The judge nodded to the court clerk, who conferred with a technician. Within moments the device was connected to the courtroom display system. The screen at the front of the room flickered from blue to black to a directory of files.
Eleanor did not move. The twins stood very still beside her, close enough that the fabric of their sleeves brushed against her coat.
“What does it contain?” the judge asked.
“Original transaction logs, internal correspondence, server archives, transfer approvals, board notes, deleted backups, and private recordings,” Eleanor replied.
Vanessa straightened involuntarily. “Recordings?”
Eleanor looked at her then for the first time fully, and there was nothing theatrical in her face. No gleam of revenge. Only recognition and refusal.
“Yes,” she said. “Yours too.”
Vanessa’s color drained.
The first file opened.
It was a video from what appeared to be a penthouse living room, timestamped three months earlier. Julian stood at a window with a drink in his hand. Vanessa sat on the edge of a sofa, shoes off, laughing.