1993 (#12) - Michael's condemnation and Christine's compassion

Immediately back in town to comfort a still shocked Christine, Danny goes to the hospital to confront the aggressor, and it is only the intervention of three of the nurses assisting Michael that manages to force the man out of the room. Michael, meanwhile, is informed that he is under arrest and is soon transferred to jail as soon as his condition stabilizes. In the meantime, a distraught Hilary returns to town. This time, she understands her husband's true nature and, without a second thought, starts divorce proceedings against him, later apologizing to Christine for not having listened to her and followed her advice. In the meantime, the trial against Michael's attempted murder of Christine begins. Christine, in agreement with Danny, advances the thesis of Michael's full lucidity and homicidal awareness, including in the evidence the mysterious disappearance of Rebecca, which has never been investigated; Michael, on the other hand, this time advances a defense focused on his alleged insanity, supported, according to him, by the fact that he remembers nothing. Despite Michael's attempt to prove his innocence, the court nevertheless finds the man guilty and sentences him to four years in prison, without, however, entering into the merits of Rebecca's murder, which is considered unrelated to the story due to lack of evidence. Paul, Danny and Christine are overjoyed at the man's conviction and the end of this nightmare; however, Michael's deep gaze before he was taken to prison strikes Christine very hard, and she begins to have a sincere suspicion that Michael is truly insane and, therefore, innocent. This suspicion soon leads the woman to cultivate a strong sense of guilt towards Michael, whom she visits more and more in prison. Danny, visibly concerned about his wife's behavior, who he fears may be subjugated by a criminal like Michael, asks Paul for help, who eventually convinces Christine to consider Michael for what he is, i.e. a criminal.