Chapter 9 - The Sentencing
The highly anticipated federal trial took place exactly nine agonizing months after the dramatic arrests in the boardroom.
I sat confidently in the front row of the crowded gallery, tightly holding Caleb's warm hand for silent support.
Victoria was slowly led into the courtroom wearing a highly unflattering, bright orange federal prison jumpsuit.
She had lost a highly significant amount of weight, her blonde hair was entirely graying at the roots, and her once-arrogant eyes were completely hollow.
Her wildly expensive defense lawyers had completely abandoned her the very second the government successfully froze all of her stolen, hidden assets.
She was now entirely relying on an overworked, exhausted public defender who looked completely defeated by the massive mountain of undeniable evidence.
The federal judge did not show even a single ounce of mercy or pity for the fallen corporate queen.
“Your actions represent the absolute worst kind of malicious corporate greed and profound moral bankruptcy,” the judge stated loudly to the silent room.
He forcefully slammed his heavy wooden gavel down, the sound echoing like a terrifying gunshot.
Victoria Grant was officially sentenced to fifteen hard years in a maximum-security federal penitentiary, with absolutely no possibility of early parole.
She violently collapsed into her metal chair, sobbing uncontrollably as the heavy steel chains were wrapped tightly around her waist.
Caleb watched his sister being roughly dragged away, completely closing his eyes and taking one long, final, shuddering breath.
“Are you going to be okay?” I whispered softly, gently squeezing his hand.
He opened his eyes, looking at me with a profound, beautiful sense of total, unbreakable peace.
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“I have absolutely never been better in my entire life,” he replied honestly.
We stood up together and walked purposefully out of the dark courthouse, stepping directly into the bright, warm Chicago sunlight.
