Chapter 16 - The Confession in Court
Six months later, the courtroom in downtown Seattle was packed.
Thomas sat at the defense table, looking older, grayer, and thoroughly defeated. The highly publicized trial had gripped the city. The wealthy uncle who covered up his niece's death to secure his inheritance was a story the media couldn't get enough of.
Elise took the stand. She wore a simple, elegant navy suit. She spoke clearly and calmly, recounting the events of her wedding night, Thomas's confession in the guest room, and his attempt to inject her with a lethal dose of fentanyl.
Damien sat in the front row of the gallery. He couldn't take his eyes off her. He had spent the last six months in intense therapy, trying to unravel the dark, vengeful impulses that had destroyed his life. He looked healthier, but the profound sadness in his eyes remained.
When the prosecutor asked Elise if she had any prior knowledge of her sister’s crime, she answered firmly. "No. If I had known what Chloe did, I would have turned her in myself."
The jury deliberated for less than four hours.
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Thomas was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter, accessory to murder, and the attempted murder of Elise. The judge sentenced him to twenty-five years in federal prison without the possibility of early parole.
As the bailiff led Thomas away in shackles, Martha leaned her head onto Arthur’s shoulder, letting out a long, shuddering sigh of relief. Maya finally had justice.
