Six months later, the city superior court was packed with reporters, corporate executives, and curious members of the public. Victoria sat at the defense table in a bright orange jail jumpsuit, her hair unstyled and her hands chained to a belt around her waist.
Arthur sat in the witness stand wearing a navy blue suit, his voice firm, calm, and icy as he testified before the judge and jury.
Prosecutor: "Mr. Vance, can you describe what you witnessed when you entered your foyer on the morning of September twelfth?"
Arthur: "I heard my daughter screaming. I rushed inside and saw my nanny holding Lily on the marble floor, while Victoria was hurrying down the staircase."
Defense Lawyer: "Objection! My client maintains that the child slipped near the railing!"
Judge: "Overruled. The witness may continue."
Prosecutor: "And what evidence did you hand over to the police, Mr. Vance?"
Arthur: "I handed over direct 4K security video from our encrypted home cloud server."
The prosecutor turned toward the large projection screen on the courtroom wall and pressed a button on his remote control.
The high-definition video began playing. The entire courtroom went completely silent as the footage clearly showed Victoria grabbing little Lily by her shoulders, sneering at her, and shoving her over the balcony railing right under the American flag.
Gasps of horror erupted from the jury box. Several jurors covered their mouths in shock as Lily's terrified screams filled the courtroom speakers.
Victoria slammed her chained hands against the wooden table, screaming hysterically at the judge.
Victoria: "Turn it off! That video is fake! He modified it to ruin my life!"
Judge: "Silence in the court! One more outburst from the defendant and she will be removed to a holding cell!"
Prosecutor: "Your Honor, the forensic team has verified the authenticity of this footage. It proves premeditated attempted murder beyond any shadow of a doubt."
Sarah took the witness stand next, testifying clearly about Victoria's exact words on the upper landing.
Prosecutor: "Ms. Sarah, what did the defendant say to the child right before shoving her?"
Sarah: "She looked down at little Lily and said, 'You don't belong in this mansion,' and then she threw her over the edge."
The jury deliberated for less than fifteen 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 as the judge slammed his wooden gavel down hard onto the bench.
Judge: "Victoria Vance, for your heartless, calculated, and terrifying actions against a defenseless toddler, I sentence you to thirty-five years in state prison without the possibility of parole."
The court bailiffs grabbed Victoria by her arms and dragged her out toward the holding cell. She screamed Arthur's name, but he didn't even turn his head to look at her as she was led away forever.