Chapter 10 - The Golden Sunset
The judge’s gavel slammed down like a thunderclap.
Julian Sterling was sentenced to twenty-five years in federal prison without the possibility of early parole, convicted of money laundering, fraud, and aggravated assault. Preston received ten years. Eleanor, convicted of conspiracy and witness intimidation, was sentenced to eight.
I stood in the gallery, wearing my dress uniform, holding my daughter’s hand as the bailiffs placed the mighty Sterling family in handcuffs and led them out of the courtroom.
There were no arrogant smirks. There were no threats. There was only the pathetic silence of broken people facing the consequences of their actions.
We walked out of the courthouse into the bright California sun. The air smelled like the ocean, fresh and clean.
"How do you feel?" I asked Chloe, putting my arm around her shoulder.
May you like
She looked up at the sky, a genuine, beautiful smile breaking across her face. "I feel safe, Mom. For the first time in years, I feel completely safe."
We walked toward my car, leaving the press and the cameras behind. The war was over. The enemy was defeated. And my daughter, stronger and braver than ever, was finally coming home.
