Chapter 26 - The Traitor in the Ranks
The color drained from Gregory Sterling's face. The high-powered Manhattan litigator turned furiously toward Cole Montgomery, who was leaning back, his expression hardened into stone, refusing to look at his own legal counsel.
"Your Honor, we... we were unaware of any direct financial transactions between the parties," Sterling stammered, his polished arrogance evaporating in real-time. "That account was managed through a discretionary discretionary fund—"
"Quiet," Judge Davies commanded, her gavel hovering an inch above the sound block. She fixed her gaze directly on Richard Miller in the third row. "Bailiff, escort Mr. Richard Miller to the witness stand immediately."
Richard stood up on shaking legs, his face pasty white, clutching his chest as if he were suffering an imminent heart attack. "Your Honor... I... I have a medical condition—"
"Take the stand, Mr. Miller, or I will hold you in contempt and have you remanded to the county jail before the lunch recess," the judge warned coldly.
Stumbling, Richard made his way past the wooden gate and took the oath, raising a hand that shook like a leaf in an autumn gale. He sank into the wooden chair, refusing to meet Claire’s piercing gaze.
"Mr. Miller," Paul Martinez said, stepping forward with lethal precision. "Did Cole Montgomery or any representative of his organization promise, imply, or execute a payment of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to you in exchange for your sworn statement against your daughter?"
"I... it was a business loan!" Richard blurted out, his voice cracking into a pathetic whine. "It was an investment in my consulting firm! Cole is a gentleman! He wanted to help our family! Claire was destroying us, she canceled the trust allowances, she stole the family home—"
"Did you or did you not sign that affidavit in exchange for that wire transfer?" Paul pressed, his voice booming through the chamber.
"I did what any grandfather would do!" Richard screamed, his composure shattering entirely, spit flying from his lips. "Claire is nothing! She’s an ungrateful parasite who ruined my life! She turned my own wife against me! Cole has billions! He can give Lily everything! Why should Claire hoard the girl when we could all be living like royalty?! She owed me that money! That child owes this family!"
The courtroom fell into an appalled, dead silence. Even Cole Montgomery looked away in pure disgust, distancing himself from the pathetic spectacle of the man he had bought.
Judge Davies shook her head slowly, her expression carved from granite.
"Mr. Miller, you are an absolute disgrace to the title of father and grandfather," Judge Davies said, her words slicing through the room with absolute moral clarity. "I am striking your affidavit from the record in its entirety. Furthermore, I am referring your testimony and these banking records to the county prosecutor for immediate felony witness tampering and perjury charges."
She struck the gavel with a deafening *crack*. "Bailiff, take Mr. Miller into custody."
Two uniformed deputies stepped forward, clicking handcuffs around Richard’s wrists. As they dragged him toward the side holding cell, Richard shrieked, kicking his legs, his face purple with rage. "Claire! Tell them! Claire, save me! You can't do this to your father! Claire!"
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Claire sat completely still, her eyes calm, unblinking, and entirely dry. She watched the man who had slapped her five times at Christmas dinner, the man who had treated her like garbage her entire life, get hauled away in chains.
The chain of abuse was finally, permanently broken.
