Chapter 14 - The Trial Begins
The federal courtroom was quieter than gala.
No chandeliers.
No champagne.
No emerald dress.
I wore navy.
Catherine sat behind me with Thomas.
Derek at defense table.
He looked thinner.
Still polished.
Opening statement.
Prosecutor:
“This case is about a name.”
Then:
“Olivia Bennett.”
He explained Derek used wife’s name because his own would trigger conflict.
He created company.
Applied for loan.
Approved employer payments.
Moved money.
Took wife’s phone to authenticate transfer.
Prepared to blame her.
Then defense:
“Marriage is informal.”
Dangerous sentence.
“Spouses share passwords, identities, business plans, and money.”
Then:
“Olivia Bennett knew her husband was exploring consulting opportunities.”
I had known he talked about someday consulting.
Not Briarline.
Then:
“She later became angry over marital control and affair.”
Then Catherine.
“A wealthy lender with reason to pressure Sterling Crown inserted herself.”
But sale outcome disproved somewhat.
Still.
Then first witnesses.
Bank fraud specialist.
Application.
Phone.
Email.
Notary.
Device logs.
Then Sterling Crown controller, Nathan Lee.
He received Briarline invoices.
He asked Derek:
“Is Olivia Bennett related?”
Derek answered email:
No conflict requiring disclosure.
Then Nathan saw Derek and Olivia at company Christmas card? He knew spouse name. He questioned later.
Derek told him:
“Different Olivia Bennett.”
Nathan looked up public registration and address virtual.
He pushed.
Brenda told him:
“Finance needs to focus on finance.”
He was placed on performance plan two months later.
Retaliation evidence.
Then independent audit.
Payments.
Real services existed, but undisclosed margin.
Important.
Defense asked:
“Did Sterling Crown receive value?”
“Yes.”
“So not all funds stolen?”
“Correct.”
Good.
Then Brenda.
She testified.
Defense destroyed her credibility as much as possible.
“You lied to father.”
“Yes.
“Employer.”
“Yes.
“Olivia.”
“Yes.
“Had affair.”
“Yes.
“You hope shorter prison.”
“Yes.
“You stole too.”
“Yes.
Then:
“So when you say Derek planned it, you save yourself.”
Brenda answered:
“I am not saving myself from prison.”
Good.
Then voicemail.
Played.
Derek:
“Code worked. Wire’s pending. She’s sitting at bus stop thinking this is about eighty bucks.”
My body froze.
The jury heard his laugh.
Then:
“If bank releases tomorrow, we move everything out and Briarline becomes her problem.”
Then:
“She’ll apologize when she gets home.”
Catherine’s hand found back of my chair lightly.
Not grabbing.
Present.
Defense cross:
“Mr. Bennett was joking?”
Brenda:
“No.”
“Could ‘becomes her problem’ mean tax liability from business she agreed?”
“No.”
“How know?”
“Because she didn’t agree.”
Then timeline note.
Digital analyst.
Created morning bus stop.
Defense:
“People make personal schedules.”
Yes.
“Fight could be reminder?”
Maybe.
But 4:30 fight matched.
Then bank code.
Then fake text.
Then accusation draft.
Then notary.
Then me.
Before testimony, Rebecca whispered:
“Do not make him monster.”
“I won’t.”
“Do not make Catherine savior.”
“I won’t.”
“Tell bus stop.”
I did.
I described $80.
Cash.
Cards.
Phone.
Door.
Derek:
“Figure out how to get home without mine.”
Then prosecutor:
“Why didn’t you call?”
“No phone.”
“Pay bus?”
“No money.”
“Ask someone?”
“I was ashamed.”
Then Catherine.
“Had you met before?”
“No.”
“Did you know her wealth?”
“Not until car arrived.”
“Did she promise money?”
“No.”
“Employment?”
“No.”
“Did she direct you to accuse Derek?”
“No.”
Then bank.
I had never heard Briarline.
Never signed.
Seattle conference evidence.
Travel receipt.
Library schedule.
Photos.
Then gala.
Only relevant to Derek grabbing? Not criminal. We explained Catherine gave me papers. No dramatic.
Then cross.
Derek’s lawyer was good.
“You gave Derek access to financial records.”
“Yes.”
“Your Social Security number.”
“As spouse, he knew.”
“Phone PIN.”
“Yes.”
“Did you ever discuss starting consulting firm?”
“He discussed consulting for himself.”
“Did you say you would support?”
“Emotionally.”
A few smiles.
Then:
“Financially?”
“No.”
“Never?”
“I said we could discuss if plan existed.”
Then:
“Could Briarline be his attempt to build for both?”
“Not with my forged signature.”
Then:
“You benefited from his income.”
“Yes.”
“Shared accounts.”
“Yes.”
“So why wouldn’t he believe he could use marital funds for business?”
“Because he did not ask.”
Then:
“You were unhappy about his financial control.”
“Yes.”
“Angry.”
“Yes.”
“Did Catherine Wilmington encourage you to view normal budgeting as abuse?”
“No.”
“She used word control before knowing Derek?”
“She asked questions.”
Then:
“She was lender to employer.”
“Yes.”
“Did she tell you she could ruin him?”
“No.”
“She said wealthiest woman in city?”
Actually source says she told she was wealthy. Could be. I answered:
“She told me her name after her driver arrived.”
Then:
“You attended gala pretending granddaughter.”
“Yes.”
The jury looked.
Defense smiled.
“So you lied.”
“Socially, yes.”
Then:
“Why should jury trust someone willing to lie publicly?”
Prosecutor objected argumentative.
Judge allowed limited.
I said:
“I used a false first name at Catherine’s suggestion because I was afraid my husband would approach me. I did not sign documents under it, open accounts, or take money.”
Good.
Then affair.
“You knew before gala?”
“Suspected.”
“Angry?”
“Yes.
“Did you want Derek fired?”
“I wanted away.”
Then:
“You benefited when employer terminated?”
“No.”
“Revenge?”
“No.”
Then:
“After he left you, you went with one of wealthiest women in state and five days later confronted him at gala.”
“Yes.”
It sounded theatrical because it was.
Then prosecutor redirect.
“Did Catherine Wilmington create Briarline?”
“No.”
“Forge your signature?”
“No.”
“Take phone?”
“No.”
“Enter bank code?”
“No.”
“Write draft accusing you?”
“No.”
“Record voicemail?”
“No.”
I stepped down.
My hands shook.
Catherine whispered when I passed:
“You were boring.”
I almost laughed.
May you like
Highest compliment.
Continue to the next part: After Olivia survives cross examination, prosecutors unveil the single piece of evidence Derek cannot explain away as marriage, jealousy, or Catherine’s influence.
