Chapter 21 - VICTORIA AND THE TWO BOYS
Victoria testified under her plea agreement.
Dominic’s lawyer tried to blame her fully.
She did not let him.
“I started the floor rule.”
Good.
“Did Dominic order?”
“No.”
“Did he approve?”
“Eventually.”
“How?”
“He stopped correcting me.”
Not same as explicit.
Then:
“He said if Leo refused table rules, I could handle it.”
There.
Then Liam.
“Did you favor him?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He was easier.”
“Because he was Dominic’s biological son?”
“They both are.”
“Did you consider Liam the better Sterling heir?”
Objection to heir language perhaps irrelevant. The texts used “Sterling boy.” Judge allowed limited.
Victoria:
“I said things like that.”
“Did Dominic agree?”
“Sometimes he told me to stop.”
“Sometimes?”
“Yes.”
Then prosecutor showed:
VICTORIA:
Liam is the Sterling boy you should be preparing for.
Dominic:
Leo is still my son.
That helped Dominic.
Then another:
VICTORIA:
Clara won’t be home. Let Liam have the weekend room and put Leo in small guest room.
Dominic:
Fine.
Comparison.
Then Victoria looked at me.
“I made one child feel superior and another feel ashamed.”
Liam was not in courtroom.
Good.
“He was five too,” she said.
That mattered.
She had harmed Liam in a different way by teaching him rank.
Then Dominic’s lawyer:
“Were you controlling?”
“Yes.”
“Did your son fear conflict with you?”
Victoria looked at him.
“Yes.”
“Did that contribute?”
“Yes.”
Then:
“Is Dominic responsible for everything you did?”
“No.”
Good.
May you like
Responsibility distributed.
Not dumped.
