Chapter 17: The Verdict
A year later, Julian sat quietly in the back row of a federal courtroom. The trial of Marcus Thorne and Mara had been surprisingly brief, dismantled entirely by the overwhelming, undeniable digital evidence Vance’s security team had secured. The jury returned from deliberations quickly, delivering a swift and unanimous guilty verdict for both defendants on multiple charges of corporate espionage, wire fraud, and grand larceny.
As the judge read the lengthy prison sentences, Julian looked at Mara one final time. The deep betrayal and anger that had once consumed him were entirely gone, replaced by a quiet, hollow indifference. He stood up and walked out of the courtroom before the bailiffs even led them away. Stepping out through the heavy glass doors of the courthouse and into the bright, warm city sunlight, Julian took a deep breath, finally free.
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