Chapter 9 - Justice is Served
The trial of Miller v. Vance Enterprises was the largest legal battle the city had seen in a decade.
David Rowe had begged Ethan not to take the case, warning him that it would destroy the firm. But Ethan had refused to back down, forcing a vote of the partners and successfully buying out David’s shares to gain total control of Carter & Rowe. He was now the sole owner, and he had dedicated the firm’s entire resources to Sarah’s case.
In the courtroom, Ethan was a force of nature.
He presented internal memos from Vance Enterprises dating back four years, proving that the company had known the crane was defective but had delayed maintenance to save money. He also presented a deposition from the foreman on the site, who admitted that he had been paid fifty thousand dollars to falsify the accident report.
As the evidence mounted, the defense team’s arguments crumbled.
On the final day of the trial, the jury returned after only two hours of deliberation.
"In the matter of Miller v. Vance Enterprises," the jury foreperson read, "we find for the plaintiff. We award compensatory damages in the amount of five million dollars, and punitive damages in the amount of fifteen million dollars."
The courtroom erupted into a wall of sound.
Richard Vance put his head in his hands, his empire finally fracturing under the weight of his own greed.
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Sarah sat frozen, her hands covering her mouth as tears poured down her face. She looked at Ethan, who was smiling at her from the podium. He walked over, picking her up and spinning her around as the crowd cheered.
"It’s over, Sarah," Ethan whispered. "Your husband’s name is cleared. And you and Lily will never have to worry about rent, or school shoes, or winter coats ever again."
