Chapter 14: The Trial Begins
The media circus outside the courthouse was deafening. Inside, the gallery was packed to capacity. Julian sat perfectly still in the front row.
The prosecution’s opening statement was a surgical strike. The District Attorney painted Eleanor not as a tragic figure, but as a dangerous narcissist obsessed with absolute control over the family fortune. They outlined a timeline of calculated malice.
Thorne’s defense was visibly weak. Lacking any factual ground to stand on, he attempted to argue momentary insanity and diminished capacity due to the stress of managing a massive estate.
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It was a desperate pivot, attempting to turn a calculated predator into a frantic victim.
The jury remained entirely stone-faced.
