Chapter 10 - The Second Family Trial
The mansion ballroom was full by seven.
Tabitha stood beneath the chandelier in a dark plum dress.
She looked almost exactly as she had on the wedding night.
Controlled.
Elegant.
Certain.
Taylor entered with Sarah and Colin.
Whispers spread through the room.
Tabitha raised one hand.
“This woman,” she said, pointing at Taylor, “married my son to gain access to our property.”
Taylor said nothing.
Tabitha continued.
“She manipulated a former employee into claiming family blood.”
Sarah’s face tightened.
Colin stepped forward.
“Sarah is family.”
Tabitha stared at him.
“You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“I know you used an account in my name.”
The room went silent.
Tabitha’s eyes flickered.
Then she laughed.
“That account was created for your future.”
“It was used to hide stolen money.”
“You ungrateful coward.”
The words cracked through the ballroom.
Colin recoiled.
Taylor saw the old fear return to his face.
Tabitha saw it too.
She stepped closer.
“Tell them your wife poisoned you against me.”
Colin’s lips parted.
For one terrible second, Taylor believed he might obey.
Then he looked at Sarah.
He looked at Taylor.
And finally, he looked at his mother.
“No.”
Tabitha slapped him.
Gasps erupted.
Colin’s head turned with the impact.
When he faced her again, something in him had changed.
“You will never hit me into silence again.”
Tabitha’s control began to fracture.
She pointed at Taylor.
“She planned all of this!”
Taylor calmly lifted the black notebook.
May you like
“No, Tabitha. You did.”
👉 Taylor was about to reveal why Tabitha’s own family rules had become legal evidence against her.
