10. Bella #5
“Maybe,” I say, but even as I say it, I know it’s not true. This feels different. This feels like…
Oh.
Oh no.
“Bella?” Adrian says, noticing my expression. “What is it?”
“I think…” I trail off, my mind racing. “Adrian, when was my last period?”
Adrian’s eyes widen as he realizes what I’m suggesting. “Are you saying…?”
“I don’t know,” I say, my heart pounding. “But I think… I think I might be pregnant.”
For a moment, Adrian just stares at me. Then a slow smile spreads across his face. “Really?”
“I don’t know for sure,” I say quickly. “I’d need to take a test. But the timing… it would make sense.”
Adrian pulls me into his arms, holding me tight. “If you are, that’s amazing. That’s the best news I could imagine.”
“But the trial,” I protest. “I’m supposed to testify today. What if-”
“We’ll figure it out,” Adrian says firmly. “First, let’s find out for sure. Then we’ll deal with everything else.”
He sends his driver to the pharmacy for pregnancy tests while I try to calm my racing thoughts. Could I really be pregnant? Adrian and I have been careful, but not perfectly careful. And the timing would line up with our weekend at the cabin.
When the tests arrive, I take three of them, just to be sure. And all three come back positive.
I’m pregnant.
I walk out of the bathroom in a daze, holding the tests in my shaking hands. Adrian takes one look at my face and knows.
“We’re having a baby,” he says, his voice filled with wonder.
“We’re having a baby,” I repeat, and suddenly I’m crying, overwhelmed by the enormity of it all.
Adrian pulls me into his arms, and we stand there for a long moment, just holding each other, processing this unexpected but wonderful news.
“What do we do about the trial?” I finally ask. “I’m supposed to testify.”
Adrian pulls back to look at me, his expression serious. “We tell Rachel. We let her know what’s going on. And then we figure out the best way forward.”
An hour later, we’re in Rachel Mathis’s office, explaining the situation. She listens carefully, her expression thoughtful.
“This changes things,” she says finally. “The defense will absolutely use this to their advantage if they find out. They’ll suggest that you’re too emotional, too compromised to give reliable testimony.”
“So what do we do?” I ask.
Rachel is quiet for a moment, thinking. “Honestly? I think we should request that you be excused from testifying. We have enough evidence without your testimony. The financial records, the witness statements, the physical evidence from the attempted murder - it’s all solid.
But the thing is… if you don’t take the stand it’s you that will be implicated with him.
Given these circumstances, however, I understand why you wouldn’t want to take the stand. ”
“But I want to testify,” I protest. “I want to face Marcus. I want him to hear what he did to me.”
“I understand that,” Rachel says gently. “But you need to think about what’s best for you and your baby now. The stress of testifying, of being cross-examined by Marcus’s lawyers, of having to relive all that trauma - is that really what you want to put yourself through right now?”
I look at Adrian, who squeezes my hand supportively. “It’s your choice, Bella. Whatever you decide, I’ll support you.”
I think about it for a long moment. Part of me desperately wants to testify, wants to look Marcus in the eye and tell him exactly what he did to me.
But another part of me - the part that’s thinking about the tiny life growing inside me - knows that Rachel is right.
I need to protect myself and my baby. And if we can get a conviction without me having to testify, then maybe that’s the better choice.
But if we can’t I’ll be having this baby in jail…
“No,” I say finally. “I want to testify. I can’t hide from this.”
“All right,” Rachel says. “Then we’ll put you on the stand.”
The trial begins that afternoon. Victoria is there, in the gallery, watching and sniffling quietly to herself, playing the part of Marcus’s supportive girlfriend wonderfully. I stay far away from her. I’ll never be able to look at her the same.
Adrian and I sit in the gallery together, watching as the prosecution lays out their case against Marcus. It’s damning - witness after witness testifying to his crimes, document after document proving his corruption.
Marcus sits at the defense table, looking smaller somehow than I remember. He doesn’t look at me, doesn’t acknowledge my presence. And I realize that he has no power over me anymore. He’s just a man - a criminal man who’s about to face justice for his crimes.
The trial lasts three days. Three days of testimony, of evidence, of legal arguments. And through it all, Adrian is by my side, his hand in mine, his presence a constant source of strength and comfort. And when I testify… it’s as awful as I thought it would be, but thankfully it’s over fast.
On the third day, Rachel calls her final witness - Detective Morrison, who testifies about Marcus’s attempted murder of me and Adrian. She describes the scene, the evidence, Marcus’s recorded threats. It’s powerful testimony, and I can see the jury’s expressions harden as they listen.
When the prosecution rests, the defense tries to mount a case, but it’s weak. They can’t refute the evidence. They can’t explain away the financial records or the witness testimony. All they can do is try to create doubt, and even that falls flat.
And if it wasn’t for my testimony it would be me going away for all those crimes, not him.
“Thank you, Ms. Hayes,” Judge Barnes says, her expression softening slightly. “Your statement has been noted.”
Victoria is there the whole time at the trial, keeping up her devoted act to the very end. And yet when they drag Marcus past Victoria he doesn’t stop for her, not even for her outstretched hands and her sobs and wails.
Judge Patricia Barnes thanks the jury and sends them out to deliberate. As the bailiffs lead Marcus away in handcuffs, he finally looks at me. There’s no remorse in his eyes, no apology. Just anger and bitterness.
I meet his gaze steadily, refusing to look away. And then he’s gone, led through a door to the holding cells, and I know that soon, I’ll never have to see him again.
Victoria walks past me slowly, in a daze seemingly. Right before she gets to the exit, she stops and looks at me. I lift my chin and meet her eyes.
“He never loved me, did he?” my little sister asks me brokenly.
I hesitate. “He never loved anyone, Victoria.”
She nods to herself and then walks away.
And then all we can do is wait.
Two weeks later, we return to the courthouse for the verdict.
I’m sitting in the courthouse, my hand resting protectively over my stomach. I’m just two months pregnant - barely showing yet - and while I’m feeling good overall, the stress of being here is taking its toll.
Today is the day. Today, Marcus Webb will finally face the full consequences of his actions.
When they return, so do we all, and the foreman stands and reads the verdict.
“On the count of first-degree murder, we find the defendant guilty.”
“On the count of conspiracy to commit murder, we find the defendant guilty.”
“On the count of bribery, we find the defendant guilty.”
“On the count of corruption, we find the defendant guilty.”
“On the count of embezzlement, we find the defendant guilty.”
“On the count of fraud, we find the defendant guilty.”
“On the count of witness tampering, we find the defendant guilty.”
“On the count of attempted murder, we find the defendant guilty.”