Six months later, the city superior courtroom was packed with news reporters, corporate executives, and curious citizens. Victoria sat at the defense table wearing a bright orange prison jumpsuit, her hair unwashed and her wrists chained to a leather belt around her waist.
Julian sat in the witness stand wearing his dark navy suit, his voice calm, firm, and icy as he addressed the jury.
Prosecutor: "Mr. Vance, can you describe what happened when you entered your foyer on the morning of September twelfth?"
Julian: "I heard my daughter screaming. I rushed inside and saw my maid holding Lily on the floor, while Victoria was hurrying down the spiral staircase."
Defense Lawyer: "Objection! My client maintains that the child slipped and fell accidentally!"
Judge: "Overruled. The witness may continue."
Prosecutor: "And what evidence did you provide to the police, Mr. Vance?"
Julian: "I provided direct 4K security video from our home cloud server."
The prosecutor turned toward the large projection screen in the courtroom and pressed a button on his remote control.
The high-definition video began playing on the wall. The entire courtroom went dead silent as the footage clearly showed Victoria grabbing little Lily by the arms, sneering at her, and forcefully throwing her over the balcony railing under the American flag.
Gasps of shock erupted from the jury box. Several jurors covered their mouths in horror as Lily's terrified screams filled the courtroom speakers.
Victoria slammed her chained hands against the wooden table, her face contorting into pure rage.
Victoria: "Turn it off! He altered the video! He framed me!"
Judge: "Silence in the courtroom! Defendant, one more outburst and you will be removed!"
Prosecutor: "Your Honor, the digital forensics team has verified the authenticity of this footage. It shows clear premeditation, malice, and intent to kill."
Sarah took the witness stand next, testifying clearly about Victoria's words right before the shove.
Prosecutor: "Ms. Sarah, what did the defendant say to the toddler before pushing her?"
Sarah: "She looked down at little Lily and said, 'You don't belong here,' right before she threw her over the edge."
The jury deliberated for less than twenty 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 first-degree murder, we find the defendant guilty. On count two, felony child abuse, guilty. On count three, insurance fraud, guilty."
Victoria collapsed into hysterical sobs, screaming as the judge slammed his wooden gavel down onto the bench.
Judge: "Victoria Vance, for your despicable and calculated actions against an innocent child, I sentence you to thirty-five years in state prison without the possibility of parole."
The bailiffs grabbed Victoria's 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.