat, her chest rising and falling quickly.
"Breathe Princess," Aaron said softly. He reached out, his hand sliding over hers, his thumb gently rubbing the back of her knuckles.
Outside, Niko walked up to the side window, tapping twice. Aaron rolled it down an inch.
Niko bent down, a quick smile on his face. "I’m heading back to the hotel with the rest of the legal team. Don’t worry about a thing, Isabella. We handled them today, and we’re going to win this whole thing."
Isabella managed a small, tired smile toward his voice. "Thank you, Niko. For everything."
"Get some rest," Niko said. He then looked up at Aaron, his smile disappearing into a serious look. He tapped the roof of the car. "Give me two minutes, boss."
Aaron looked at Isabella. "Stay here. I’ll be right back."
"Okay."