Chapter 16 - THE NANNY TAKES THE STANDSix weeks later, Lily entered federal court.
Ethan sat behind glass with Celia.
Victor sat at the defense table.
Serena testified.
Celia testified.
Rosa testified.
Maribel testified.
One by one, the walls collapsed.
Then Victor took the stand.
He admitted everything he had done.
Extortion.
Bribery.
Violence.
Willful blindness.
But he denied trafficking children.
The prosecutor played an old recording.
Elena's voice.
"You know the foundation is moving illegal money."
Victor's younger voice answered.
"I don't care where the money came from as long as nobody ties it to Ethan."
The courtroom froze.
Victor closed his eyes.
He remembered.
He had known enough.
Not everything.
But enough.
Lily watched him.
The prosecutor asked:
"Did you fail your son?"
Victor looked toward Ethan.
"Yes."
The answer was devastating.
And honest.
Then Lily took the stand.
She told the entire story.
Not only Serena's crimes.
Not only Hale's.
Not only Dante's.
She told the court about Victor's blindness.
His power.
His fear.
His failures.
And his love.
When asked whether she believed Victor was innocent, she answered:
"No."
When asked whether she believed he deserved punishment:
"Yes."
When asked whether he deserved to lose Ethan forever:
She paused.
"No."
May you like
The courtroom went silent.
"Because punishment should not become another form of cruelty."
