Chapter 23 - The Sentencing
A month later, the courtroom was far less crowded for the official sentencing hearing. The media hype had died down, leaving only the grim reality of the justice system to finish its work.
Marcus stood before the judge in a shapeless, orange prison jumpsuit. The tailored suits, the expensive haircuts, and the arrogant smirk were gone, replaced by the hollow, empty eyes of a man who had lost everything.
The judge reviewed the pre-sentencing report, adjusting her glasses.
"Marcus Sterling, your crimes show a chilling, calculated level of premeditation and malice. You did not act in a moment of passion; you systematically abused and defrauded the victim over a period of years," the judge stated, her voice echoing in the solemn room.
"Therefore, on the charges of felony assault, fraud, and false imprisonment, I sentence you to a total of twenty-five years in a maximum-security federal penitentiary, without the possibility of parole."
Marcus’s knees buckled. A bailiff had to catch him under the arm to keep him from collapsing to the floor.
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Twenty-five years. He would be an old, forgotten man by the time he ever saw the outside of a prison wall again.
I watched him being led away for the final time. I felt no joy, no triumphant euphoria. I only felt a profound, heavy sense of peace. The monster was locked in a cage, and the key had been thrown away.
