Updated Feb 25, 2026 • ~4 min read
POV: Gabi
Closing arguments.
Final day.
Prosecution goes first.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the evidence is clear. Brandon Vale is a con artist. He systematically defrauded seven women using his wife’s identity. He stole $180,000. He lied. He manipulated. And when caught, he tried to blame everyone but himself.”
“The defense wants you to believe this was addiction. That Mr. Vale couldn’t help himself. But addiction doesn’t create fake profiles. Addiction doesn’t write detailed scripts for accomplices. Addiction doesn’t scam innocent women with calculated precision.”
“Those are choices. Criminal choices. And Mr. Vale must face the consequences.”
Then the defense.
“My client is sick. Gambling addiction is a disease recognized by the American Medical Association. It impairs judgment. It drives desperate behavior.”
“Did Mr. Vale make mistakes? Yes. Terrible mistakes. But he’s not the mastermind villain the prosecution portrays. He’s a broken man who needs treatment, not a prison sentence.”
“The prosecution wants you to see him as a monster. But I ask you to see him as human. Flawed. Sick. Worthy of compassion.”
Then it’s in the jury’s hands.
We wait.
Six hours of deliberation.
I pace the hallway.
Can’t sit still.
“They’re taking a long time,” I say to Nix.
“That’s normal.”
“What if they don’t convict?”
“They will.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because the evidence is overwhelming. And the jury isn’t buying the addiction excuse.”
Kennedy sits next to me.
“Nervous?”
“Terrified.”
“Same.”
All seven victims are here.
Waiting.
Finally: “The jury has reached a verdict.”
We file back into the courtroom.
Brandon is brought in.
He looks small.
Defeated.
Good.
“Has the jury reached a verdict?”
“We have, Your Honor.”
“On the count of wire fraud, how do you find the defendant?”
My heart stops.
“Guilty.”
“On the count of identity theft, how do you find the defendant?”
“Guilty.”
“On the count of conspiracy to commit fraud?”
“Guilty.”
Guilty on all counts.
Kennedy grabs my hand.
Squeezes hard.
Behind us, the other victims are crying.
Happy tears.
“Sentencing will be in thirty days.”
Brandon’s lawyer asks for bail pending sentencing.
“Denied. The defendant remains in custody.”
Guards lead Brandon out.
He looks at me.
Mouths: I’m sorry.
I turn away.
Outside the courthouse, the victims celebrate.
Hugging. Crying. Laughing.
“We won,” Maya says.
“We actually won,” Jade adds.
Kennedy leans in.
“Did you hear about Autumn Hayes?”
“No. What happened?”
“Plea deal went through. Community service and two years’ probation. No jail time.”
Good for her. She did the right thing in the end.
Reporters swarm us.
“Mrs. Moreno, how do you feel about the verdict?”
I face the cameras.
“Justice was served. Brandon Vale is a criminal. And I hope his conviction sends a message: you can’t steal someone’s identity and get away with it.”
“What’s next for you?”
“Healing. Rebuilding. Moving forward.”
“Any advice for other victims of fraud?”
I think.
“Don’t be ashamed. It’s not your fault. Report it. Fight back. And know that you’re not alone.”
The seven women stand behind me.
Solidarity.
NIX
Gabi is glowing.
Relief. Joy. Freedom.
After the press disperses, I pull her aside.
“You did it.”
“WE did it.”
“How do you feel?”
“Like I can breathe for the first time in months.”
“What happens now?”
“Divorce finalizes in two weeks. I’m moving to a new apartment. Starting fresh.”
“That’s good.”
We stand there.
Knowing what we both want to say.
“Two weeks,” I finally say.
“Two weeks until what?”
“Until I can take you on that date.”
She smiles.
“I’m counting down.”
END OF CHAPTER 18
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