Updated Feb 25, 2026 • ~5 min read
POV: Gabi
Federal courthouse.
Seattle.
Day one of United States v. Brandon Vale.
I’m sitting in the gallery.
Nix next to me.
The seven victims in the row behind.
“All rise.”
Judge enters.
Jury files in.
Brandon is brought in wearing a suit.
His lawyer dressed him up.
Made him look respectable.
It doesn’t work.
I see the monster underneath.
Opening statements begin.
Prosecution: “Brandon Vale is a con artist. For two years, he systematically defrauded women using his wife’s identity. He stole over $180,000. He destroyed lives. And he did it all with calculated precision.”
Defense: “Brandon Vale is a man with a disease. Gambling addiction destroyed his judgment. He made terrible choices, yes. But he’s not the criminal mastermind the prosecution wants you to believe. He’s a sick man who needs treatment, not prison.”
I want to scream.
Nix squeezes my hand.
“Breathe.”
First witness: Agent Morrison.
She presents the evidence.
Bank records.
Dating app screenshots.
Messages from victims.
“Mr. Vale created elaborate profiles using his wife’s identity. He then scammed multiple women, promising investment returns that never materialized.”
Defense tries to poke holes.
“Isn’t it possible Mrs. Vale knew about these profiles?”
“No. Our investigation conclusively shows she was unaware. She had documented alibis for every meeting. She never received any of the stolen funds.”
“But she benefited from the marriage—”
“Objection. Speculation.”
“Sustained.”
Agent Morrison continues.
“Mrs. Vale is a victim. Not an accomplice.”
Relief.
Second witness: Kennedy.
She takes the stand nervously.
“Please state your name.”
“Kennedy Chen.”
“And how do you know the defendant?”
“I was scammed by him.”
“Can you describe what happened?”
Kennedy tells her story.
Meeting “Gabriella” on Tinder.
The friendship.
The introduction to Brandon.
The romance.
The money.
“He said it was for his business. That he’d pay me back with interest. I trusted him.”
“How much did you give him?”
“Fifteen thousand dollars.”
“And did he pay you back?”
“No.”
“Did he ever intend to?”
“No. It was all a lie.”
Brandon’s lawyer cross-examines.
“Ms. Chen, you willingly gave Mr. Vale this money, correct?”
“Yes, but—”
“And you were romantically involved with him?”
“Yes.”
“So you gave money to your boyfriend. That’s not fraud. That’s a gift.”
“It wasn’t a gift! He promised to pay me back!”
“Do you have that promise in writing?”
“I… no. It was verbal.”
“So you gave your boyfriend money based on a verbal promise. And now that the relationship ended, you want it back.”
“That’s not what happened—”
“No further questions.”
Kennedy steps down, flustered.
I want to hug her.
Tell her she did great.
But we have to wait.
Third witness: Autumn.
The accomplice.
She takes the stand reluctantly.
“Please state your name.”
“Autumn Hayes.”
“And what was your relationship to the defendant?”
“He hired me to impersonate his wife.”
Gasps from the jury.
“Can you elaborate?”
“He paid me $500 per meetup to pretend to be Gabriella Moreno. I would meet women from the dating apps, befriend them, then introduce them to Brandon as my ‘ex-husband.'”
“Did you know this was fraud?”
Autumn hesitates.
“Eventually, yes.”
“But you continued?”
“I needed the money.”
“Did Mr. Vale give you instructions on what to say?”
“Yes. Detailed scripts. Who to meet. What stories to tell. Everything.”
“Objection. Hearsay.”
“Your Honor, we have the messages entered as Exhibit 12.”
“Overruled. Continue.”
Autumn’s testimony is damning.
She provides evidence.
Messages from Brandon.
Payment records.
Instructions.
Brandon’s lawyer tries to discredit her.
“Ms. Hayes, you’re testifying against Mr. Vale in exchange for a plea deal, correct?”
“Yes.”
“So you have motivation to lie. To make him look worse than he is.”
“I’m not lying. I have proof.”
“Proof that YOU committed fraud. You impersonated Mrs. Moreno. You scammed these women just as much as my client did.”
“I was following his instructions—”
“You made a choice. You chose to participate.”
“I know. And I regret it.”
The defense has done some damage.
But not enough.
Court recesses for the day.
NIX
Gabi is quiet on the drive home.
“You okay?”
“That lawyer is tearing apart the witnesses.”
“That’s his job. But the evidence speaks for itself.”
“What if the jury believes the addiction defense?”
“They won’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Because addiction doesn’t make you a con artist. It doesn’t make you create fake profiles and scam people. Those are choices.”
“I hope you’re right.”
I pull up outside her apartment.
“Tomorrow’s going to be harder,” I warn.
“Why?”
“Because you testify tomorrow.”
Her face pales.
“Already?”
“Prosecution wants you early. To establish you’re innocent. Then they build the case against Brandon.”
“What if I mess up?”
“You won’t.”
“What if his lawyer makes me look bad?”
“He’ll try. But stick to the truth. Don’t let him rattle you.”
“Easy for you to say.”
I reach over.
Cup her face.
“Gabi. You confronted him in a restaurant. You recorded his confession. You’ve already done the hard part. Tomorrow is just telling the truth.”
She leans into my touch.
“Will you be there?”
“Front row. The whole time.”
“Okay.”
She gets out of the car.
Turns back.
“Nix?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you. For everything.”
“Always.”
END OF CHAPTER 15
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