Chapter 14
The trials became national news.
They called it the Vance-Vale scandal.
I hated that name.
It sounded too clean.
Too polished.
There was nothing clean about women waking up in locked rooms.
Nothing polished about forged signatures and stolen babies.
Victoria testified first.
Heavily pregnant.
Voice shaking.
She described Eleanor promising Julian would leave me.
Described Dr. Vale controlling her medication.
Described learning Marianne was her real mother from federal agents.
When the prosecutor asked why she helped them pressure me, Victoria cried.
“Because I wanted the life Eleanor promised.”
“And now?”
Victoria touched her stomach.
“Now I want my child to know I stopped lying.”
Marianne sobbed behind her.
Julian testified next.
He admitted everything.
The affair.
The forged documents.
The competency plan.
The attempt to steal the lake house.
He denied knowing about my father’s murder until after our marriage.
Then prosecutors showed texts from Eleanor.
Your wife is useful only while she signs.
Julian had replied:
I’ll handle Gen.
I felt nothing when I read it.
That surprised me.
Maybe grief has limits.
Maybe love leaves quietly after being starved long enough.
When I testified, Eleanor stared at me.
I used a wheelchair.
I wore a navy suit.
Hazel’s photo rested in my pocket.
The defense asked if I hated Eleanor.
“Yes,” I said.
Gasps moved through the room.
May you like
I continued.
“But hate is not why I am here. Evidence is.”
