Chapter 6
Vanessa's trial was scheduled for six months later.
She was facing over a hundred charges.
Fraud.
Conspiracy.
Child endangerment.
Solicitation of murder.
Selling a child.
And more.
Much more.
She was facing life in prison.
And she knew it.
So she was going to fight dirty.
As dirty as she possibly could.
Her defense strategy was simple.
Paint me as the villain.
Paint herself as the victim.
Claim she'd been acting out of fear.
That I was abusive.
Violent.
Dangerous.
That she'd hidden the children to protect them from me.
That she'd sold Serena to save her from my "abuse."
That everything she'd done was to protect her children.
From me.
It was all lies.
But she was good at lies.
And she had a good lawyer.
And there were people who would believe anything bad about a famous action star.
The trial was a media circus.
Cameras everywhere.
Reporters.
Fans.
Protesters.
Everyone wanted to see the downfall of Sylvester Stallone.
Or the downfall of the evil stepmother.
Depending on who you asked.
I testified.
I told the truth.
Everything.
About the plane crash.
About coming back.
About finding Sage.
About the birth certificates.
The file behind the photograph.
Finding each child.
Everything.
Vanessa's lawyer cross-examined me.
Tried to make me look angry.
Violent.
Unstable.
Tried to twist my words.
Tried to make me look like the bad guy.
But I stayed calm.
Steady.
I told the truth.
And the truth was powerful.
Then Vanessa testified.
And she put on the performance of a lifetime.
She cried.
She trembled.
She told stories of abuse.
Of violence.
Of fear.
She claimed I'd hit her.
That I'd threatened the children.
That I'd been involved in criminal activity.
That she'd had to hide the children to save them.
She was very convincing.
I could see some of the jury wavering.
Believing her.
It was working.
At least a little.
Then she dropped her bombshell.
"Mr. Stallone isn't just the father of those five children," she said. "He's the father of a sixth. A baby girl. Born just last month. To another woman. While I was trapped in a loveless marriage, he was out having affairs. Fathering children everywhere. He doesn't care about those children. He just wants to win. To beat me. To control everything. He doesn't love them. He just loves winning."
The courtroom erupted.
A sixth child.
Another one.
I stared at her.
Shocked.
Confused.
What was she talking about?
I hadn't fathered any other children.
Not that I knew of.
But Vanessa had "proof."
A birth certificate.
A DNA test.
Faked.
But convincing.
And a woman.
Who claimed to be the mother.
Who testified that I'd had an affair with her.
That I'd fathered her child.
That I'd refused to support it.
It was all lies.
But it was convincing lies.
And the jury was eating it up.
My lawyer fought back.
Hard.
He proved the DNA test was faked.
Proved the woman was an actress Vanessa had hired.
Proved the birth certificate was forged.
But the damage was done.
The seed of doubt had been planted.
Maybe I was a womanizer.
Maybe I didn't really care about my children.
Maybe Vanessa was telling the truth about some things.
It was working.
And then Michael testified.
For the defense.
Vanessa's lawyers had gotten to him.
Somehow.
They'd told him I didn't really want him.
That I just wanted him for the publicity.
To make myself look good.
To win the trial.
Michael was young.
Confused.
Vulnerable.
And he believed them.
He testified that I was a stranger.
That I'd forced myself into his life.
That I didn't really care about him.
That I just wanted to use him to hurt Vanessa.
It broke my heart.
To see my own son testify against me.
To hear him say those things.
Things Vanessa had put in his head.
I could see the jury believing him.
Believing everything.
We were losing.
I could feel it.
Vanessa was going to get away with it.
Or at least get a lighter sentence.
And my children would be hurt.
Michael would be lost to me forever.
And then Sage stood up.
He asked to testify.
For me.
For our family.
The judge allowed it.
Sage walked to the witness stand.
He was only fourteen.
But he looked older.
Braver.
Stronger.
He looked at Vanessa.
And then he looked at the jury.
And he told the truth.
About the airport.
No.
About the mansion.
About the photograph.
About Vanessa throwing him down the stairs.
About the assassin.
About finding his brothers and sisters.
About being a family.
About Michael.
And how much we all wanted him.
Loved him.
"Vanessa is lying," he said. His voice was clear. Strong. "She's lying about everything. My dad is the best man I know. He saved me. He saved all of us. And he loves Michael. More than anything. He's been looking for him since the day he found out he existed. He doesn't want to use anyone. He just wants his family to be together. Vanessa is the one who hurt us. The one who lied. The one who stole us from each other. She's the one you should be punishing. Not him."
The courtroom was silent.
And then someone started clapping.
And then more people.
And soon the whole room was clapping.
Except Vanessa.
And her lawyer.
They looked shocked.
Defeated.
The judge banged his gavel.
Ordering silence.
But the damage was done.
The jury saw it.
The truth.
A brave young boy.
Defending his father.
Defending his family.
Against the woman who'd hurt them all.
It was the turning point.
The jury deliberated for three days.
And then they came back.
Guilty.
On all counts.
All one hundred and twenty-seven of them.
Vanessa was sentenced to life in prison.
Without the possibility of parole.
Plus one hundred and fifty years.
She would die in prison.
Alone.
Just like she deserved.
As they led her away, she looked at me.
Rage in her eyes.
Hatred.
And she mouthed one word.
*Michael.*
She still had him.
Somehow.
She still had her claws in my firstborn son.
May you like
And I was going to have to fight to get him back.
For real this time.
