Chapter 19 - The Witness Stand
The courtroom was packed.
Victor sat at the defense table in a dark suit, looking smaller than I remembered.
I expected to feel afraid.
Instead, I felt tired of giving him space inside my life.
The prosecutor asked about the fertility treatments, the divorce, the intercepted letter, the surveillance, the attempt to take my children.
I answered every question.
Then Victor’s attorney stood.
“Ms. Carter, isn’t it true you chose not to pursue Mr. Moretti directly after learning you were pregnant?”
“Yes.”
“So you withheld his children.”
“No.”
“You could have gone to his home.”
“I had been told he wanted no contact.”
“You accepted that very easily.”
I looked at Victor.
“No. I accepted it after years of being taught that my presence was a burden.”
The courtroom went silent.
The attorney tried again. “And now you stand to benefit financially from your children’s relationship with Mr. Moretti.”
I almost smiled.
“I was financially independent before he saw them in that restaurant.”
“Not billionaire independent.”
“No one needs to be billionaire independent. That’s mostly a personality disorder with a private jet.”
Even the judge hid a smile.
Luca lowered his head, laughing silently.
Then the prosecutor called Dr. Hargrove.
He admitted everything.
The altered tests.
The payments.
The false pregnancy result.
Victor’s threats.
Finally, prosecutors played security footage from my building and the school.
Victor stopped looking at the jury.
Three days later, he was convicted on fraud, conspiracy, kidnapping-related charges, obstruction, and multiple federal offenses tied to Luca’s planned death.
Senator Whitmore entered a separate plea.
Dr. Hargrove lost his license and received prison time.
Outside the courthouse, cameras shouted questions.
Luca moved beside me, shielding the twins’ identities without touching me.
Then a reporter yelled, “Ms. Carter, are you and Mr. Moretti getting back together?”
I stopped.
Luca stopped too.
He looked at me but said nothing.
May you like
For once, he let the answer belong entirely to me.
And I realized I finally knew what I wanted.
