Six months later, the city supreme courtroom was packed with news reporters, corporate executives, and curious citizens. Evelyn sat at the defense table wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, her hair unwashed and her wrists chained to her waist belt.
Julian sat on the witness stand in his sharp charcoal suit, his voice calm and firm as he looked directly at the jury.
Prosecutor: "Mr. Vance, can you describe what happened when you entered the foyer on the morning of September twelfth?"
Julian: "I heard my daughter screaming. I looked up and saw Evelyn aggressively shove Clara over the balcony railing."
Defense Lawyer: "Objection! The witness is expressing an opinion! My client maintains it was an accidental slip!"
Judge: "Overruled. The witness may state what he saw."
Prosecutor: "And what did you do next, Mr. Vance?"
Julian: "I ran across the floor, slid on my knees, and caught my daughter before she struck the marble stone."
The prosecutor turned toward the large projection screen in the courtroom and pressed a button on his remote control.
Prosecutor: "Your Honor, we will now play Exhibit A—the 4K security footage recovered from the Vance estate server."
The courtroom went completely silent as the high-definition video played on the wall. The footage clearly showed Evelyn grabbing Clara's shoulders, sneering at her, and forcefully throwing her over the marble edge.
Gasps erupted from the jury box. Several jurors covered their mouths in shock as Clara's terrified screams echoed through the courtroom speakers.
Evelyn slammed her chained hands onto the table, her face twisting into rage.
Evelyn: "Shut it off! He tricked me! He set me up!"
Judge: "Silence in the court! Defendant, one more outburst and you will be removed!"
Defense Lawyer: "Your Honor, my client was under immense psychological stress..."
Prosecutor: "Psychological stress does not explain forged insurance policies and internet searches on how to murder a child, Your Honor."
The jury deliberated for less than thirty minutes before returning to the courtroom with their final verdict.
Judge: "Has the jury reached a verdict?"
Jury Foreman: "We have, Your Honor. On count one, attempted second-degree murder, we find the defendant guilty."
Evelyn: "No! No! You can't do this!"
Jury Foreman: "On count two, felony child endangerment, we find the defendant guilty. On count three, insurance fraud, guilty."
The judge slammed his gavel down on the wooden desk, his stern voice echoing through the silent room.
Judge: "Evelyn Vance, for your heinous actions against an innocent child, I sentence you to thirty-five years in state prison without the possibility of parole."
Evelyn broke down into hysterical sobs as the bailiffs grabbed her arms and dragged her out of the courtroom toward the holding cells. She screamed Julian's name, but he didn't even turn his head to look at her.