Several days into Burke’s trial and the media circus surrounding it showed no sign of abating. Coverage of it was spread around the known Sims world from Pleasantview to Brindleton Bay. News channels, magazines and online gossip columns couldn’t get enough of the trial of the head of one of the richest families in the world, Burke Simmington. Accused of simslaughter of his son’s conman husband, Burke was facing an uncertain future. As the trial began it’s third day, news reporters were once again outside the courthouse.
Fathom and Seth were indeed just arriving for the day’s hearing. Fathom winced when she caught sight of the reporter and tv crew.
Seth kept hold of his wife’s hand as he led her through the throng.
Fathom and Seth ignored the questions and made their way past. At the top of the steps outside the courthouse Fathom gathered herself after the onslaught she had just endured. Seth meanwhile had a question for his wife.
Seth’s question made Fathom slightly uncomfortable. She didn’t want to get into this in such a public way in front of the reporters and cameras so she went inside. Once in the hallway of the building she told Seth just how she felt.
Seth could see that he had clearly rattled his new wife and this was not what he had intended.
Fathom knew she had a reputation. One that was indeed valid for she had yet to give up her flirtatious ways. As Seth was skirting around an issue she didn’t want to address she as usual went on the defensive.
It was more than a slip of the tongue for Fathom had already made a fool out of Seth the whole time they had got back together. Many, many times as the newest recruits to her father’s football team would testify. She quickly turned and made her way towards the courtroom leaving Seth feeling unsure about how she felt about him.
Outside the courthouse, reporter Dick Stroker was wrapping up his live news report.
The day’s session had begun. The courtroom was packed. Brystle Simmington sat in the front row behind her husband. The trial was taking it’s toll on her. Being in a courtroom environment had reminded Brystle of her own trial several years past before she had met Burke. It hadn’t been a good period in her life and it had resulted in her being sent to prison for something she didn’t commit. She and Burke still had not talked about her experience and there was so much she needed to tell him but now she was worried that she may never get he chance.
Joining Brystle was her niece Tammy Flo who looked like she was having a ball on a day out. Next to her was Heathen who was finding the whole ordeal unbearable. Making up the crowd of spectators was Fathom and Seth. Unbeknown to all of them was Cyril Dolby, Burke’s arch enemy, had taken a seat discreetly at the back of the packed courtroom. He silently watched as the drama played out as he had been expecting…
After everyone stood as Judge Doodie entered the room the trial’s 3rd day got under way. Called to the witness stand was Michael Constrain and he was a witness for the prosecution. Ann Thrax, the prosecuting lawyer, approached her client.
Michael ran a finger under his shirt collar as it had suddenly begun to feel very tight as he testified against his boss.
Michael paused. He felt all eyes on him, including Fathom’s. And then he saw the look Seth Dolby was throwing his way and it reminded him how much he hated the rich playboy for taking Fathom away from him.
As Michael gave his testimony, an outraged Seth whispered angrily to Fathom about what he had just heard. Fathom however kept looking across the room at Michael.
Fathom knew what was coming next and inwardly she was urging Michael not to go through with this.
For all her bravado and her recklessness with how she treated people, Fathom was feeling both sad and betrayed. Sad for how she had made Michael feel and betrayed that he was testifying against her father. And that betrayal was outweighing anything else she was feeling..
Burke whispered to his lawyer Andre Wayward as Ann Thrax continued her questioning of Michael.
As copies of the report were passed around Brystle was feeling more uncomfortable than ever. For in her heart she knew what Michael was saying was the truth.
Andre began his questioning with his trademark devil’s grin aiming to put Michael at ease. However, he knew the chauffeur of course and he also knew how to handle this. He believed Michael to be an idiot and he would poke holes in his claim to have him discredited as a witness.
Michael was taken aback by this for he had not expected his own problems to come to the surface. He meekly answered but was quickly cut off by Andre bellowing at him.
Michael looked around the room as if for help but realised he was on his own. He had no choice to tell the truth. His voice was quiet again as he answered but once again he was cut off by Andre.
Michael was floundering and prosecutor Ann Thrax saw this. She quickly leapt up.
Judge Doodie was a tough old bird even the most hardy of lawyers were afraid of. Reluctantly Ann took her seat allowing Michael to continue.
Michael took a deep breath to compose himself before looking Andre square in the eye.
Burke chuckled to himself after the verbal battering Andre had given Michael. Brystle watched on with disdain.
Hours were passing and the trial was progressing. Prosecution was ready to bring on their next star witness.
Mumblings galore went around the courtroom as this was the moment a lot of the spectators and the press had been waiting for as the billionaire’s ex-wife took the witness stand against her former husband.
