Chapter 17 - Rebecca Takes the Stand
Rebecca testified.
Her lawyers had likely advised against it.
But Rebecca had built her life on persuasion.
She believed she could still control the room.
At first she was effective.
She described entering Nathan’s family after Caroline’s death.
Sophie grieving.
Nathan absent.
Household chaos.
“I became the person who was actually there.”
That was partly true.
She described Sophie’s anxiety.
Also true.
She described Nathan’s obsession with work.
True.
Then she moved to the trust.
“I believed professional management was necessary.”
The prosecutor asked:
“So you bought the company named as successor trustee?”
“My brother purchased it.”
“With your knowledge?”
“Yes.”
“Did you disclose that to Nathan?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“He would have reacted emotionally.”
The prosecutor let the answer sit.
Then Bright Horizons.
“Were services provided?”
“Some.”
“By whom?”
“Family consultants.”
“To Sophie?”
“Sometimes through me.”
“Did invoices describe direct child therapy?”
“I did not write invoice language.”
Aaron’s emails said otherwise.
Then the lake-house mortgage.
Rebecca blamed Aaron and Mark.
The prosecutor showed her message:
Need lake house leveraged before N starts reviewing statements.
Rebecca’s expression changed.
“I meant before Nathan disrupted refinancing.”
“Refinancing whose debt?”
Silence.
“Aaron’s.”
“Yes.”
“Was Aaron’s investment debt Sophie’s responsibility?”
“No.”
The first clean admission.
The prosecutor moved to school.
“Did Sophie require residential placement?”
“No.”
Nathan felt the courtroom change.
“Did you ask Dr. Crowe for language supporting residential placement?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“As contingency planning.”
“For a condition she didn’t have?”
Rebecca’s jaw tightened.
“She was difficult.”
“Seven.”
“She lied.”
“Seven.”
The prosecutor displayed the backpack video.
No disputed audio necessary.
Rebecca taking it.
Throwing it away.
Pulling Sophie away.
Then the sealed envelope.
“Why did you want this destroyed?”
“I was angry.”
“About what?”
“The school interfering.”
“Interfering with what?”
Silence.
The prosecutor showed her morning message to Andrew.
If Nathan discovers Bright Horizons, we shift to parenting concerns.
Then:
Necessary is whatever gets the trustee changed.
Rebecca looked toward Nathan.
For a second he saw hatred.
Then grief.
Then nothing.
“Did you use Sophie’s school situation to try to remove Nathan as trustee?”
Rebecca whispered:
“Yes.”
The courtroom went still.
Her lawyer closed his eyes.
The prosecutor continued.
“Did Sophie know that?”
“No.”
“Did you threaten her belongings if she spoke to teachers?”
Rebecca’s voice shook.
“I lost my temper.”
“Did you make her practice answers about Nathan?”
“I thought she needed preparation.”
“For court?”
“Yes.”
“Court proceedings you were creating?”
Rebecca snapped:
“Nathan was never there!”
The outburst echoed.
Everything beneath the fraud surfaced.
“He flew everywhere. He missed school events. Caroline’s family treated me like temporary staff. Sophie cried for a dead woman and looked at me like I was replacing someone I could never replace.”
The prosecutor waited.
Rebecca continued, tears forming.
“I fixed everything. Meals. Doctors. School. Nathan came home and got the hugs.”
Nathan looked down.
There was truth inside her resentment.
But then the prosecutor asked:
“So you took $3.4 million from Sophie’s trust?”
Rebecca’s face hardened.
“I thought I deserved security.”
“And Sophie owed you that?”
Silence.
“No.”
Again.
Truth finally arriving too late.
The defense rested two days later.
Closing arguments focused on intent.
Rebecca’s lawyers argued chaotic family finances, Andrew’s scheme, Aaron’s fraud, and Nathan’s negligence created ambiguity.
Prosecutors argued Rebecca’s own messages showed planning.
The jury deliberated.
Nathan waited at home.
Not courthouse.
Sophie had a school science night.
Her project involved growing bean plants under different light conditions.
“What did you find out?” Nathan asked.
“Plants need enough light.”
He laughed.
“Apparently so do families.”
Sophie frowned.
“That’s not science.”
“Fair.”
His phone rang.
Rachel.
Verdict.
Nathan told Sophie:
“I have to go.”
She looked disappointed.
Then he stopped.
“Actually, no.”
He called Rachel.
“Tell me.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
Rebecca was found guilty on most major fraud and conspiracy counts, though acquitted on two narrower charges where jurors found insufficient proof she personally executed the transaction.
Not everything.
Evidence, not revenge.
Nathan closed his eyes.
Sophie asked:
“What happened?”
“Adults decided Rebecca broke laws.”
“Is she going away?”
“Probably for some time. The judge decides later.”
Sophie thought.
“Can we finish my beans?”
Nathan smiled.
“Yes.”
May you like
For the first time in years, he did not leave a child’s important moment because an adult crisis demanded attention.
Rebecca would have to wait.
