Chapter 6 - The Trial of the CenturyThe criminal trial of Jason Mitchell began three months later. The courthouse was besieged by media from around the globe. It was billed as the "trial of the century"—a gothic tale of corporate greed, domestic horror, and scientific betrayal.
Jason sat at the defense table, looking vastly different from the confident billionaire who had walked into our divorce hearing. His hair was thinning, his eyes hollow, his face pale from months in custody after his bail was denied due to flight risk.
Sterling sat next to him, his expression grim. They knew they had no defense. The recording of Jason admitting he "should have finished me off" was ruled admissible, and it was devastating.
"The prosecution calls Iris Mitchell," the DA announced.
I stood up, wearing a tailored black suit. I didn't hide my scars this time; the sleeves of my blouse were rolled up slightly, showing the faint, silver lines on my wrists. I walked to the stand, took the oath, and sat down.
For the next four hours, I recounted everything.
I described the night of the fire. I described the feeling of the intense heat, the smell of my own burning skin, and the sight of Jason’s face through the thick glass of the chamber, watching me with a cold, calculated curiosity. I described the years of being kept chemically sedated in the private sanitarium, drugged into believing I was crazy, that the fire had been my fault.
Members of the jury were in tears. Even the seasoned court reporters stopped typing, visibly shaken by the raw, quiet dignity of my testimony.
When it was Sterling’s turn to cross-examine me, he stood up, looked at his client, and then looked back at me. He saw the resolve in my eyes. He knew that any attempt to attack my character would only alienate the jury further.
"No questions, Your Honor," Sterling said quietly, sitting back down.
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Jason looked at his lawyer in disbelief. "What are you doing?" he hissed loudly enough for the microphone to catch. "Fight her! Tell them she's crazy!"
"Sit down, Jason," Sterling whispered, his voice dripping with disgust. "It's over."