The courtroom doors opened and in walked Texas dressed to kill in a blood red suit. She confidently marched towards the witness stand, smiling as she revelled in the obvious attention on her.
Fathom was furious that the mother she hated was about to have her moment of glory and refused to look at her as she walked by. From the back of the courtroom Cyril Dolby smiled to himself as he knew his lover had been waiting a long time to her moment.
Andre, whilst apprehensive about Texas taking the stand, was looking forward to cross examining her. However Burke had other ideas…
Andre was flabbergasted that he would be denied the chance to cross examine Texas but Burke was adamant. Meanwhile Texas had taken the stand.
Texas paused for a moment and scanned the courtroom. She had a captivated audience and she was going to revel in delivering her story.
Texas put her head in her hands and wept loudly.
Burke glared across the courtroom at his ex-wife. How dare she use the memory of their dead first child in some petty revenge against him he thought.
Texas dramatically wiped away her tears with a handkerchief before composing herself and continuing with her damning evidence.
Another round of mumblings and mutterings went around the courtroom. Judge Doodie called for order and then prosecutor Ann Thrax continued.
Fathom could not believe the audacity of her loathed mother. How dare she get up there and publicly lie about her father like this. Texas gave no indication of whether she noticed this or not and continued with her testimony.
Brystle was no dummy. She knew that Texas would lie on the stand and be overly dramatic with her testimony. However what she was saying struck her hard for it reminded her of something Mayhew had said before he had left for Shang Simla. He’d stated that Burke had deliberately promoted him just to send him overseas in an effort to keep Brystle and he apart. Mayhew had also stated the same thing- that Burke bought people off just to get his own way. Brystle had doubted this in the beginning but was now becoming more and more convinced that her husband had indeed done this.
Texas went full throttle with her acting at this point and her theatrics were totally over the top.
Ann Thrax was in her element. She had a witness who was giving the press exactly what they wanted. The courtroom was in total silence as everyone waited to hear what Texas would say next.
Burke Simmington, had just been publicly accused of murder by his ex-wife and the courtroom almost went into uproar. Judge Doodie furiously banged her gavel as a call to order. Andre leapt up to call his objection.
A deflated Andre sat down and Ann smirked triumphantly at her opponent. As the courtroom descended into silence once more Texas continued with her testimony.
It became too much for Brystle to listen to. The more she heard the more she was convinced of her husband’s guilt. This triggered a panic attack in her and she suddenly leapt up from her seat.
All eyes were on Brystle as the current Mrs Simmington fled the courtroom. Fathom couldn’t believe her father’s wife would abandon him in his moment of need and made a mental note to confront her about it as soon as she could. Andre looked over at Burke who had closed his eyes in shock. Texas of course had achieved her goal and she loved it. So long Brystle!!
Ann now moved her line of questioning onto the night of Fred’s death.
Heathen remained seated with his head lowered. He wanted to be anywhere but here. His husband was dead but had it even been a real marriage? And now his parents were at war again just like they were when he was a child. Heathen couldn’t bare it.
Judge Doodie almost split her desk in two as she repeatedly pounded her gavel in effort to gain order in her courtroom as the shockwaves went round for the umpteenth time. Burke looked on in horror.
Andre couldn’t take it anymore and insisted that Burke allow to cross examine Texas.
Andre was left dumbfounded. It was incredibly short sighted of Burke to let this opportunity to discredit Texas as a reliable witness pass. But perhaps Burke realised that Texas knew too much. Who knows what else she would say on that stand when prodded?
Texas’s testimony had been outrageous, over the top and dramatic. But Ann knew it had achieved exactly what she wanted. The damage had been done and there would be no coming back for Burke after this.
Andre slowly stood up and fidgeted uncomfortably. He couldn’t accept that he wasn’t getting the chance to annihilate Texas’s testimony.
As soon as Judge Doodie had dismissed the court, a furious Fathom leapt from her seat without a word to Seth and marched outside. She went stomping downstairs to where she found a sheepish Michael sat waiting.
Michael didn’t get a chance to speak. He looked up from the bench he was sitting on as Fathom unleashed her anger at him. 
Fathom turned to walk away but Michael leapt up and grabbed hold of her.
Fathom pushed her former lover away. It pained her to treat Michael this way but it had to be done.
Fathom stormed off with the sound of her high heels echoing loudly against the marble floor.
Michael watched her go and at that moment he realised there would be no turning back from this point on. His time at the Simmington household was over for good.
Fathom was riled up by now and was determined to locate her next target and after a process of elimination she found her in the ladies restroom. 
