Chapter 9 - The Trial of Ethan Mercer
Alexander didn't kill him. He was far too calculated to let a man like Ethan Mercer ruin his future with Claire.
Instead, Alexander slammed Ethan to the floor, where his personal security team—who had been delayed by the storm clearing the perimeter—rushed in and pinned Ethan to the ground with heavy cuffs.
The police arrived within minutes.
The fallout was catastrophic for Ethan. The news of his breaking and entering, attempted kidnapping, and violent assault hit the national news headlines the next morning.
Three weeks later, the New York Supreme Court held a high-profile trial.
Ethan sat at the defense table in an orange jumpsuit, his hair matted, his spirit completely broken. Beside him sat a court-appointed attorney who looked like he wished he was anywhere else in the world.
Across the courtroom sat Claire. She looked radiant, dressed in a tailored navy suit, sitting next to Alexander, who held her hand tightly beneath the table.
When Claire took the witness stand, her voice was unwavering as she recounted everything: the years of emotional neglect, the cold night he forced her to sign divorce papers while in labor, freezing her accounts, and finally, his unhinged attack on her home.
The judge, a stern woman known for her strict rulings, reviewed the evidence, including security footage from the nursery.
"Mr. Mercer," the judge said, her voice dripping with disgust as she looked over her glasses. "Your actions demonstrate a complete lack of human empathy, moral integrity, and respect for the law. You abandoned your pregnant wife in a life-threatening condition, and when she managed to survive and rebuild her life through the grace of others, you attempted to destroy her through violence."
The judge slammed her gavel down with a sharp crash.
"This court finds you guilty on all counts of grand felony assault, attempted kidnapping, and severe domestic abuse. You are hereby sentenced to twenty-five years in federal prison without the possibility of parole for the first fifteen years. Furthermore, a permanent, absolute order of protection is issued. You will never see, contact, or approach Claire Bennett or her children ever again."
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Ethan collapsed back into his chair, weeping hysterically as the bailiffs cuffed his hands behind his back and led him away into the dark holding cells below the courthouse.
As he was dragged out, he looked over his shoulder one last time. Claire didn't even look at him. She was leaning into Alexander’s side, a soft, beautiful smile spreading across her face as Alexander kissed her cheek.
