Alexia Carter is the director of the FBI, an accomplished attorney, an heiress and North America's most eligible bachelorette... she's also been a friend to Cameron and Johnathan Black since she was 8 years old. Slowly falling in love with the older...
"Cameron is going to take the stand first." Oscar told us when we sat down before the first day of testimony in Sebastian's trial. "Is that a good idea?" Cameron asked anxiously. "You're going to be fine, Cam. Just tell the truth." I assured him. "But he's going to be there; staring at me." "Look at me." I said. "If he's making you uncomfortable look over at me and Jonny." Cameron nodded clearly still unsure. "You've got this Cam. We've got you." Jonny added. Cameron sat on the stand in his blue suit staring at me. I glanced to my left where Sebastian sat in a black suit next to his attorney. The public defender was a young woman of average height with thin arms and legs. She had her long black hair in a tight braid. Her wide, sparkling blue eyes were offset by her small nose and thin lips. Oscar Maxwell touched my hand before standing up and approaching Cameron. "Will you state your full name for the record?" DA Maxwell asked. "Cameron Sebastian Davis Black." "Mr. Black, will you tell the jury the first memory you have of your father?" "Jonny and I had just turned five and our father was trying to teach us some card illusions. Jonny got the trick faster than I did and our father yelled at me. Then he backhanded me, knocking me to the ground and screaming about how stupid I was." My heart was pounding in my ears. I never knew how young they were when Sebastian started abusing them. "Can you tell the jury the worst thing he did to you in those first 20 years of your life?" Cameron seemingly froze staring at his father. I could feel Jonathan tense beside me. I took his hand firmly as I kept my eyes on my brother in law. "He'll be okay, Jonny." I whispered. As if he heard me, Cameron turned and locked eyes with me and visibly relaxed. "Uh... the worst? He wasn't as hard on me as he was on Jonny. My worst was Christmas eve 2000. It was just before Lexi came to stay with us. I'd snuck Jonny out of the basement again so our father said it was time I learned what happened down there. "He threw me down the stairs and knocked my head against the wall. When he reached the bottom of the stairs he grabbed me by my hair and dragged me over to the corner of the room where the shackles were." "People would like to enter two pictures into evidence. One of the dungeon in the apartment in the upper east side and the other of the dungeon in the house in Rochester." DA Maxwell walked up to the bench with two pictures in his hand. The judge; a middle aged man with a bald head and white beard studied the pictures with his dark grey eyes for a moment before handing them back to Oscar. Oscar laid the pictures on the stand in front of Cameron. "Mr. Black, will you hand me the picture of the shackles you're referring to." I watched as Cameron's eyes looked over the pictures before he handed the DA one with a shaky hand. My heart ripped out of my chest as Oscar showed the jury and the rest of the audience the picture Cameron gave him.
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"This is what Cameron, Jonathan, and Alexia faced if they disobeyed Sebastian's orders. If they so much as looked at him the wrong way. Please continue, Mr. Black." "He ripped the shirt off my body and put my hands in the shackles. I felt the skin on my back rip open a moment before I actually felt the pain. After what felt like an eternity he released my wrists and spun me around slamming my raw back into the wall. He slammed his fist into my stomach causing me to double over and he told me he hoped I'd learned my lesson and that I'd learn to leave Jonathan to his fate. "I was so terrified that I never offered help to my brother again and I'm so sorry, Jonny. I should have done more to help you." I felt Jonny tremble as he cried looking at his brother; knowing the pain he went through. The tears flowed down my face too. I'd never known what happened to cause Cameron to avoid helping Jonny. I'd never said anything. I'd never asked and hearing the story now shattered my heart. "One last question Mr. Black. How old were you when that incident occurred?" "I was 13." He answered. "Thank you, Mr. Black. No further questions, your honor." "Cross examination, Counselor?" "The defense has no questions for this witness, your honor." "The witness may step down." Cameron walked unsteadily back toward Jonathan and I. He almost collapsed into his brother's arms. "You did great, Cameron. It's okay." I whispered rubbing his back as he cried into Jonny's shoulder. I glanced up at the jury. Seven women and five men who were all looking at Cameron with compassion.
