My sister-in-law shoved me into the table, my mother-in-law hit me in the pregnant belly and mocked my mother for being poor. The maid, who was cleaning the floor, immediately took off her gloves and said, "You're right, I came here looking poor just to see who dared to touch my daughter." / Chapter 25 / 40

Chapter 25 - The Verdict

The judge, a stern man with zero tolerance for high-society criminals, looked down at Carmen with undisguised disgust.

"Carmen Delgado, your actions display a chilling lack of humanity and a profound sense of unwarranted entitlement,"

The judge declared, his voice echoing off the wood-paneled walls.

"You attempted to murder an unborn child simply out of spite and classist hatred. You financed a lavish lifestyle through illegal gambling and extortion."

Carmen began to hyperventilate, shaking her head frantically.

"I sentence you to fifteen years in the Topo Chico maximum-security women's penitentiary, with absolutely no possibility of early parole."

The gavel slammed down with absolute finality.

Carmen let out a blood-curdling scream, collapsing forward onto the defense table.

"No! Diego! Call Diego!"

Carmen shrieked as the guards hoisted her up by her arms to drag her away.

But Diego was nowhere to be found. He had not shown up for his mother's trial. He was too busy hiding from the loan sharks that the Villalobos conglomerate had intentionally unleashed upon him.

Valeria stood up slowly, smoothing the front of her black jacket. She watched the heavy wooden doors of the courtroom close behind the screaming, thrashing woman. The nightmare was legally, permanently buried.