Chapter 10 - THE TESTIMONY Lily's testimony lasted two days.
She described everything.
The bruises.
The threats.
The sedatives.
The recorder.
The night Serena dragged Ethan across the marble floor.
Serena's attorney tried to destroy her credibility.
“You loved the child?”
“Yes.”
“You wanted to replace Serena?”
“No.”
“You believed you were a better mother?”
Lily looked toward Isabella.
Then back at the attorney.
“I believed he deserved not to be hurt.”
The courtroom became silent.
Maya testified next.
Then Mrs. Vale.
Then Anthony.
Every confession opened another door.
Finally, Isabella entered the witness stand.
She told the court about the boat.
The clinic.
The false death.
The stolen child.
Serena watched without expression.
Until Isabella said:
“I spent years wondering what I did to make you hate me.”
She looked directly at her sister.
“Nothing.”
Serena's composure broke.
Then Victor testified.
His attorneys had begged him not to.
He did anyway.
He admitted the payments.
The signatures.
The surveillance.
The culture of fear.
The prosecutor asked:
“Why did nobody tell you your son was being abused?”
Victor looked at the jury.
“Because I built a house where people believed bad news was dangerous.”
He paused.
“Serena used that.”
Then he added:
“And I made it useful.”
That admission changed everything.
Serena was convicted on multiple charges.
Kidnapping.
Child abuse.
Conspiracy.
Fraud.
Evidence tampering.
Anthony was convicted as well.
Mrs. Vale received a reduced sentence after cooperating.
Rachel lost her nursing license and faced criminal charges.
But Victor was not untouched.
Some of the evidence Serena had exposed was real.
He had committed crimes.
Not the crimes against Ethan.
But enough to matter.
He decided not to run.
Then Lily received an anonymous photograph.
Serena had been meeting another Blackwood relative.
Dominic.
May you like
The nightmare wasn't over.
Someone else was still free.
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