Chapter 241: Game or Trial???

The sharp crack of the cue ball echoed softly.

A solid ball rolled clean across the green surface and dropped into the pocket with a satisfying click.

Bennett leaned back slightly, raising a brow.

“Impressive.”

Miles did not look at him.

A faint smirk rested on his lips.

Around them, attention shifted back to the large screen.

The trial had begun to unfold.

The public prosecutor stepped forward, her voice firm and clear, carrying weight across the courtroom.

“Your Honor, ACE Finances, which is a subsidiary of ACE Group, is once again charged with illegal transactions. When the Financial Crime Division received an anonymous tip, they raided the building and discovered solid evidence.”

Her tone sharpened.

“Following the trail of these transactions, the FCD has traced the route to shell companies that do not exist, eventually linking to illegal drug manufacturing operations disguised as legitimate businesses.”

A pause.

Then she delivered the blow.

“In simple terms, they are attempting to whitewash illegal drug money.”

A murmur spread across the courtroom.

Screens everywhere reflected the tension.

She continued without hesitation.

“As everyone is aware, the recent exposure of a major drug factory operating in Star Harbor has already shaken public trust. Even after receiving a warning from the Wrightvale Court, ACE Finances has repeated the same offense.”

Her voice hardened.

“This is not just a financial crime. This is a breach of public trust and integrity.”

The silence that followed felt heavy.

Then suddenly a loud slap broke the calm.

Geoffrey struck the couch, his face lit with excitement.

“This lady is killing it.”

Silas nodded, gripping his cue stick.

“That was the winning statement.”

Dominic only smirked.

Miles lowered his stance again.

Another shot.

Clean.

Precise.

The second ball rolled straight into the pocket.

He straightened up, eyes still on the table.

“Let the trial continue, Mr. Geoffrey. The judge will make the final verdict.”

Bennett exhaled slowly.

“Two in sequence. You look like a regular player.”

Miles gave a small shrug.

“I played a long time ago.”

On the screen, the judge’s voice came.

“What does the defense have to say?”

Singh stood up calmly.

There was no rush in his movements.

No pressure on his face.

“The case is baseless, Your Honor.”

A few heads turned.

He continued.

“The ledger presented before you is not real. I have analyzed the report carefully. According to the Financial Crime Authority, there are three transactions that have been flagged.”

He raised a document slightly.

“However, those transactions are not real. They are forged and contain duplicate transaction codes.”

The public prosecutor stood instantly.

“Objection. Mr. Singh is forgetting that transaction codes are approved by the Federal Bank, and each code is unique. There are no duplicates.”

Singh did not even look at her.

“I have not finished, Your Honor.”

The judge glanced toward the prosecutor.

“You may continue, Mr. Singh.”

She sat back down.

Miles moved again.

A smooth stroke.

Another ball sank into the pocket.

The third.

“What a shot,” he murmured softly to himself.

Bennett said nothing this time.

His eyes had shifted.

Not to the table.

But to the screen.

Singh continued.

“As the prosecutor correctly stated, every transaction code must be unique. Then why did the FCD not verify these transactions with the Federal Bank before tracing the money?”

The courtroom stirred.

He pointed forward.

“Your Honor, there are three individuals seated in the first row.”

All eyes turned.

“They are legitimate customers of ACE Finances.”

A pause.

“The first transaction was a loan repayment made by the first individual.”

He turned a page.

“The second transaction was a deposit.”

Another page.

“The third transaction was also a deposit.”

His voice remained steady.

“However, if you examine the ledger submitted by the FCD, the amounts are completely different.”

The judge leaned forward slightly.

“What are you implying?”

Singh placed another document forward.

“I have submitted a verified ledger obtained directly from the Federal Bank yesterday.”

The courtroom grew quieter.

“Now, if you compare the transaction codes, they match perfectly. However, the amounts differ drastically.”

He looked up.

“How does a loan repayment of five hundred seventy dollars become five point seven million dollars?”

A wave of whispers spread across the room.

Shock.

Confusion.

Doubt.

Back in the room, Geoffrey’s expression changed.

The excitement faded.

Something else replaced it.

Miles leaned in again.

Another clean strike.

The fourth ball dropped into the pocket.

Bennett’s fingers tightened slightly around his cue.

Singh continued.

“I have also submitted the receipts from the customers, which match the records from the Federal Bank.”

He let the silence build.

“So if you claim that the ledger submitted by the FCD is accurate, then you are suggesting that the Federal Bank itself is lying.”

The words landed heavily.

“Or…”

He paused deliberately.

“The transactions have been forged within ACE Finances.”

The public prosecutor rose again, her tone sharper now.

“ACE Finances is attempting to manipulate the situation. They are forging transactions under real codes to hide illegal activity.”

Singh finally looked at her.

A faint, almost pitying expression.

