Chapter 17 - Preparing for Trial
Six months later, Ophelia was officially indicted on charges of wire fraud, bribery, tax evasion, and evidence destruction. The criminal trial took nearly a year to prepare. The ring itself had been recovered by a private dive team hired by a gossip magazine, only to be immediately confiscated by federal authorities as Evidence Item A.
During the trial preparations, the staggering human cost of Ophelia’s greed came to light. It wasn't just numbers on a spreadsheet. It was underinsured crews on dangerous ships, dock workers denied safety gear, and disaster relief delayed for profit. The widow of a ship mechanic testified about fighting for basic benefits after her husband was crushed by neglected equipment. Nora sat through the depositions, a silent witness to the carnage of the Fairchild empire, her hand resting protectively over her growing belly.
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