Chapter 7 - The Trial By Fire
The trial was a media circus. High Society Couple Exposed in Multi-Million Dollar Syndicate Fraud.
I was the prosecution's star witness. When I took the stand, the courtroom was dead silent. I wore a tailored power suit, a stark contrast to the orange jumpsuits Derek and Elena were forced to wear.
Derek’s high-priced defense attorney tried to rattle me. "Isn't it true, you held a deep-seated resentment toward your sister's financial success?" he asked.
"They had no financial success," I answered clearly, looking directly at the jury. "They had a mountain of debt built on lies. I didn't resent them; I pitied them. And when I refused to become a victim of their fraud, Derek Vance tried to murder me while my sister watched."
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The prosecution played the audio from my smart-bracelet. The sound of a struggle. My gasps for air. The sickening silence. And then, Elena's voice: "You brought this on yourself."
The jury physically recoiled. Several of them glared at Elena with pure disgust. There was no defense against the truth.