“The prosecutor should revisit financial law.”

A few heads turned sharply.

“Does she not know that at the end of every month, private financial institutions are required to submit their ledgers to the Federal Bank for tax review?”

Silence.

“The current month is nearing its end. Within two weeks, the Federal Bank would automatically flag any fake transactions.”

He stepped forward slightly.

“So why would ACE Finances create forged entries under real transaction codes?”

His voice lowered.

“Why would they dig their own grave?”

The courtroom was now completely still.

The public prosecutor tried again.

“Objection. Mr. Singh is attempting to manipulate the case.”

The judge’s voice cut through sharply.

“Procecuter Drew, you should have verified the ledger with the Federal Bank before presenting it to this court.”

Geoffrey slammed the couch again.

“What the hell is happening here… who is this man Singh?”

Miles did not respond.

He lined up his next shot.

Strike.

The fifth ball dropped smoothly into the pocket.

Bennett did not move.

Did not speak.

For the first time, something uneasy settled in his eyes.

On the screen, the judge spoke again.

“The court will resume after a short break.”

And just like that

The game had only begun.

June stood near the coffee machine, the quiet hum of it blending with the low chatter in the room.

She lifted the cup to her lips, eyes calm, voice even as she spoke into her phone.

“Surround the place and be ready.”

A pause.

Then she ended the call as if nothing had happened.

Behind her, Bennett stretched his shoulders and exhaled.

“Let’s take a break. You are good at playing, young man.”

Miles held a glass of water in his hand, the surface reflecting the light above.

“Okay.”

He walked toward the couch, unhurried, his gaze drifting toward Geoffrey.

“Mr. Geoffrey doesn’t look happy though.”

Geoffrey’s jaw tightened.

He turned toward Silas.

“Are you not the advisor in the Ministry of Justice? Why didn’t you take care of things?”

Silas hesitated.

His fingers tightened slightly around the cue stick.

“I don’t have authority to access the case files. I am an advisor, not a prosecutor.”

Dominic leaned back, trying to keep his tone steady.

“The transactions are forged. They won’t be able to prove who did it. Why worry? The court won’t let go of ACE Finances.”

A brief silence followed.

Geoffrey exhaled sharply.

“You better be right.”

Bennett chuckled lightly, though his eyes remained on the screen.

“Even if the court does nothing, they are not going to survive here.”

Miles took a slow sip of water.

“You guys are having an interesting conversation here. Don’t you think outsiders should not listen to this?”

Geoffrey turned toward him, irritation flashing across his face.

“What will you do, young man? You are standing here because we are allowing you to. Know your limits.”

Bennett added with a faint smirk,

“The game is not over yet, kid. Three balls left. And all of them are in difficult positions.”

Miles’ lips curved slightly.

A quiet confidence.

No reply.

The screen flickered as the court resumed.

The room grew still again.

Miles stepped back toward the table.

Picked up the cue stick.

At the same time

Singh’s voice echoed from the screen.

“Your Honor, I am now presenting solid evidence that will prove the forged transactions were not done by ACE Finances, but were part of a planned operation by external parties.”

Geoffrey’s eyes locked onto the screen.

Unblinking.

Then

The courtroom doors opened.

Chief Sam walked in.

Three men in handcuffs followed behind him.

The air shifted instantly.

Geoffrey shot up from the couch.

“What…”

Dominic’s face drained of color.

“They are… they are caught…”

Silas stepped back slightly.

“How…”

Miles leaned forward.

A precise strike.

The sixth ball rolled cleanly into the pocket.

He straightened up, eyes calm.

“There is always a problem with cases based on anonymous tips.”

His voice was quiet.

Measured.

“The ones who plan these things never know what evidence will appear in court.”

A small pause.

“Not even the chief advisor.”

Geoffrey turned sharply toward him.

“What do you mean?”

Miles looked at the table, adjusting the angle for his next shot.

“It’s simple.”

“The public prosecutor knew witnesses would appear. Yet she couldn’t act on it.”

He glanced briefly at Geoffrey.

“Because she represents the public.”

“Not the anonymous person who tipped.”

On the screen

Chief Sam spoke.

“Your Honor, these three individuals joined ACE Finances two weeks ago. They manipulated the transactions and fled afterward.”

The courtroom murmured.

“We apprehended them following a formal complaint filed by ACE Finances two weeks ago.”

Sam’s voice remained firm.

“They have confessed to their crimes. All evidence has been submitted.”

Silas’s composure cracked.

“This is wrong… they were supposed to stay hidden… Dominic, what the hell did you do?”

Dominic shook his head, panic creeping in.

“They were hidden… but…”

Before he could finish

A sharp sound cut through the room.

Miles took the shot.

The seventh ball dropped into the pocket.

Clean.

Final.

The table now stood nearly empty.

And for the first time

No one spoke.

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