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 lawyer tried to make her look obsessed.
“You loved the child.”
“Yes.”
“You wanted to replace Serena.”
“No.”
“You believed you were a better mother.”
Lily looked at Isabella.
Then back at the lawyer.
“I believed he deserved not to be hurt.”
The courtroom became silent.
Maya Torres testified next.
Then Mrs. Vale.
Then Anthony.
Each confession opened another door.
Then 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 advised him not to.
He did anyway.
He admitted the payments.
The signatures.
The illegal 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:
“And I made it useful.”
That admission changed everything.
Serena was convicted.
Kidnapping.
Child abuse.
Conspiracy.
Fraud.
Unlawful confinement.
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 released was real.
He had committed crimes.
Not the crimes against Ethan.
But enough to matter.
He decided not to fight the truth.
Then Lily received an anonymous photograph.
Serena had been meeting another Blackwood relative.
Dominic.
May you like
The network was not finished.
Someone else was still free.
