Chapter 4: The House of Cards Falls
The legal proceedings were a masterclass in swift, clinical destruction. Sarah was not just arrested; she was exposed. The recordings, the financial records, and the testimony from David and Arthur painted a picture of a woman who had systematically abused her power.
The "buyer" she had been dealing with was revealed to be part of a human trafficking ring. Sarah hadn't just been "getting rid of a child"; she had been feeding a predator. The realization of the scope of her crime turned the public sentiment against her completely.
In the courtroom, Sarah sat alone. There was no one to defend her, no one to pay her bail, and certainly no one to empathize with her "need for freedom."
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The judge was unsparing. "You viewed a human life as a transaction," the judge stated, closing the file. "And now, the transaction has reached its conclusion. You are sentenced to twenty years in federal prison."
As she was led out, she looked at the back of the courtroom. She saw Leo, sitting between David and Elias Thorne. The boy looked healthy, safe, and loved. For the first time, Sarah didn't feel anger—she felt the crushing, hollow weight of everything she had thrown away.
