Chapter 22 - The Verdict
Two days later, the courtroom was entirely silent as the jury foreperson stood up holding a small slip of paper. The tension was completely suffocating. Victoria sat rigidly at the defense table, her perfectly manicured hands shaking violently. Marcus had his head bowed, openly weeping before the verdict was even read.
Julian sat in the front row, holding Maya’s hand tightly in his own.
"Has the jury reached a verdict?" the judge asked formally.
"We have, Your Honor," the foreperson stated clearly.
"On the charge of conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree, regarding the defendant Marcus Thorne, how do you find?"
"Guilty, Your Honor."
Marcus collapsed onto the table, sobbing loudly.
"On the charge of conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree, regarding the defendant Victoria Thorne, how do you find?"
Victoria stopped breathing, staring wildly at the jury box.
"Guilty, Your Honor."
Victoria completely snapped. She leaped from her chair, her face contorted in absolute, feral rage. She lunged wildly toward Julian and Maya in the gallery, screaming at the top of her lungs.
"You ruined everything!" Victoria shrieked frantically as three heavily armed bailiffs immediately tackled her to the floor, pinning her down. "I deserve that empire! I deserve it!"
"Get her out of my courtroom!" the judge roared over the chaos, slamming his gavel repeatedly.
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As they dragged a screaming, hysterical Victoria through the heavy wooden doors, Julian let out a long, shuddering breath. The heavy, dark cloud that had hung over his life for months had finally dissipated. He turned to Maya, pulling her into a tight, incredibly relieved embrace, completely ignoring the flashing cameras of the press behind them.
"It's over," Julian whispered into her hair. "It's finally over."
