Chapter 13 - The Criminal Trial Begins
Seven months after the boiling grease scorched my skin, the criminal trial of Julian and Beatrice Sterling began. The media had caught wind of the sensational story—a wealthy socialite mother and her CEO son turning on each other after a brutal attack on an heiress. The courtroom was packed every single day.
I was the prosecution's first witness.
When I took the stand, the entire courtroom fell silent. I swore the oath and sat down, adjusting the microphone. I looked directly at the defense tables. Julian sat at one, refusing to meet my eyes. Beatrice sat at the other, glaring at me with undiminished hatred.
The prosecutor walked me through the entire history of our marriage. I detailed the financial pressure, the constant belittling, and the forged loan documents. I explained how I had begun carrying the voice recorder out of fear for my safety and my assets.
“Mrs. Sterling, can you describe the events of the evening in question?” the prosecutor asked gently.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself. I recounted the argument in the kitchen, my refusal to liquidate the patents, and the chilling silence before the attack.
“Beatrice lifted the cast-iron skillet from the stove,” I told the jury, my voice steady despite the horrific memory. “She threw the boiling oil directly at my chest. The pain was beyond description. I fell to the floor, screaming.”
Several jurors visibly winced, looking with deep sympathy at the visible scars on my collarbone.
“And what did your husband do?” the prosecutor asked.
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“He crouched beside me, smiled, and told me he was divorcing me because I was an ugly monster,” I stated clearly. “He watched me burn, and used my agony to try and extort my inheritance.”
A collective gasp echoed through the gallery. Beatrice’s lawyer tried to object, but the judge overruled him instantly. The truth was out, and it was devastating.
