My mother was sobbing now.
My father sat frozen, his face gray.
“Additionally, I’m ordering a forensic analysis of your finances to ensure full restitution is paid. If you’re found to have hidden assets or income, your sentence will be extended.”
Judge Reeves looked at Brandon with something close to contempt.
“Your grandmother gave you every advantage, every opportunity to be better. You chose greed. Now you’ll have four years to think about that choice.”
The bailiff moved forward to take Brandon into custody. As they led him away, he finally looked at me, and I saw in his eyes the moment he truly understood he’d destroyed himself.
I felt nothing but cold satisfaction.
Outside the courtroom, my mother confronted me, her face blotchy with tears.
“Are you happy now? Your brother is going to prison. You’ve destroyed this family.”
“Brandon destroyed himself,” I replied calmly. “I just held him accountable.”
“You could have split the inheritance,” she spat. “You could have been generous like Eleanor would have wanted.”
“Grandma wanted exactly this,” I said. “She planned it. She knew what he was, and she made sure he couldn’t profit from her death.”
I looked at both my parents, these people who’d enabled Brandon’s behavior for decades.
“You should be ashamed. Not of what I did, but of what you allowed him to become.”
