Chapter 7 - The Interrogation
Inside the cold, stainless-steel interrogation room at LAPD Central Headquarters, Julian sat glued to a metal chair, his suit jacket removed, his head bowed between his hands.
Across the metallic table sat Deputy District Attorney Marcus Thorne—a legendary prosecutor known for destroying white-collar criminals.
Thorne opened a thick manila folder, spilling dozens of high-definition photographs across the table.
They were photographs taken by Nurse Reed and the hospital forensic team: the dark red pressure welts across my pregnant belly, the bruised wrists, the torn shoulder of my gown, and the forged signature on the restraint authorization form.
“Mr. Sterling,” DA Thorne began, his tone cold, clinical, and completely detached. “Your mistress, Chloe Vance, entered a full guilty plea forty-five minutes ago in exchange for a reduced sentence.”
Julian’s head snapped up. “She... she pled guilty?”
“She turned over her unedited phone video,” Thorne continued, tapping a black USB drive lying on the folder. “The video shows your mother holding your wife down while you personally tightened the vinyl restraint belt around her abdomen.”
Julian’s mouth opened, but no sound came out.
“The video also records you explicitly stating, and I quote: ‘Once she’s locked in the state asylum, the Montgomery Trust land deeds fall directly into our marital estate fund.’”
Thorne leaned forward, resting his forearms on the metal table, staring directly into Julian’s hollow eyes.
“You didn't just assault your pregnant wife, Mr. Sterling. You committed premeditated conspiracy to commit human trafficking, illegal imprisonment, and corporate land piracy. Under California Penal Code, you are facing a mandatory minimum sentence of twenty-four years in state prison without the possibility of parole.”
Julian’s chest began to heave. Tears overflowed from his eyes, dripping onto the steel table.
“Please...” Julian whimpered, his voice cracking into a desperate, pathetic sob. “I want to speak to Sarah... please let me see my wife... I love her... I did it for our babies...”
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DA Thorne chuckled—a dry, bitter sound.
“Mrs. Montgomery-Sterling has issued a permanent global protection order against you, Mr. Sterling. If you even say her name out loud in this room again, I will add three counts of criminal stalking to your indictment.”
