Chapter 9 - The Sentencing
Six months later, the summer heat baked the city pavement outside the courthouse.
Inside, the air conditioning was freezing. Mark and Vivian stood in orange county jumpsuits, their wrists chained to their waists. They looked ten years older. The arrogance was gone. Mark had lost weight, his hair thinning. Vivian looked hollowed out, her makeup-free face pale and sunken.
Judge Davies looked down from the bench with absolute contempt.
“Mark Vance, you have been found guilty of felony child abuse, grand larceny, fraud, and perjury. You weaponized the legal system and tortured your own flesh and blood out of pure greed. I sentence you to twenty-five years in a maximum-security state penitentiary, without the possibility of parole.”
Mark’s knees buckled. A bailiff had to hold him up.
“Vivian Cole,” the judge continued. “You stood by and aided in the abuse of a defenseless child for financial gain. I sentence you to fifteen years in state prison.”
Vivian began to sob loudly, begging for mercy, but the judge banged her gavel.
“Take them away.”
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Jillian sat in the front row of the gallery. She didn't smile. She didn't cheer. She simply watched as the two people who had tried to destroy her life were dragged out of the courtroom in chains.
It was finally over. The slate was clean.
