(Five months have passed since Gwen's fiasco in Los Angeles. The gang is
back in Harmony, and Theresa has since discovered that she is carrying
identical twin girls. Judge Reilly, Rebecca, Julian, Ivy, and Alistair
have all been convicted of their many respective crimes and have all
(except for Ivy) been sentenced to 50 or more years of hard labor in
Leavenworth. Ivy was sentenced to ten years probation, 5,000 hours of
community service, and an anger management class (which lasts three hours a
day, six days a week for nine months). Gwen is currently awaiting her
trial in Harmony.)
"Oh, Ethan," Theresa said. "Rebecca, Julian, and Alistair are finally out of our hair. And what's more, Judge Reilly was finally removed from the bench. We will never have to worry about those four again. As for your mother, I'm actually glad that you were able to help her out during the sentencing phase of her trial. She is, after all, my future mother-in- law. Besides, she has two beautiful granddaughters on the way, and I want them to know their Grandma Ivy."
"My beautiful Theresa," Ethan said. "I'm glad you feel that way. I am not only glad the Crane powerhouse has been destroyed forever; I am absolutely thrilled at their demise. Don't forget, though, that we still have a few legal hurdles to clear. We still have to testify at both of Gwen's trials, and I have to get Gwen to sign the annulment papers so you and I can finally become husband and wife."
"That reminds me, Ethan," Theresa began. "When does Gwen's trial here in Harmony begin??"
"Her Harmony trial starts next Thursday, the fifteenth of April," Ethan replied. "That gives us only one week to get all the prosecutor's witnesses together and go over our testimonies."
Over the following week, Ethan and Theresa met with everyone on the prosecutor's witness list, including Pilar, Whitney, Chad, and Fox, and went over some questions the prosecutor might ask them, as well as questions that Gwen's attorney might ask them.
Gwen's trial date finally arrived, and Gwen was led into the courtroom by the bailiff, who was none other than Theresa's big brother Luis. Gwen glanced around the courtroom and was instantly filled with a combination of fear and seething hatred as she spotted Ethan, who was seated beside Theresa with his arm wrapped protectively around her. As Gwen noticed Theresa's bulging middle, she realized that Ethan had been telling the truth when he had stated in his final letter that Theresa was pregnant. At that moment, Gwen wanted to run over and strangle the life out of Theresa for winning Ethan away from her once again, but Gwen's attorney, Woody Stump, restrained her from doing so.
"Gwen, you really don't need to do anything of that nature right now," Woody said. "You are in enough trouble with the law as it is."
"I just can't help feeling this way toward her, Woody," Gwen replied angrily. "I hate her with a passion, and right now I would love nothing more than to see her dead, rotting corpse lying in a ditch somewhere! She stole Ethan away from me again, and this time, I will never get him back. I still cannot believe that bitch filed criminal charges against me!"
Unbeknownst to Gwen, the judge had entered the courtroom just as she began her little outburst. The judge had heard everything, and immediately placed her in contempt of court. The worst part was that the jury had also heard everything, and each member had written down everything Gwen had said.
The defense presented their case first. Woody had tried unsuccessfully to paint Gwen as a grieving mother who had attempted to hold on to a man that did not return her feelings, and as a result, had been suffering from recurrent heartache. What really did not help Gwen's case was the fact that all of the defense's witnesses were either on loan from Leavenworth Prison, or were a bunch of air-headed, ditzy flakes from Gwen's sorority. Woody finally made his closing remarks and took his seat as the prosecution began to present their case.
Whitney was the first witness to testify for the prosecution. Chad was next, followed by Fox and Ethan. Once Ethan finished his testimony, Ivy testified. Because Pilar and Theresa were Gwen's victims, they testified last. The prosecutor made a few closing remarks and then took his seat as the jury filed into the deliberation room. After only ten minutes, the jury had reached a verdict. The jury was led back into the courtroom just as everyone else was returning from a quick break. The judge entered and asked the jury foreman if they had reached a verdict. The foreman replied that they had. Gwen looked at Woody nervously as the courtroom became deafeningly quiet.
"Will the defendant please rise?" the judge asked Gwen. Gwen and Woody the rose from their seats.
"Will the jury foreman please read the verdict?" the judge asked.
"I will, your honor," the foreman replied. "We, the jury, find the defendant, Gwen Hotchkiss Winthrop, GUILTY of ALL charges."
"The jury is now excused," the judge stated. The judge then turned toward Gwen and said: "Gwen Winthrop, I will not sentence you at this time. You must still stand trial in Los Angeles for your many crimes committed there. Although you will be sentenced following that trial, you will remain in police custody until that time. Bailiff, will you please take Mrs. Winthrop into custody?"
"With great pleasure," Luis said as he handcuffed Gwen and led her out of the courtroom to a waiting patrol car.
"Whew!" Theresa exclaimed. "I'm so happy with the jury's verdict. Now all we have to do is make sure she receives the same verdict in Los Angeles. Ethan, you can have Gwen sign the annulment papers after her sentencing in Los Angeles. Then you and I can start planning our wedding."
