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"Your Honor, I would like to call Mr. Vincent Kennedy McMahon to the stand."
Dana Finley's words rang through Stephanie's head like a siren. She arched a brow as she shifted her eyes her father's way. Vince had risen to his feet.
"Granted... Mr. McMahon, please take the witness stand," Judge Williams ordered.
The man stepped forth, and the bailiff made him swear in.
"Mr. McMahon, you have cause to believe that your daughter, Miss Stephanie Marie McMahon, is not fit to own and run your company. Is that correct?"
"Objection, Your Honor!" Miles exclaimed. "Counsel is leading the witness."
"Overruled," the judge replied, and there was an exclamation of disbelief in the courtroom.
"Your Honor, my client is not the one on trial here!"
Louise Williams banged her gavel, turning her sharp, dark eyes on the attorney.
"Mr. Prescott, if you do not wish to be held in contempt of court, you will settle down right now," she said warningly.
Stephanie's eyes were wide as she glanced around at her friends, at Jay. She could not believe what she was hearing. But her father had nothing on her, absolutely nothing.
Dana glanced around as well, her gaze coming first to meet the narrowed hazel eyes of Amy Dumas-Copeland. The redhead seemed to be giving her a murderous look, but she didn't care. She glanced over at Chris Irvine, his clear blue eyes icy as he appeared cool as a cucumber. And then, she met the gaze of Stephanie McMahon... The bitch - in the few years she had been Vince's attorney, she'd never liked the young woman. She was a spoiled little brat who'd gotten everything - *everything* - handed to her on a silver platter, and yet, she was still an ungrateful little leech. She knew the brunette hated her as well. She always had, ever since six years earlier when she'd walked in on a very intimate moment between herself and Vince.
"You may answer the statement, Mr. McMahon." The judge's words cut off Finley's thoughts.
"Yes, Your Honor... My daughter Stephanie doesn't have what it takes to own and run a business... Especially not one as huge and the caliber of World Wrestling Entertainment." The man met the slate-gray eyes of his attorney and continued. "She is unfit. She would show favoritism toward certain employees..." He craned his neck, staring down his nose at all but one of the superstars present in the courtroom - those on his daughter's side - Adam and Amy Copeland, Trish Stratus, Eddy Guerrero, Stacy Keibler, and last but not least, Jay Reso. Vince knew that Stephanie and Reso had gotten especially close in recent days. "... And she would scorn and scoff others, treat them unfairly."
"Mr. McMahon, have you witnessed evidence that this would indeed be the case?"
"You bet I have, Ms. Finley," Vince replied sharply. "Not even a month ago, she barged into my office and made demands on me. And Mr. Irvine informed me that my daughter slapped him shortly after."
Finley arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.
"She slapped him?"
"Yes, she did." Vince shifted his dark eyes Jericho's way. "Ask *him* if you don't believe me." A smug expression came to his face.
"So, what you're saying then, Mr. McMahon, is that your daughter's behavior was inappropriate?"
"You're damn right I am!" Vince snapped. "She doesn't know the proper way to behave with employees."
Stephanie shook her head in disbelief and edged closer to Miles to whisper.
"I don't believe this..."
Prescott patted his client's arm as Dana announced she had no further questions. Then, he stood up and spoke.
"Your Honor, if you don't mind, I would like to ask Mr. McMahon a few questions."
"Granted, counselor. Your witness - you may proceed," the judge replied.
Vince's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as his daughter's attorney approached the bench.
"Mr. McMahon," Miles began as he came to stand directly before the witness stand, "you made a storyline on your programs involving Mr. and Mrs. Copeland and Mr. Irvine, did you not?"
"I did."
"But sir, Mrs. Copeland had expressed great discomfort about Mr. Irvine prior to this. Isn't that right?"
Amy shuddered slightly and pressed more tightly into Adam's side as they listened. Her husband grabbed hold of her hand, comforting the redhead.
Vince visibly swallowed, and then responded.
"Yes."
"So, that being said, I ask you - knowing that Mrs. Copeland felt uncomfortable around Mr. Irvine and that she'd had problems with him for awhile... Why did you put the two of them in an onscreen storyline together?" Prescott inquired, his hands templed in front of him.
"I thought it would be good for business," the WWE Chairman responded. "Real situations often are."
"Is that so, Mr. McMahon...?" Miles asked. "And isn't it true that Amy Dumas-Copeland had gone to you for help when Mr. Irvine began to stalk and harass her?"
"Objection!" Dana Finley shouted.
"Overruled. Mr. McMahon, answer the question."
Vince again swallowed hard.
"Yes... Yes, it is."
"Thank you," Miles said. "No further questions."
Stephanie couldn't help the slow, small smile that came. In a matter of minutes, her
attorney had turned her father's bitch lawyer's case against *her* directly against her
father. Things were looking better and better.