Chapter 7 - The Trial of the Golden Boy
The criminal trial of Preston Sterling was the most highly publicized event in the city’s recent history. The courtroom was packed with cameras as Preston was led inside, his hands and feet chained, his face pale and thin after months in maximum-security confinement.
Richard and Eleanor sat in the back row of the gallery, looking broken and aged, their old-money status completely evaporated. Vanessa sat on the opposite side, surrounded by her own legal team, waiting to ensure her annulment went through smoothly.
Evelyn sat at the prosecution table, holding Sophie’s hand. Sophie was wearing a beautiful new white dress, her hair styled perfectly to cover the small, faint scar near her hairline. She looked confident, safe, and no longer afraid of the man who had terrified her.
"The defense calls Preston Sterling to the stand," Arthur Pendelton announced, desperately hoping his client could charm the jury.
Preston slowly walked to the witness stand, his voice shaking as he took the oath. "I... I never meant to hurt my niece," he sobbed into the microphone, trying to sound like a victim. "The stress of the wedding... the missing phone... I thought she was playing a prank. When I grabbed the menu board, it slipped from my hands. It was a tragic, terrible accident. I love my family."
Julian Vance stepped up to the cross-examination podium, his eyes locking onto Preston like a predator targeting its prey. "An accident, Mr. Sterling? Let’s review the footage one more time."
Julian played the video, pausing it at the exact millisecond before the impact. "Look at your jaw, Preston. Look at your eyes. You didn't slip. You adjusted your stance, raised the board over your shoulder, and swung it with maximum force. Is it true that you planted the phone in Sophie's pocket because you knew she was the beneficiary of your grandfather's secret trust, and you wanted to frame her as a thief to invalidate her inheritance?"
The courtroom erupted into wild whispers. Preston’s eyes widened in absolute panic. He looked at his father, then at his mother, but they both lowered their heads, unable to help him.
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"I... I... she wasn't supposed to get the money!" Preston suddenly screamed, completely snapping under the pressure, his true sociopathic nature exposing itself to the jury. "She's a nobody! Evelyn is a nobody! The Sterling legacy belonged to me! I built that brand! I deserved that trust!"
"Thank you, Mr. Sterling," Julian Vance said calmly, turning to the jury. "No further questions."
