Chapter 4: The Courtroom
Six months later, the courtroom overflowed.
Jurors watched the original doorbell footage.
The silence was unbearable.
Then came the recovered messages.
The livestream.
The interviews.
The medical reports.
Even Claire's attorney stopped objecting.
One by one, each defendant testified.
Meredith blamed stress.
Vanessa blamed Meredith.
Brooke claimed it was "just a prank."
Erin insisted she never expected anyone to get hurt.
Claire finally faced Nathan.
"I never thought it would go this far."
Nathan answered calmly.
"It went too far the moment our daughter became entertainment."
The jury deliberated less than four hours.
Guilty.
On every major charge.
The judge imposed substantial prison sentences where supported by the convictions and issued permanent no-contact orders protecting Lily.
As deputies escorted the five women from the courtroom, none of them looked at each other.
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The family that had acted together...
Would now serve their consequences separately
