Chapter 8 - The Crack in the Armor
The courtroom was suffocating, the air thick with the scent of floor wax and the acidic tang of desperation. The prosecution had meticulously laid out the sequence of the “Blue Box” conspiracy, but Derek and Evelyn remained defiant, banking on their reputation to shield them.
However, Rosemary had one final move. She had discovered that the flight tickets in the blue box were purchased using a joint account that Evelyn had been secretly draining for years, unbeknownst to Derek.
When Marcus called Evelyn to the stand, the atmosphere shifted. He didn't ask her about the hospital; he asked her about the finances.
"Mrs. Sterling," Marcus began, his voice smooth as silk. "You claim you were 'protecting' your granddaughter. Yet, why does your name appear on the shell company that purchased the flight tickets to a non-extradition country?"
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Evelyn’s composure snapped. She shot a venomous glare at Derek, realizing he had likely leaked the account details to the investigators to save himself. "He told me it was necessary! He wanted to get rid of Gianna and take the child so he could secure the trust fund for himself!"
The courtroom erupted into murmurs. The facade of the "united front" had disintegrated. Derek lunged toward his mother, his face a mask of primal fury, before bailiffs pinned him to the floor. The judge hammered the gavel repeatedly, but the damage was done. The mother and son were no longer conspirators; they were rivals, and their descent into madness was being broadcast for the jury to see.
