Chapter 16 - The Trial Begins
By January 2027, the legal net surrounding Bradley Reynolds had finally tightened to its breaking point. The federal trial for wire fraud, identity theft, and corporate embezzlement commenced in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Although I was thousands of miles away in London, Marcus kept me updated with daily secure briefings. Bradley’s high-priced defense attorneys had abandoned him weeks prior when retainer funds ran dry, leaving him to rely on a court-appointed public defender who advised him to plead guilty in exchange for sentencing leniency.
Bradley refused, clinging to a delusional belief that he could charm the jury the way he used to charm boardroom executives.
"It was a complete disaster for him on the stand yesterday," Marcus reported during an encrypted evening call. "The prosecution presented the complete digital paper trail—every hidden transfer, every forged signature, and every offshore account. When the prosecutor showed the court the medical intake form from the fertility clinic where Bradley tried to hide his assets while denying his children basic medical care, the jury didn't look at him with pity. They looked at him with disgust."
I stood by the Kensington window, watching snowflakes drift softly down onto the lamplit pavement below. "Is it almost over, Marcus?"
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"Closing arguments are tomorrow," Marcus replied softly. "The sentencing guidelines suggest a minimum of eight to twelve years in federal prison without parole eligibility."
I closed my eyes, letting out a long, steady breath. The circle was closing. The man who had tried to erase my existence, strip me of my dignity, and starve our children of security was finally facing the immutable law of consequence.
