Chapter 22 - Marcus TestifiesMarcus Vale entered court under guard.
He looked older than Ethan remembered.
His hair was nearly white.
His posture carried the exhaustion of a man whose plan had collapsed.
Victoria refused to look at him.
The prosecution established his background.
Former CFO.
Financial misconduct.
Settlement.
Years of resentment.
Then:
“Did you ask your daughter to approach the Cole family?”
Marcus swallowed.
“Yes.”
“When?”
“After Claire Bennett contacted one of Victoria’s false foundation accounts.”
“Why target Claire?”
“To learn about Ethan’s future.”
“Financial future?”
“Yes.”
“Did Victoria tell Claire her real identity?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Claire might have told Ethan.”
“And later?”
“We abandoned that approach.”
“After Claire died?”
“Yes.”
The prosecutor made clear there was no evidence connecting either Vale to Claire’s death.
Then she asked:
“When did Victoria meet Ethan directly?”
“About seven months later.”
“Was that meeting accidental?”
“No.”
A murmur spread.
Marcus explained how they researched events Ethan attended.
Victoria arranged to be introduced at a charity auction.
Their relationship developed faster than Marcus expected.
“Did Victoria tell you she loved Ethan?”
Marcus looked toward his daughter.
“Yes.”
Victoria’s expression changed slightly.
“Did you believe her?”
“Eventually.”
“Did that end the plan?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Marcus looked down.
“Because I told her love could be useful.”
Sarah felt anger.
The prosecutor continued.
“Did you want Victoria to marry Ethan?”
“Yes.”
“For money?”
“For access.”
“To Cole Heritage?”
“Yes.”
“Did you discuss Leo?”
Marcus hesitated.
“Yes.”
“What did you say?”
“That Ethan’s son made him cautious.”
“Anything else?”
“That Leo was leverage.”
Ethan looked away.
Marcus’s voice lowered.
“I regret that word.”
The prosecutor did not soften.
“When did you plan to remove Sarah Miles?”
“After the engagement.”
“Why?”
“She distrusted Victoria.”
“How?”
“We wanted Ethan to believe Sarah was unstable.”
“Did you tell Victoria to endanger Leo?”
“No.”
“Did you know she intended to use the iron?”
“No.”
Victoria finally looked at him.
Marcus continued.
“I told her not to involve the child.”
The prosecutor displayed their messages.
Nothing near the child.
Find another way.
Victoria:
Sarah only reacts when Leo is involved.
Marcus looked ashamed.
“What happened after the incident?”
“Victoria called.”
“What did she say?”
“That Sarah came in as expected.”
“And?”
“That Ethan saw everything.”
“Why?”
“He had reactivated the camera.”
“What did you tell her?”
“To leave.”
“Did you help her?”
“Yes.”
“Did you plan the media story?”
“Yes.”
The defense cross-examination was brutal.
Mercer wanted the jury to see Marcus as the architect.
“You raised Victoria believing the Cole family destroyed you.”
“Yes.”
“You recruited her.”
“Yes.”
“You taught her to deceive Claire.”
“Yes.”
“You encouraged her relationship with Ethan.”
“Yes.”
“You told her Leo was leverage.”
“Yes.”
“You ordered her to destroy Sarah’s credibility.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Mercer turned toward the jury.
“And now, facing criminal charges yourself, you want everyone to believe Victoria alone crossed the moral line.”
Marcus looked at his daughter.
“No.”
“Isn’t it true you are blaming her to save yourself?”
“I am guilty.”
“But less guilty if she is worse.”
The prosecutor objected.
The judge allowed limited questioning.
Mercer approached.
“Did Victoria repeatedly tell you she wanted to stop?”
Marcus hesitated.
“Sometimes.”
“Did she say she loved Ethan?”
“Yes.”
“Did she say she liked Leo?”
Marcus looked down.
“Yes.”
“Did you tell her the mission mattered more?”
“Yes.”
“Did you threaten to disown her?”
Silence.
Sarah looked sharply toward him.
Marcus swallowed.
“Yes.”
Victoria began crying.
For the first time, Sarah wondered whether the tears were entirely strategic.
Mercer continued.
“You told your daughter that if she abandoned the plan, she was betraying her mother.”
“Yes.”
“You blamed her for losing the Vale family fortune after she gave you her trust money.”
Marcus’s face changed.
“I was trying to rebuild.”
“You lost almost all of it.”
“Yes.”
“And then you told Victoria the only way to restore the family was through Ethan.”
“Yes.”
Mercer turned.
“No further questions.”
The courtroom sat in heavy silence.
The picture was now more complicated.
Victoria was guilty of choices.
But Marcus had shaped those choices for years.
The prosecution did not deny it.
On redirect, they asked one question.
“Mr. Vale, when Victoria stood over Leo with the iron, were you in the room?”
“No.”
“Who chose to do that?”
Marcus looked toward Victoria.
“She did.”
That was the distinction the case would ultimately rest on.
Influence explained.
Manipulation mattered.
But adults remained responsible for choices they made after the influence ended.
Victoria had been Marcus’s daughter.
She had also been Ethan’s fiancée.
Leo’s future stepmother.
A thirty-six-year-old woman with opportunities to walk away.
She had not.
After court, Sarah found Ethan in the corridor.
“Do you feel sorry for her?” he asked.
Sarah thought.
“Somewhat.”
He looked surprised.
“For the child she was.”
“And the adult?”
Sarah looked through the courtroom doors.
“For the adult, I understand more now.”
“That isn’t the same as forgiveness.”
“No.”
Ethan nodded.
Sarah added:
“You can understand someone and still hold them responsible.”
The trial continued.
And the next witness would reveal something even Marcus had not known.
Victoria had secretly been preparing to leave her father.
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But not Ethan.
She had planned to take control of the scheme for herself.
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