"Theresa, honey, you don't need to worry about all that right now," Ethan replied. "You just need to go home and take a long, hot bath with me and just relax."
"I know, but can the relaxing bath with you wait until this evening?" Theresa asked. "I'm really in a celebrating kind of mood right now."
"All right then," Ethan replied. "Let's go celebrate!"
"Oh, Ethan," Theresa said. "Rebecca, Julian, and Alistair are finally out of our hair. And what's more, Judge Reilly was finally removed from the bench. We will never have to worry about those four again. As for your mother, I'm actually glad that you were able to help her out during the sentencing phase of her trial. She is, after all, my future mother-in- law. Besides, she has two beautiful granddaughters on the way, and I want them to know their Grandma Ivy."
"My beautiful Theresa," Ethan said. "I'm glad you feel that way. I am not only glad the Crane powerhouse has been destroyed forever; I am absolutely thrilled at their demise. Don't forget, though, that we still have a few legal hurdles to clear. We still have to testify at both of Gwen's trials, and I have to get Gwen to sign the annulment papers so you and I can finally become husband and wife."
"That reminds me, Ethan," Theresa began. "When does Gwen's trial here in Harmony begin??"
"Her Harmony trial starts next Thursday, the fifteenth of April," Ethan replied. "That gives us only one week to get all the prosecutor's witnesses together and go over our testimonies."
Over the following week, Ethan and Theresa met with everyone on the prosecutor's witness list, including Pilar, Whitney, Chad, and Fox, and went over some questions the prosecutor might ask them, as well as questions that Gwen's attorney might ask them.
Gwen's trial date finally arrived, and Gwen was led into the courtroom by the bailiff, who was none other than Theresa's big brother Luis. Gwen glanced around the courtroom and was instantly filled with a combination of fear and seething hatred as she spotted Ethan, who was seated beside Theresa with his arm wrapped protectively around her. As Gwen noticed Theresa's bulging middle, she realized that Ethan had been telling the truth when he had stated in his final letter that Theresa was pregnant. At that moment, Gwen wanted to run over and strangle the life out of Theresa for winning Ethan away from her once again, but Gwen's attorney, Woody Stump, restrained her from doing so.
"Gwen, you really don't need to do anything of that nature right now," Woody said. "You are in enough trouble with the law as it is."
"I just can't help feeling this way toward her, Woody," Gwen replied angrily. "I hate her with a passion, and right now I would love nothing more than to see her dead, rotting corpse lying in a ditch somewhere! She stole Ethan away from me again, and this time, I will never get him back. I still cannot believe that bitch filed criminal charges against me!"
Unbeknownst to Gwen, the judge had entered the courtroom just as she began her little outburst. The judge had heard everything, and immediately placed her in contempt of court. The worst part was that the jury had also heard everything, and each member had written down everything Gwen had said.
The defense presented their case first. Woody had tried unsuccessfully to paint Gwen as a grieving mother who had attempted to hold on to a man that did not return her feelings, and as a result, had been suffering from recurrent heartache. What really did not help Gwen's case was the fact that all of the defense's witnesses were either on loan from Leavenworth Prison, or were a bunch of air-headed, ditzy flakes from Gwen's sorority. Woody finally made his closing remarks and took his seat as the prosecution began to present their case.
Whitney was the first witness to testify for the prosecution. Chad was next, followed by Fox and Ethan. Once Ethan finished his testimony, Ivy testified. Because Pilar and Theresa were Gwen's victims, they testified last. The prosecutor made a few closing remarks and then took his seat as the jury filed into the deliberation room. After only ten minutes, the jury had reached a verdict. The jury was led back into the courtroom just as everyone else was returning from a quick break. The judge entered and asked the jury foreman if they had reached a verdict. The foreman replied that they had. Gwen looked at Woody nervously as the courtroom became deafeningly quiet.
"Will the defendant please rise?" the judge asked Gwen. Gwen and Woody the rose from their seats.
"Will the jury foreman please read the verdict?" the judge asked.
"I will, your honor," the foreman replied. "We, the jury, find the defendant, Gwen Hotchkiss Winthrop, GUILTY of ALL charges."
"The jury is now excused," the judge stated. The judge then turned toward Gwen and said: "Gwen Winthrop, I will not sentence you at this time. You must still stand trial in Los Angeles for your many crimes committed there. Although you will be sentenced following that trial, you will remain in police custody until that time. Bailiff, will you please take Mrs. Winthrop into custody?"
"With great pleasure," Luis said as he handcuffed Gwen and led her out of the courtroom to a waiting patrol car.
"Whew!" Theresa exclaimed. "I'm so happy with the jury's verdict. Now all we have to do is make sure she receives the same verdict in Los Angeles. Ethan, you can have Gwen sign the annulment papers after her sentencing in Los Angeles. Then you and I can start planning our wedding."
"Theresa, honey, you don't need to worry about all that right now," Ethan replied. "You just need to go home and take a long, hot bath with me and just relax."
"I know, but can the relaxing bath with you wait until this evening?" Theresa asked. "I'm really in a celebrating kind of mood right now."
"All right then," Ethan replied. "Let's go celebrate!"