Chapter 8 - The TrialThe trial lasted four months.
Every piece of evidence was presented.
The recordings.
The insurance documents.
The mountain photographs.
The surveillance footage.
The messages.
Serena testified.
Victor's attorney tried to portray him as a grieving husband.
Nobody believed it.
Then the prosecution played the recording.
Victor's voice echoed through the courtroom.
“For fifty million dollars, she'd better be.”
My eyes closed.
The courtroom went silent.
When the verdict came, Victor was found guilty.
Multiple counts.
The judge sentenced him to decades in prison.
Serena received a reduced sentence for cooperating.
Afterward, reporters surrounded me.
“Do you forgive him?”
I looked at them.
“No.”
“Do you hate him?”
I thought about it.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because hatred still gives someone space inside you.”
I looked down at Alexander.
“I don't want him living there anymore.”
That night, Adrian took me home.
Our home.
The house he had bought for me and Alexander.
It overlooked the mountains.
I stood on the balcony.
For the first time, the mountains didn't frighten me.
They reminded me that I had survived.
Adrian stood beside me.
“You're safe.”
May you like
I smiled.
“I know.”
