Chapter 6 - The House of Cards
The downfall was spectacular.
Once the prosecutor brought up the prior payoff and the potential financial fraud caught on the Apple Watch recording, Brandon broke.
He wasn't willing to go to federal prison for his brother’s temper or his mother’s pride. Brandon cut a deal. He agreed to testify against Ethan and Margaret in exchange for immunity on the assault cover-up and leniency on the financial crimes.
The news broke on a Tuesday.
PRESCOTT HEIR FLIPS ON FAMILY IN DOMESTIC ABUSE AND FRAUD SCANDAL.
I drove Emily to the courthouse for the plea hearing. There would be no trial. The evidence was too overwhelming, and their own blood had betrayed them.
We sat in the front row of the gallery.
Ethan was led out in an orange jumpsuit. The tailored navy suits were gone. His hair was unkempt, and the arrogance had been entirely stripped from his posture.
Margaret sat at the defense table. She looked ten years older. The judge had frozen her assets pending the fraud investigation, and her society friends had abandoned her the moment she became radioactive.
The judge looked down at the documents.
“Ethan Prescott, you are pleading guilty to one count of felony aggravated assault, and one count of felony false imprisonment. Is that correct?”
“Yes, Your Honor,” Ethan mumbled.
“Speak up, Mr. Prescott.”
“Yes, Your Honor,” he said louder, his voice cracking.
He was sentenced to seven years in state prison. No country club federal camp. Hard, state time.
As the bailiffs led him away, he looked back at the gallery. He didn't look at his mother. He looked at Emily.
Emily didn't flinch. She didn't look away. She stared right back at him, her chin held high, until the door closed behind him.
Then, Margaret was called to the stand to enter her plea for obstruction of justice and witness tampering.
She received three years of probation, massive fines, and a permanent felony record. Her reputation, the thing she valued more than her own children's humanity, was ashes.
As we walked out of the courtroom, reporters swarmed the steps.
“Emily! Colonel Hart! Any words on the sentencing?”
May you like
Emily stopped. She looked at the cameras, then looked at me. I nodded.
“Money and power can hide a lot of things,” Emily said, her voice clear and strong. “But they can’t hide the truth forever. If you are in the dark right now, if someone is telling you that you don't matter... keep fighting. You are stronger than their money.”
