He described the call, the trap, the intercom, the cold, the birth, the babies.
He never raised his voice.
It never broke.
When the defense tried to make her look hysterical, she responded with facts.
When they tried to portray her as unstable, she responded calmly.
Then came the final mistake by the defense.
Derek’s ex-girlfriend, Miranda Stevens, was called to testify about his “kind nature”.
But during cross-examination, Miranda broke down.
He admitted that Derek had paid him to lie.
And then he told the truth:
Seven years earlier, Derek had locked her in a basement for three days when she tried to leave him.
The courtroom erupted in anger.
That testimony shattered the defense.
The jury saw what Grace had always known:
Derek Bennett was not a loving husband who had made a mistake.
He was a predator.
The jury deliberated for six hours.
When they returned, Grace squeezed Rachel’s hand so hard that her knuckles turned white.
“On the charge of attempted murder of Grace Bennett… Guilty.”
Grace closed her eyes.
“On the charge of attempted murder of Emma Bennett… Guilty.”
Rachel burst into tears.
“On the charge of attempted murder of Noah Bennett… Guilty.”
Three guilty verdicts.
Three life sentences.
Derek Bennett would never be free again.
Grace had won.
