Part 2: The Timeline of Lies
Part 2: The Timeline of Lies
"Lily, sweetie, come here," Julian stammered, his voice cracking as he tried to reach across the wooden barrier. "You shouldn't be in here. Where is your nanny?"
"Sit down, Mr. Cross," Judge Thornton ordered, her voice echoing like a strike of thunder. "Do not speak to the child."
Lily took a small step closer to the judge’s bench, her eyes glistening with tears but her hands holding the teddy bears securely.
"The night Mommy went to the hospital because her stomach hurt," Lily said, her innocent voice carrying clearly to the back of the gallery. "Daddy took me to the big house with the pool. He told me to stay in the closet and play with my bears. He said if I made a sound, the bad guys would come."
I closed my eyes as the memory hit me like a physical blow.
Six months ago, I was rushed to the emergency room with severe pregnancy complications. Julian had claimed he was stuck on a business trip in New York and couldn't fly back. He had told me his phone died.
"I looked through the door crack," Lily continued, pointing at Vanessa again. "She was wearing Mommy's silk robe. She was laughing. Daddy gave her a big velvet box with a shiny necklace inside."
My attorney quickly stood up, placing a folder of bank statements on the judge's table.
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"Your Honor," my lawyer announced, his voice steady and resolute. "On the exact night of October 14th, while my client was in the high-dependency unit fighting for her unborn child's life, Mr. Cross’s corporate account shows a wire transfer of eighty-five thousand dollars to a luxury jeweler in Boston. He didn't just commit adultery; he used marital funds to purchase a diamond set for his mistress while telling his wife he was broke."
Vanessa's face drained of all color. She looked at Julian, but Julian was staring at the floor, his hands shaking violently against his tailored charcoal suit.
