Chapter 6 - The Altar of Deception
The trial of the State vs. Ryan Cole lasted for two grueling weeks.
Ryan sat at the defense table in a plain green jumpsuit, his silver watch gone, his eyes hollowed out from a month of isolation.
I took the stand on the final day, my voice carrying clearly through the packed courtroom.
I didn't focus on the physical pain of the slap; I presented the digital logs, the forged signatures, and the timeline of Melissa’s final hours.
When the prosecutor showed the maintenance receipts for Ryan's old vehicle—proving he had altered the brake lines the day before the crash—the jury went dead silent.
The verdict was delivered on a Friday afternoon.
Life in prison without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder and insurance fraud.
A secondary sentence of ten years was added for the domestic assault and corporate forgery.
As the bailiffs led him away in heavy chains, Ryan turned around, his face twisted in a mask of pure, unadulterated hatred.
“You ruined my life, Emma!” he screamed through the courtroom.
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“You were supposed to be my wife!”
“I was your mirror, Ryan,” I said softly, watching his shadow disappear through the heavy double doors.
