Chapter 12 - THE TRIAL
The trial combined attempted murder, conspiracy, corporate fraud, evidence tampering, medical coercion, and forgery.
Bradley testified first.
The defense destroyed him publicly.
Affairs.
Debt.
Jealousy.
Prior violence.
He admitted all of it.
“I wanted what she had.”
“What?”
“Our father’s respect.”
“Did pushing her into the pool earn it?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“Because for one second, I wanted her helplessness to be real.”
The courtroom went silent.
Victoria testified next.
The defense showed therapy notes.
Anger.
Fear.
Memory gaps after medication.
“You were mentally unstable.”
“I was injured.”
“You accused your father before having proof.”
“I asked questions.”
“You secretly recorded family.”
“Yes.”
“You planned the party confrontation.”
“No. I planned to preserve what they said.”
“You wanted control.”
“I wanted access to my own company records.”
The attorney held up the recorder.
“This device was a weapon.”
Victoria looked at Richard.
“No. The wheelchair was.”
Harrison testified.
The defense focused on the punch.
“You lost control.”
“Yes.”
“You hated Bradley.”
“In that moment, yes.”
“You had motive to exaggerate.”
“The spinal imaging does not share my emotions.”
Medical evidence showed deliberate brace impact.
Mechanical evidence showed altered brakes.
Audio showed planning.
The case did not depend on perfect witnesses.
It depended on records surviving imperfect people.
Richard took the stand.
Calm.
Measured.
He called the crash tragic.
The medical notes prudent.
The succession plan responsible.
The pool incident Bradley’s breakdown.
The prosecutor asked about Helen’s will.
Richard called it fake.
Anna testified.
The notary record confirmed it.
The prosecutor played the recorder.
Richard’s voice:
“If the pool forces a crisis, the board moves faster.”
He claimed metaphor.
Then another clip:
“Once she is underwater, no one will question panic.”
Richard said nothing.
The prosecutor stepped closer.
“You spent years turning violence into concern.”
May you like
Silence.
“This time, concern was recording.”