Brystle finished washing and drying her hands before she calmly replied to an irate Fathom. It was clear her step-daughter was looking for another fight. Brystle was not prepared to rise to it.
Fathom had rolled her eyes and replied in a sarcastic tone that was now beginning to irk Brystle. She turned to face her step-daughter but managed to keep her reply firm without raising her voice.
Fathom again rolled her eyes and ramped up the sarcastic tone for she knew she was pressing Brystle’s buttons.
This was a reference to a previous altercation between the 2 of them one night where Fathom had accused Brystle of cheating with Mayhew Drysdale. Brystle didn’t like where this was going and in such a public place so she decided to shut it down.
Fathom was done screwing around and decided to unleash her anger.
Brystle found herself snapping back too.
Brystle couldn’t take anymore and she turned her back on Fathom as she began to feel the same panic attack creeping in. She breathed deeply as she held onto the counter top.
Fathom marched out of the restroom leaving Brystle alone to deal with the panic attack that was crippling her. Brystle didn’t know how much more of this she could take – if it wasn’t Fathom attacking her at every opportunity it was Texas with her digs and interfering. Then there was everything she had heard in the courtroom from Michael as well as Texas. She knew Michael had told the truth – Burke DID have him beaten up as a warning to stay away from Fathom. And it now appeared Mayhew had been right all along about Burke buying people off to get his way. It also made Brystle think that despite Texas’s theatrics in the witness stand there might be some element of truth in what she had claimed. Had Burke been making people, like Todger Rhymes, disappear for years now? And he in fact covered up the fact he had Todger murdered all those years ago? And if so, could it be true that he intended to push Fred to his death that night at the opera?
Meanwhile outside the courtroom Heathen was taking a moment alone to reflect on everything that had come to light during the trial. His mother had accused his father of murdering her lover many years ago. Burke had Michael beaten up for dating Fathom. Was it so impossible to believe now that he indeed pushed Fred to his death in a violent rage? Heathen was conflicted as to what to believe anymore. His whole existence was being questioned now that it was probable that Burke wasn’t really his father and that he had a brother he had known nothing about.
While he was contemplating the magnitude of this he was approached by his mother who had been looking for her son since the court had been adjourned. 
It pained Texas to see her son so upset. The recent revelations had obviously been distressing for him. Whilst Texas felt she was to blame partially for this, the bigger fault she felt lay with Burke. She took a seat beside her tearful son to try and fill him in some more on the circumstances that led to all of this heartache. This was the first time since it had all come to light that fateful night at the opera, when Fred met his untimely death, that mother and son had talked about it.
Texas remained tight lipped. There was a lot more she could reveal. Now was not the time.
Heathen wiped his tears and continued talking.
Heathen stood as he made to distance himself from his mother. Both physically and emotionally.
Texas was about to speak first when she caught sight of private investigator Horgan Mess, the man she had hired, lurking at the end of the corridor. Heathen hadn’t noticed him.
Horgan moved forward once he saw the coast was clear.
Horgan took no offence at what Texas had said as he revealed what he had discovered.
Texas was getting impatient. She wanted to go after her son.
Horgan smirked as he saw how happy his client had suddenly become upon hearing at what he’d discovered.
The enormity of what she had uncovered was overwhelming for Texas. In the space of a moment she had gone from feeling broken to jubilant. Already she was picturing how she would reveal this information and destroy Burke once and for all.
CREDITS :
This episode of Simasty was inspired by the original Dynasty courtroom season 1 finale and season 2 premiere episodes. Certain scenes and dialogue have been recreated Sims style.
This was a technically challenging episode to create. For the courtroom scenes I had over 40 sims individually posed! All of this is beyond the capabilities of the game and would not have been possible without the use of CC and Mods by very talented artists to whom I am very grateful. For the poses I used various pose packs from 2 artists:
https://joanneberniceposes.weebly.com
I also use the pose player by Andrew available at:
http://sims4studio.com/thread/2617/andrews-studio
Also teleport any sim mod by scumbumbo, updated by Andrew :
http://sims4studio.com/post/72734
Adding so many Sims into 1 room was only made possible by using MC Command Center by deaderpool, available here:
Several outfits were CC as well. Texas’s red outfit was by ZitaRossouw and is available here:
Her hat was by Colores Urbanos available here:
Brystle’s outfit was by Jonsims available here:
Various shoes high heel shoes by Madlen available here:
https://thesimsresource.com/artists/MJ95
The courthouse used was downloaded from the Sims gallery. I updated the exterior to what I wanted. . You can download the original build from the gallery from user Azulsims01
The interior courtroom I designed myself as a separate set. The wall panelling was by Peacemaker available here:
simasty.com 