Chapter 10 - The Fall of the Matriarch
The trial dominated the national news for six straight weeks.
Margaret Cole was convicted of first-degree murder, embezzlement, and attempted murder.
The judge sentenced her to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Ethan accepted a plea deal, agreeing to a full annulment of our marriage and testifying against his mother in exchange for a lighter sentence.
He was stripped of his wealth and sentenced to five years in a minimum-security facility.
Arthur fully recovered from the poisoning and regained total control of the Cole Foundation.
True to his word, he ensured I was compensated for the nightmare I had endured.
I received a massive settlement that guaranteed I would never have to worry about money again.
The lake house remained entirely mine, safe in the blind trust I had created.
I stood on the wooden deck of the house, watching the peaceful sunset reflect off the water.
The air was quiet, calm, and finally free of the toxic drama of the Cole family.
I took a deep breath, feeling genuinely happy for the first time in years.
I turned to walk back inside, ready to pour a glass of wine and celebrate my freedom.
That was when I saw the large black box resting on my porch chair.
There were no shipping labels, only a velvet ribbon tied around a bouquet of dead, black roses.
May you like
I opened the box with trembling hands and found a single photograph of myself sleeping in this exact house, taken from inside my bedroom just last night.
Attached to the photo was a handwritten card that read: "Mother sends her regards, but I play a much deadlier game.—Your real husband, Thomas."
