He Hit Me at a Private Auction—Then I Sealed the Entire Museum “Father…” I pressed the phone to my ear. “Seal the building.” My voice barely rose above a whisper.

Chapter 17: Closing Arguments

"This case is not about the glittering glitz of high society, and it is certainly not about complex corporate intrigue," DA Vance said passionately during her closing statement. She walked slowly, deliberately along the wooden rail of the jury box, making deep, intense eye contact with each and every juror.

"It is about the fundamental, unalienable human right to safety in your own home. Julian Sterling deeply believed his immense wealth made him a god among men, completely immune to the laws and basic morality that govern the rest of us. He believed he could buy his way out of brutality. But Elara proved, with incredible bravery and undeniable proof, that even gods bleed when they are struck by the undeniable truth. Show him that in this city, money does not buy immunity from justice. Find him guilty on all counts."

The defense's closing argument was embarrassingly weak, a desperate, rambling, twenty-minute plea for reasonable doubt in a case that was now overwhelmingly overflowing with hard, verified audio evidence, physical records, and corroborating witnesses. The judge gave the jury their final, lengthy legal instructions, and they filed out in solemn silence to decide Julian's fate.