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My cold eyes rise to meet the prosecutor’s and I glare at him. I’ve had enough.
I am brought back to the present moment. “All rise.” The court official calls as the jury enters the room in single file as we all stand and watch. I look back to Bridget behind me and she gives me a soft smile; my eyes flick to Cameron and Adrian and they both nod to acknowledge me. This is it.
“The jury finds Joshua Stanton guilty of murder in the first degree.”
There are cheers in the gallery and the cameras start to flash.
“No,” I hear Bridget and my mother cry out. “No, he’s innocent.” The cries come from behind me from my supporters.
I stand still, frozen in time, and stare straight ahead. Guilty. Guilty.
Vinc
enzo glares at me and drops his head. “It was the diaries,” he whispers angrily. “I told you we needed the fucking diaries.” My heart drops.
“He is sentenced to thirty-one years without parole,” the judge calls out.
The crowd gasps and my face flickers under the flashes of the photographers—thirty-one years without parole, thirty-one years without parole. I will be sixty years old when I am released. My eyes stay focused straight ahead—what’s happening?
Cameron grabs me in an embrace. “We will fight this injustice,” he cries. My mother and all of the family embrace me as they cry and the guard comes over with the handcuffs and I drop my head. I can’t have those fucking things on. My eyes cloud over.
“Please no,” I whisper.
The guard looks at me sympathetically and opens them up.
“Get away from him,” Cameron yells as he pushes the guard away from me. “He didn’t do this,” he yells. “You have the wrong man!” he screams to the courtroom.
Two other guards walk over and physically restrain Cameron who is close to hysterical.
I feel the cold hard snap of the handcuff around my wrist and I close my eyes to try and block out the hysteria of my family as they lose control.
“Come on,” the guard snaps.
And just like that, my life is over.
Adrian
I sit in my office with my elbows on my desk and my head in my hands. That’s the fourth resignation from the board this morning. How in the hell am I supposed to keep this company afloat when the brains of the operation is in jail for murder? Never have I felt the pressure I am under today. Joshua’s company is entirely in my hands and to be honest I don’t have a clue what I’m doing. I need to get a professional in to help me. Who handles this kind of stuff?
My mind goes to Natasha and how she made everything easy simply by being around. That beautiful smile and those dimples. I miss her.
My buzzer sounds. “Mr Murphy?” Ella asks.
I buzz her back. “Yes Ella,” I reply.
“Bridget is here for your lunch meeting,” she replies.
“Send her in,” I buzz back.
I’m taking Didge out for lunch. She’s flatter than flat and I am desperately trying to pick her up. She’s being strong for Joshua and I am being strong for her. Let me rephrase that. I’m acting strong for a lot of people but I am crumbling on the inside like a flake.
The door opens and her gorgeous face comes into view. “Hi.” She smiles sadly.
“Hey Marx girl.” I smile.
She smiles and kisses my cheek. “Where are you taking me for lunch?” she asks.
I smirk. “Anywhere you want,” I reply.
