They called it The Trial of the Century before opening statements had even been made.
News cameras blanketed the courthouse steps. Legal analysts debated tactics around the clock. Influencers turned it into content. Veronica Hale, the queenmaker turned queenpin, was finally on trial for fraud, blackmail, conspiracy and extortion. The charges read like the climax of a noir film.
But for Celeste, it wasn’t theater. It was justice, the kind that was slow, brutal and way overdue.
She stood outside the courthouse in a tailored black suit, no frills, no distractions. Her hair was pulled back tightly, makeup minimal. Damien stood beside her in a charcoal gray suit, sharp and cold. They didn’t speak as the cameras flashed. The stood representing each other.
Inside, the courtroom was packed, pr
