Chapter 242: Councilman Delaney Trial Begins!

Rain hammered against the courthouse windows while media vans crowded every street surrounding the Dirksen Federal Building.

Chicago had not seen a political trial this explosive in years.

Police barricades stretched across entire intersections while reporters shouted questions at every black SUV arriving near the courthouse entrance. Protesters occupied both sides of the street.

"LOCK HIM UP!"

"DELANEY IS INNOCENT!"

"JUSTICE FOR ELENA VARGAS!"

The chants echoed endlessly beneath the dark morning sky.

Inside the courthouse, federal marshals stood at nearly every hallway intersection while cameras flashed nonstop whenever someone important walked past.

The atmosphere shifted as Damian entered the building beside councilman Delaney. The noise around the courthouse hallway visibly dipped for a moment as eyes landed on him in black suit, black gloves and long dark coat draped over his shoulders.

His hair had grown enough to be fired into a ponytail, with a purple undercut by the sides.

This man was not the same person that won the Twenty Shot case.

Damian’s expression remained calm and detached while reporters practically surged forward against security barriers trying to question him.

"Mr. Hill!"

"Do you believe your client is innocent?"

"Did your team uncover evidence related to Elena Vargas?"

"Are the rumors true about witness tampering within the prosecution?"

Damian ignored every question completely. Beside him, Delaney looked far worse. The once charismatic politician appeared exhausted from weeks of nonstop media attacks till this hearing. His eyes carried heavy bags beneath them while tension visibly lingered across his jaw.

Yet seeing Damian walk calmly beside him stabilized him slightly. People trusted monsters who looked confident and right now Damian looked terrifyingly composed.

Further ahead, standing near the courtroom entrance, Assistant United States Attorney Evelyn Pierce waited alongside her legal team.

It was a lady in her mid forties with a sharp face and cold gray eyes. She was the kind of woman who looked permanently disappointed in humanity. Unlike Delaney, she looked energized by the attention surrounding the case.

Because this trial was career defining for her too.

If she secured a conviction against a sitting Chicago alderman tied to corruption and a suspicious death, she would become untouchable politically.

Her eyes met Damian’s briefly and she sucked in a cold breath. She had seen her opponent on television and pictures but none of them did justice to his beauty.

Thankfully she maintained her poker face as Damian approached and neither smiled. The tension between both legal teams was already infamous online before the trial even started.

"Court is now in session."

The courtroom doors opened and everyone entered immediately.

The courtroom itself looked packed beyond capacity.

Journalists filled entire rows. Political observers sat shoulder to shoulder beside activists and wealthy businessmen pretending not to know one another.

Near the rear sat Sofia.

Her fingers remained tightly clasped together while her eyes lingered on Damian silently. Damian only spared her one brief glance before continuing forward calmly.

At the front of the courtroom sat Judge Helena Vance.

As everyone settled down, Damian’s clone seated quietly several blocks away slowly opened his eyes.

From the rooftop of the building overlooking the courthouse district, Damians raised one hand.

Buzz!

Invisible transparent barriers spread outward silently across the courthouse like layers of glass folding over reality itself.

[Isolation Activated]

The entire courthouse vanished spiritually from the outside world. No supernatural entity beyond the barrier would sense anything happening within.

Back inside the courtroom, Damian loosened his tie slightly while his eyes revealed a faint pink glow.

[Sovereign Of Lust Title as the jury visibly relaxed unconsciously, Judge Vance’s hardened expression eased by the smallest fraction and even Prosecutor Pierce briefly lost focus while staring at Damian longer than necessary before quickly recovering.

Beautiful!

That was the first word entering several minds simultaneously while looking at him. Judge Vance adjusted her glasses.

"Proceed."

Prosecutor Pierce immediately rose to her feet.

"The United States government intends to prove that Alderman Marcus Delaney abused public office for personal enrichment through bribery, criminal conspiracy, and obstruction of justice tied directly to the Riverfront Development Project."

Large screens behind her lit up instantly revealing bank transfers, emails, campaign records and photos of Elena Vargas. The courtroom became silent as Pierce moved smoothly across the floor while speaking with absolute confidence.

"Three weeks before Elena Vargas was scheduled to testify before a federal grand jury regarding corruption within the zoning board, she died under suspicious circumstances."

The screens changed to wreckage from Elena’s crashed vehicle appeared and several jurors visibly stiffened.

Pierce continued coldly.

"The defense will attempt to portray this as coincidence."

Her eyes shifted toward Damian briefly.

"But evidence will show Miss Vargas was intimidated repeatedly before her death."

Another image appeared, showing Ethan. Several people within the courtroom whispered immediately.

Pierce raised a document.

"This witness originally confessed involvement in efforts to pressure Elena Vargas into silence."

Delaney visibly frowned beside Damian. Meanwhile Damian simply leaned back calmly with one leg crossed over the other. There was no emotion or concern in his eyes. That composure unsettled Pierce more than she expected because defendants only looked this relaxed when they either knew they were doomed or knew everyone else was.

Pierce continued for nearly forty minutes.

She walked the jury through shell corporations connected to Victor Halberg. She explained the alleged consulting payments routed through Delaney’s brother and she detailed offshore accounts tied to political money laundering.

By the time she finished, the courtroom atmosphere felt suffocating. The prosecution’s case looked devastating on paper and finally Judge Vance turned toward the defense.

"Mr. Hill."

Damian slowly rose to his feet and instantly the room quieted further. Even reporters lowered their pens slightly because everyone knew this man had built his recent reputation by destroying impossible cases publicly.

Damian adjusted his cufflinks calmly before speaking.

"The prosecution presented a beautiful story today." His voice carried smoothly throughout the courtroom. "Unfortunately, stories are not evidence."

Pierce’s jaw tightened slightly as Damian began walking slowly before the jury.

"No murder weapon."

"No direct payments."

"No recording of Alderman Delaney requesting bribery."

He turned calmly toward the prosecution table.

"What we do have is a desperate real estate developer facing federal prison."

Victor Halberg stiffened immediately within the witness seating area as Damian’s eyes settled on him.

"A man under investigation for years suddenly discovers morality the moment prosecutors offer him reduced sentencing."

A few jurors exchanged glances and Pierce immediately rose.

"Objection."

"Overruled," Judge Vance answered instantly.

Pierce blinked slightly. That response came too quickly!

Damian continued moving slowly.

"The prosecution wants you to believe every politically controversial zoning decision automatically equals corruption." He gestured calmly toward Delaney.

"If that becomes the legal standard, then half this city council belongs in prison."

Muted laughter spread across parts of the courtroom. Even Judge Vance hid a faint smile and Pierce’s expression darkened further.

Then Damian stopped completely as his eyes slowly drifted toward Ethan seated near the prosecution side. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The man looked physically healthy but he was broken already. Dark eye bags, shaking fingers and unstable breathing could only be noticed if one paid a lot of attention to him. Weeks of manipulation had reduced him into something barely functional.

"And regarding Miss Vargas..." Damian spoke softly.

The courtroom quieted completely.

"Her death was tragic."

For the first time, genuine coldness entered his voice.

"But tragedy alone does not give the government permission to manufacture certainty."

Buzz!

Pierce immediately stood again.