Chapter 11 - The Audio Proof
Judge Sterling spent ten agonizing minutes reviewing the bank statements in silence.
The only sound in the room was the heavy rain hitting the glass and the occasional coo from Leo.
Marcus leaned over to his lawyer, whispering frantically, his face turning bright red.
His lawyer looked furiously at the documents, clearly blindsided by his own client's illegal activities.
“Mr. Vance, do you care to explain these offshore transfers?” Judge Sterling finally asked, his voice dripping with disdain.
Marcus stood up, visibly sweating under the harsh courtroom lights.
“Your Honor, those documents are forged, my wife is trying to frame me out of spite,” Marcus lied through his teeth.
Sarah didn't even flinch; she simply smiled and picked up her phone.
“Your Honor, with the court's permission, I would like to play an audio recording taken legally in the marital home,” Sarah requested.
“Objection, hearsay!” the defense attorney shouted desperately.
“Overruled. Play the tape, Counselor,” Judge Sterling commanded, leaning forward.
Sarah connected her phone to a small Bluetooth speaker on the desk.
Marcus’s drunken, arrogant voice echoed loudly through the silent courtroom.
“I didn't steal it, I took what was mine, and I'll take the kid too just to watch you suffer.”
The recording clicked off, leaving a heavy, damning silence in its wake.
Eleanor buried her face in her hands, realizing her son had just confessed on tape.
Marcus looked like he wanted to sink through the floorboards.
“You idiot,” his own lawyer muttered loudly enough for the front row to hear.
Judge Sterling’s face turned a deep, angry shade of purple as he glared down at Marcus.
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“Mr. Vance, you have lied to this court, hidden assets, and threatened a new mother,” the judge growled.
The illusion of Marcus being a respectable businessman was shattered into a million unfixable pieces.
