Chapter 7 - THE TRIBUNAL AND THE SHOCKING TRUTH
Three weeks later, the high-profile trial of Victoria and Julian Vance dominated every news channel across the globe. The trial was fast-tracked due to the overwhelming evidence of financial fraud, embezzlement, and attempted murder.
Julian sat at the defense table in an orange prison jumpsuit, his hair buzzed short, his hands cuffed to his waist. Victoria sat next to him, looking hollow, aged twenty years in three weeks.
The judge slammed his gavel. "In light of the indisputable digital evidence, wiretaps, and financial records, this court finds Victoria Vance guilty on all counts of solicited murder, bank fraud, and grand larceny. She is sentenced to thirty-five years without the possibility of parole."
Victoria collapsed back into her chair, staring blankly into space.
"As for Julian Vance," the judge continued, "for your role in corporate embezzlement, tax evasion, and accessory to fraud, you are sentenced to fifteen years in maximum-security federal prison."
Julian burst into tears, banging his head against the wooden table. "No! Please! I can't survive in prison! Elena, please help me!"
Elena sat in the front row of the gallery, completely unbothered, her expression serene.
Before the bailiffs dragged the mother and son away, the judge raised his hand. "Before court is adjourned, Chairwoman Ritter has requested permission to present one final legal disclosure to the defense, which has been pre-approved by this court."
Julian looked up, a tiny flick of hope igniting in his desperate mind. A pardon? A settlement? Did she change her mind?
Elena rose gracefully from her seat, walking up to the defense podium. She picked up a thick red envelope and handed it directly to Julian's defense attorney.
"What is this?" Julian choked out.
"Three years ago," Elena began, her voice ringing clearly through the courtroom, "before I met you, my father—the founder of the Ritter Dynasty—was dying. He made a secret trust agreement regarding the Ritter estate."
Julian frowned, confused. "What does your father have to do with me?"
"My father didn't just leave Apex Titan to me," Elena said, her eyes shining with a deep, tragic secret. "He left a clause. He stated that if I married a man who loved me unconditionally—without knowing my wealth—half of the Ritter global assets would be transferred into a joint trust for my husband."
Julian’s eyes went wide. The room fell into absolute silence.
"If you had treated me with basic kindness," Elena whispered, leaning closer so only Julian and Victoria could hear, "if you had protected me from your mother's cruelty... if you had simply taken my hand when she shoved my face into that bowl and walked out of that house with me... you would have woken up the next morning as the co-owner of a $40 billion global empire."
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Julian’s jaw dropped. The reality of what he had destroyed hit him with the force of a freight train.
"You had $20 billion in your hands, Julian," Elena smiled, a single tear of tragic irony running down her cheek. "And you traded it away... for a salad."
