SOPHIA'S TRIAL
666 Words
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_Day 30. 7:00 AM. Penthouse._
Lily couldn’t eat.
Damian noticed.
"Court today," he said, handing her coffee. "You don’t have to go."
"Yes, I do," Lily said. "She tried to destroy us."
Damian pulled her in. "Then we destroy her. Legally."
Emma was with Eleanor.
Just them today.
---
_Day 30. 9:00 AM. Courthouse._
Media outside.
_SOPHIA MONROE TRIAL BEGINS_
_DID ELEANOR HART PAY FOR FORGERY?_
Inside: Cold. Wood.
Sophia at the defendant table. In designer orange.
Her lawyer: "My client was coerced by Mrs. Eleanor Hart."
Damian squeezed Lily’s hand.
The prosecutor stood. "We have wire transfers. Emails. And a witness."
First witness: Maya. The new assistant.
"Ms. Monroe paid me to leak info," Maya said. "She said Mrs. Hart Sr. approved it."
Sophia’s lawyer: "Objection. Hearsay."
"Sustained."
Second witness: Adesina.
"We traced $2 million from an offshore account to Ms. Monroe. 3 days before the forged prenup appeared."
Sophia’s lawyer: "My client didn’t know where the money came from."
Third witness: Damian Hart.
Damian walked in. Suit. No notes.
"Mr. Hart, did your mother pay Sophia Monroe?"
"No," Damian said. "My mother didn’t know about the contract until after it was signed."
"Did Ms. Monroe forge documents?"
"Yes. She forged a prenup. She lied to the board. She tried to blackmail my wife."
Sophia glared at him.
Prosecutor: "No further questions."
---
_Day 30. 2:00 PM. Lily on the Stand._
"State your name."
"Lily Hart."
"Mrs. Hart, did Ms. Monroe threaten you?"
"Yes. She said if I didn’t leave Damian, she’d release fake photos."
"Did she?"
"No. Because we had proof it was fake."
Sophia’s lawyer stood. "Mrs. Hart, isn’t it true you signed a contract to marry Mr. Hart for money?"
Lily looked at her. Then at Damian.
"Yes. 14 months ago. For 90 days."
She paused. "And then I fell in love with him. And he fell in love with me. And we burned the contract."
The courtroom was silent.
"Did Ms. Monroe try to break you up?"
"Yes. She failed."
Sophia’s lawyer sat down.
---
_Day 30. 4:00 PM. The Verdict._
Guilty.
Forgery. Fraud. Blackmail.
5 years.
Sophia screamed as they cuffed her. "ELEANOR DID IT! SHE PAID ME!"
Eleanor stood in the back. Didn’t flinch.
Damian pulled Lily out. "It’s over."
---
_Day 31. 10:00 AM. The Aftermath._
News: _SOPHIA MONROE SENTENCED TO 5 YEARS_
_ELEANOR HART CLEARED OF WRONGDOING_
Board meeting.
"We’re clean," Damian said. "No more Whitaker people. No more Sophia."
Lily nodded. "Now we deal with M."
The email was still on her phone.
_Subject: Round 3_
---
_Day 31. 8:00 PM. Home._
Eleanor came over. With tacos.
"I’m sorry," Eleanor said to Lily. "For everything."
Lily hugged her. "It’s okay."
Damian watched them. "Mom. Did you know Sophia?"
Eleanor shook her head. "No. I swear. I would never."
Damian believed her.
---
_Day 32. The Leak._
It happened at 3 AM.
_HART REPORT: CO-CEO HART PREGNANT? MEDICAL RECORDS LEAKED_
Photo of Lily at the OBGYN.
Caption: _IS THE BABY OKAY?_
Lily woke up to 40 missed calls.
Damian was already on the phone. "Find who did this."
Stock: -8%
Lily was shaking. "They have my records."
Damian pulled her in. "We’ll sue. We’ll find them."
His phone buzzed.
_Unknown: Told you. Round 3. - M_
---
_Day 32. 12:00 PM. War Room._
"Options," Damian said.
"Option 1: Go public. Address it."
"Option 2: Go legal. Sue."
"Option 3: Find M."
Lily stood. "All three."
She looked at the board. "I’m pregnant. 16 weeks. Baby is healthy. And whoever leaked this is going to jail."
The room clapped.
Damian smiled. "That’s my Co-CEO."
---
_Day 32. 11:59 PM._
Lily lay in Damian’s arms.
Phone off.
"Are you scared?" Damian asked.
"Yes," Lily admitted. "But not of M. Of losing this."
She gestured to them.
Damian kissed her. "You won’t. I won’t let you."
Lily smiled. "Co-CEOs. Husband and wife. Team."
"Team," Damian agreed.
M was still out there.
But, now they were ready.
_TO BE CONTINUED_
- Writer
