Chapter 13 - Brenda’s Plea
Brenda stood before judge and admitted what she had done.
No gala dress.
No champagne.
Navy suit.
Her father sat behind.
She cried only when looking at him.
Not me.
The judge asked:
“Did you know Briarline Consulting was registered in Olivia Bennett’s name?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know Olivia Bennett had not agreed to own or operate it?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Derek told me.”
Then:
“Did you approve Sterling Crown payments to Briarline?”
“Yes.”
“Did you have personal financial interest in funds leaving Briarline?”
“Yes.”
“Through Harbor Nine?”
“Yes.”
“Did you and Derek intend to use those funds toward a possible management acquisition?”
“Yes.”
“Was that acquisition approved by Sterling Crown owners or board?”
“No.”
Then:
“Did you know Derek obtained a business line using Olivia’s identity?”
Brenda hesitated.
“I knew he was using her credit.”
“Did you know she had not consented?”
“Yes.”
There.
Then international wire.
“Did you expect two hundred fifty thousand dollars to transfer to Harbor Nine?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know authentication would be sent to Olivia’s phone?”
“I learned that day.”
Then:
“What did Derek tell you?”
“He said he would have the phone.”
No bus stop detail?
“He said he was going to create a fight and take it.”
My stomach turned.
Then:
“Did he later call?”
“Yes.”
“Did you save voicemail?”
“Yes.”
Then:
“Why?”
Brenda looked down.
“Because I was beginning to think if anything went wrong, he would blame me.”
They trusted each other exactly as much as they deserved.
Then:
“Did you participate in framing Olivia?”
Brenda paused.
“I knew Derek had drafted a letter blaming her.”
“Did you approve?”
“I told him not to send unless necessary.”
Not noble.
Then:
“Did you help create evidence that she knew?”
“I did not create.”
“But you knew about fake text?”
“Yes.”
Enough.
Then guilty.
Conspiracy.
Wire fraud.
False corporate records.
Plea.
Potential sentence lower for cooperation.
Howard Sloan left courtroom without speaking to her.
I felt no pleasure.
Then Brenda requested to apologize to me.
This time I allowed written.
Olivia,
I knew you existed.
Strong start.
I knew Derek was married and I knew Briarline was in your name without your permission.
Then:
I told myself the marriage was already over because that made affair easier.
Then:
I told myself the company was temporary because that made fraud easier.
Then:
I told myself Derek would tell you eventually because that made identity theft easier.
She understood rationalization.
Then:
I did not think of you as a person whose life could be ruined by the paper trail.
That hurt.
Then:
When Catherine walked into gala with you, I was angry because I thought you were about to ruin my future.
The truth is we were using your name to build ours.
I am sorry.
I wrote no response.
Not yet.
Then Sterling Crown sale.
Independent automotive group Great Lakes Motor Holdings agreed to acquire 70% from Howard and minority investors.
Wilmington loan repaid at closing.
Catherine’s company exited.
She did not acquire.
This mattered.
Derek’s claim she manufactured scandal to seize company died.
Wilmington got principal and interest.
No control.
Howard retained small stake.
Employees kept jobs.
New board.
The company name gradually changed.
No family dynasty.
Then Catherine said:
“I prefer getting repaid to owning car dealerships.”
“You own industrial factories.”
“Exactly. Cars involve customers.”
I laughed.
Then Derek’s defense lost one avenue.
No lender takeover.
Then the notary, Linda Carver, testified pretrial.
She had never notarized Briarline.
Her seal was copied from condo lease.
She remembered us from two years earlier.
“Olivia asked three questions before signing lease.”
The lawyer smiled.
“Does she strike you as someone who signs blank forms?”
Objection if character. Judge maybe excludes. But fact maybe.
No need.
Then handwriting/digital expert.
The signature was image extracted from prior lease and placed digitally.
Not handwritten.
Metadata.
Strong.
Then email creation.
olivia.bennett.briarline account recovery phone was Derek’s.
Recovery email also his private.
He controlled from inception.
Then defense tried argue Olivia may have instructed.
No written.
No witness.
Derek.
Would he testify?
Unknown.
Then trial jury selection.
I felt bus stop again.
Not because Derek nearby.
Because court strips story to facts.
I worried no one would understand why I sat for hours.
Why I did not ask driver.
Why I planned apology.
Would they think I was weak?
Rebecca said:
“Your job is not to be impressive witness.”
Good.
“Just accurate.”
Then Catherine asked:
“Can I attend?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t need.”
“I know.”
She smiled.
“That is why I am coming.”
Thomas drove.
At courthouse, she took my arm.
Not because I guided blind woman only.
May you like
Because she anchored me too.
Continue to the next part: Brenda’s sworn plea removes the last illusion that Briarline was a misunderstanding, and Derek prepares to convince a jury his wife secretly authorized everything anyway.
