Husband With Benefits

"He’s committed suicide." The words echoed through the silent courtroom, shattering the tense atmosphere that had been in the courtroom while waiting for him to arrive. Gabe stood up from his chair with a jerk, his face a mask of disbelief, while Autumn, gripping the edge of the table, almost fell down. "What?" Her voice was strained, barely above a whisper, wondering what she was hearing.

The police officer, standing with a solemn expression, nodded his head. "Yes, Your Honour. Gregory Savoy has committed suicide. He left behind a note, stating that he is too ashamed of his past misdeeds and cannot live with his guilt."

Murmurs spread through the courtroom like wildfire, but the officer continued, raising his voice slightly to be heard. "His body was discovered early this morning by the river. He was supposed to have been home, but his fiancée reported him missing last night. The note was found among his belongings at his house."

It was Gabe, who questioned the police officer then. This could not be possible. Gregory Savoy was not one to take his own life or accept guilt. In fact, he would rather believe that the man had faked his own death. "Are there any doubts about the identity of the body?"

"At this stage, we cannot completely rule out foul play. The condition of the body suggests drowning, but we are conducting a thorough investigation to confirm the identity and circumstances of his death. His face is not recognisable due to the bloating so we will be doing a DNA test... We are also going to send the note for authentication."

"Thank you, Officer. Given the uncertainty surrounding Mr. Savoy’s death, this court will adjourn until the results of the DNA test and note authentication are available. Until the identity of the deceased is confirmed, I am placing Arabelle in the temporary custody of Autumn Frost. This arrangement will remain in effect until further notice."

As Autumn heard the bang of the gavel, she bowed her head, still in disbelief. Could it all have happened so quickly. She had been prepared to expose everything tonight, to subject herself to all sorts of questions and glances. They’d been preparing for a long and lengthy legal battle which had ended even before it could have begun.

Autumn watched as Gabe hurried to talk to the police officer, talking urgently and felt her own heart race. Gabe returned to her side then, his expression a mix of concern and determination.

"They’re going to keep us updated on the investigation," Gabe said, his voice firm, even though he looked distracted. She caught his sleeve then," Is it really over?"

Gabe nodded and held her hand," For now, it is. We wait for the investigation result though..."

Autumn’s voice dropped to a whisper as she looked around at the now empty courtroom, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and suspicion. "It’s a fake, isn’t it? He’s faking his death. He has to be. But why would he do that? If he’s believed to be dead, he would lose all his wealth and power... At least here, he had a chance to keep all that. He wouldn’t... something just doesn’t add up..."