They Buried Me in the Desert. I Built Weapons for the Crown Chapter 09

They Buried Me in the Desert. I Built Weapons for the Crown Chapter 09

The sharp crack of the gavel echoed through the solemn courtroom, sealing the Ashbornes’ fate.

The judge looked down at the overwhelming evidence, his expression grave as he delivered the sentences.

“Defendant Gideon Ashborne used unlawful means to kidnap and confine a Crown researcher with classified access and attempted to forcibly harvest stem cells from a living donor. Given the egregious nature of the offense and the threat posed to Crown research security, he is sentenced to fifteen years in prison.”

“Defendant Octavia Voss-Ashborne abused her professional position to deliberately sabotage a researcher, manipulate access to medical care, and assist in the commission of these crimes. She is sentenced to eight years in prison.”

“Defendant Seraphine Vale did not directly participate in the kidnapping, but she knowingly benefited from the crimes over an extended period and encouraged others to endanger the victim’s health. She is sentenced to three years in prison, suspended, with four years of probation.”

As the verdict was handed down, Gideon finally lowered his arrogant head.

Octavia clutched the railing so hard her nails scraped against the metal and screamed herself hoarse. “This

isn’t fair!”

Of course, no one outside the Ashborne family agreed.

The trial ended, and I prepared to leave.

Just before the court officers could take Octavia away, she tore free and rushed at me with bloodshot eyes.

“lona, my blood runs through your veins! You sent your own brother and your own mother to prison. Do you really think you’ll be able to live with yourself for the rest of your life? Do you care about family at all?!”

I stopped and looked coldly at the disheveled, furious woman in front of me.

“Family?” I gave a bitter smile. “When did any of you ever treat me like family? Twenty years ago, when you chose your adopted daughter over me and treated me as her living donor reserve and backup source of stem cells, did family matter to you then?”

I drew a deep breath and waited for the faint ache in my lungs to ease.

“What bothered me was never your favoritism.”

“You were my parents, and you chose her. I accepted that, so I stayed far away.”

“But I never imagined you would try to take away even my basic right to stay alive.”

“Dr. Octavia, what you call family is filthy.”

The color drained from her face as if the words had struck her, and a high pack enforcer dragged her away.

Gideon went to prison, leaving Ashborne Pack without an alpha.

A joint financial-crimes and tax task force moved in soon afterward.

Years of dirty money and predatory dealings inside Ashborne Pack were exposed.

The result was staggering fines and damages.

To cover the debts, Eamon was forced to sell Ashborne Pack House and move into a dark, damp den.

His hypertension flared up repeatedly, and he no longer had anyone around to take care of him.

Seraphine fared even worse.

Veyr Pack’s alpha had broken the mate bond with her, and overnight she lost all her wealth and power.

Her reputation was ruined, and her blood disorder could worsen at any time.

She frantically called the wealthy heirs who had once flocked around her.

The moment they realized it was her, they wanted nothing to do with her and blocked her outright.

Without my bone marrow and stem cells, and without expensive specialty medication to keep her condition stable, she looked worse by the day, visibly wasting away.

I walked out of the courthouse into the brilliant sunlight.

The shadow that had hung over me for twenty years finally lifted.

Kellan stood beside a patrol car nearby and held out a bottle of warm water.

“Ms. Ashborne, congratulations. It’s all over.”

I took the water, drank, and looked up at the clear blue sky.

“No. It’s just beginning.”