Chapter 8 - Sophia’s ChoiceRichard Reynolds’s trial began almost a year later.
Sophia testified against him.
Vanessa Reynolds sat in the gallery and refused to look at her daughter.
Richard’s defense tried to portray Sophia as a rejected bride seeking revenge.
Then prosecutors produced his messages.
Get into Charles Bennett’s study.
Daniel doesn’t need to know until after the wedding.
If you love this family, protect us.
The language sounded almost identical to Margaret’s.
Different dynasty.
Same disease.
Family as justification.
Sophia read the messages aloud.
The prosecutor asked:
“Why did you obey?”
“Because I loved my father.”
“Do you still?”
Sophia cried.
“Yes.”
“And why are you testifying?”
She looked at Richard.
“Because loving him didn’t make what he did true.”
Richard was convicted of massive financial fraud, money laundering, obstruction, conspiracy relating to Charles’s death, and related offenses.
Dr. Voss also went to prison.
For Daniel, the verdict did not feel like victory.
His father remained dead.
Nine years remained lost.
But Charles’s name was no longer attached to crimes he had ultimately tried to expose.
Not completely innocent.
He had participated initially.
Daniel refused to whitewash that.
At Bennett Holdings’ annual meeting, he said:
“My father helped create part of the system he later tried to expose.”
Several advisers begged him to remove the sentence.
He refused.
“If we make him a saint, we learn nothing.”
May you like
Emily approved.
High praise.
