Three weeks later, the bright morning sun lit up the stone steps of the city courthouse. A crowd of reporters, camera crews, and newspaper journalists stood behind metal barricades, waiting for the high-profile corporate trial to begin.
A black police van pulled up to the curb, and two officers opened the doors. Julian Vance stepped out, wearing an orange jumpsuit and heavy handcuffs around his wrists. His hair was messy, and his arrogant posture was completely gone as he kept his head down to hide from the flashing cameras.
Reporter 1: Julian! Do you have any comment on the embezzlement charges?!
Reporter 2: Is it true you embezzled four million dollars from your family's foundation?!
Julian stayed silent as officers led him up the steps toward the courtroom doors. Sitting at the prosecution table inside were District Attorney Marcus, Chief Executive Officer Arthur Vance, and Clara, who wore a sharp grey tailored suit.
When Julian was led inside and forced to sit at the defense table, his eyes locked onto Clara. He glared at her with intense hatred, but Clara didn't flinch. She sat tall and confident, holding her daughter's hand as Lily sat quietly in the front row of the gallery.
Judge Miller: We are now in session for the State versus Julian Vance. Case number 5082. Charges: Grand larceny, corporate embezzlement, wire fraud, and felony assault on a minor.
Defense Attorney: Your Honor, my client wishes to enter a plea of not guilty to all charges. He maintains that the financial discrepancies were administrative errors and the incident with the child was an accidental collision.
District Attorney Marcus: An accidental collision, Your Honor? We have forty witnesses from the Vance charity gala who saw the defendant strike the child, as well as full security footage from the ballroom.
District Attorney Marcus pressed a button on his tablet, and the large television screen mounted on the courtroom wall came to life.
The video played clearly in high definition. The entire courtroom watched as Julian grabbed Lily by her collar, shouted at her, and slapped her across the face so hard she fell to the marble floor[cite: 1]. The footage clearly showed Clara rushing over, shielding her daughter, and kicking Julian in self-defense[cite: 1].
Gasps filled the courtroom gallery as the judge watched the video with a dark, angry expression.
Judge Miller: The evidence of physical assault on a minor is indisputable. Furthermore, the state forensic accountants have verified the paper trail connecting Mr. Vance to four million dollars in stolen corporate funds.
Julian: Your Honor, please! I was under immense stress! Clara Vance set me up because she wanted my position!
Arthur: That is an absolute lie, Your Honor.
Arthur Vance stood up from his chair, addressing the judge with a calm, powerful voice.
Arthur: Clara Vance tried to protect my nephew for months by giving him chances to correct his accounting errors. It was only when he resorted to violence against her daughter that his crimes could no longer be ignored.
Judge Miller: In light of the overwhelming evidence, the severity of the financial theft, and the violent attack on a seven-year-old child, I find the defendant guilty on all counts.
Julian: No! You can't do this to me! I am a Vance!
Judge Miller: I sentence you to twelve years in state prison without the possibility of parole for the first eight years. Restitution of four million dollars will be seized immediately from your personal assets.
The judge slammed his wooden gavel down onto the desk with a loud bang, sealing Julian's fate.