Chapter 4 - The House of Cards
The trial became the spectacle of the century. The public, who had once admired the "power couple" of Dominic and Victoria Voss, watched in horror as the truth emerged. The forensic accounts showed that Dominic had been laundering money for years to maintain his lifestyle, while Victoria had been orchestrating "accidents" and financial ruin to ensure no one questioned their authority.
Paige, sensing the ship was sinking, tried to testify against them to secure a plea deal. She spilled every secret, including how Victoria had planned the push down the stairs months in advance. She described how they had mocked my "poverty" while they were secretly living off the funds I had provided.
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I sat in the gallery every single day, my heart strangely quiet. There was no joy in seeing them crumble, only the necessary completion of a task. I had been the silent architect of their success, and now, I was the one dismantling it brick by brick. I watched as the jury delivered the final verdict: fifteen years for Dominic for fraud and conspiracy, and twelve years for Victoria for attempted murder.
When the judge hammered the gavel, the sound was like a door closing on a dark chapter. I didn't celebrate. I simply walked out of the courtroom, into the bright, unclouded afternoon. I was free. Not just from the marriage, but from the shadow of the person I had pretended to be to keep them happy.
