Chapter 13
The official trial commenced in early autumn, filling the Manhattan courtroom to absolute capacity. The prosecution presented a devastating timeline of events, supported by Dr. Hayes's testimony, text message logs, and financial records proving Eleanor's direct purchase of the paralytic drug.
When Dr. Hayes took the stand as a cooperating witness, he laid bare the entire conspiracy. "Mrs. Vance instructed me to administer a controlled dose that would simulate death for exactly forty-eight hours, just long enough to process an emergency burial permit."
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A collective gasp swept through the courtroom gallery. Eleanor sat rigidly in her seat, her face turning chalk-white as her former co-conspirator dismantled her entire defense under cross-examination.
Christian watched the proceedings with cold, clinical detachment. The mother who had raised him was nothing more than a stranger driven mad by entitlement and power.
