Chapter 16 - The Trial
The trial lasted seven weeks.
Chicago watched every day.
Cassandra was charged with fraud, conspiracy, poisoning, money laundering, attempted murder, and obstruction.
Vincent testified.
Marco testified.
Financial experts testified.
Then Claire took the stand.
The courtroom became silent.
She told the jury everything.
The hidden room.
The charity accounts.
The forged documents.
The kidnapping.
The years in hiding.
Finally, Julian testified.
He admitted what the DeLuca family had done.
He admitted the empire had been built on fear.
He did not defend it.
He dismantled it.
Piece by piece.
When the verdict came, Cassandra was found guilty.
She showed no emotion.
Only when Lily walked into the courthouse beside Claire did Cassandra look away.
Julian watched her disappear behind the courtroom doors.
For years, he had imagined revenge.
But revenge did not feel like this.
It felt quieter.
Like finally setting down a weight.
Claire touched his arm.
“Are you okay?”
“No.”
She smiled sadly.
“Neither am I.”
He looked at her.
“But we will be.”
She nodded.
Lily ran between them.
“Daddy.”
Julian froze.
Claire stopped breathing.
The little girl looked at them both.
“Can we get pancakes?”
Julian laughed.
Claire cried.
May you like
And for the first time, the future felt more important than the past.
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