The judge's gaze swept through the courtroom, his face grim as it settled on Dolly, then moved back to his notes for a moment before delivering his final judgment.
"Given the heinous nature of these crimes and the clear danger the defendant poses to society, this court has no choice but to impose the maximum penalty."
"I hereby sentence Dr Dolly Thompson to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole."
As the judge passed his judgment, the color drained completely from Dolly's face. She took a staggering step back, almost collapsing, but the guards at her side held her up.
A collective murmur rose from the crowd, though it was more an exhale of anticipation than true surprise as there had been little doubt about what the sentence would be.
Steffan closed his eyes for a brief moment, as if finally allowing himself to breathe again. He felt Lauren's hand tighten around his, and turned to stare at her. "It's finally over," he whispered to which Lauren nodded in relief.
