740 "My husband beat me unconscious while I was six months pregnant, and his family laughed while his sister recorded every blow. They thought I was completely alone—but seconds before Victor destroyed my phone, I sent two desperate words to the one person his family had spent years fearing.

Two months later.

The trial lasted less than three days. With the undeniable video evidence, the recovered cloud backups, the financial audit records, and the expert testimony from the emergency trauma surgeons at St. Jude’s, the jury took less than forty-five minutes to return a verdict.

The judge sat behind the raised wooden bench, adjusting her glasses as she read the final judgment.

"On count one, aggravated assault against a pregnant person: Guilty." "On count two, federal conspiracy and extortion: Guilty." "On count three, criminal deprivation of emergency medical care: Guilty."

The judge looked down at Victor Mercer with unyielding severity.

"Victor Mercer, your actions were not merely criminal; they were evil, cowardly, and barbaric. You used a heavy weapon against an defenseless, six-month pregnant woman while your family laughed and recorded her suffering. You have shown zero genuine remorse, only regret for being caught."

She slammed her gavel down. "I sentence you to twenty-eight years in federal penitentiary without the possibility of early parole."

Victor gasped, turning deathly pale as two guards grabbed his arms to lead him away.

"To Raul Mercer: fifteen years for criminal conspiracy and corporate fraud." "To Helena Mercer: eight years for accomplice to aggravated assault." "To Nora Mercer: five years for evidence destruction and illegal recording."

As the guards dragged the crying, screaming family out of the courtroom through the heavy iron doors, I sat at the prosecution table, resting my hand over my eight-and-a-half-month pregnant belly.

Gabriel leaned over, wrapping his arm around my shoulders, drawing me into a warm, protective embrace.