Chapter 24 - CLAUDIA TAKES THE STAND
Claudia testified under subpoena.
Loretta looked at her daughter.
Not angry.
Wounded.
Claudia nearly broke.
Then answered.
“Yes, I took the room.”
“Did Isolde agree?”
“No.”
“Did you know she needed easy bathroom access?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know Loretta wanted her in residential rehab?”
“Yes.”
“Did a doctor recommend it?”
“Not that I knew.”
“Why didn’t you stop the plan?”
Claudia cried.
“Because if Isolde left, the room stayed mine.”
There.
No giant inheritance.
No secret millions.
A bedroom.
Status.
Comfort.
Family rank.
Sometimes cruelty grows around embarrassingly small rewards.
Then defense asked:
“Did Loretta say she wanted Isolde injured?”
“No.”
“Did she hate Isolde?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Did she believe she was teaching resilience?”
“Yes.”
That mattered.
Explanation.
Not excuse.
Then:
“Did you manipulate your mother because you wanted the room?”
Claudia looked at Loretta.
“No.”
She swallowed.
May you like
“She manipulated what I already wanted.”
Probably the most honest sentence of the trial.
