EVIDENCE

Nolan

I sat in the courtroom, my hands clenched into fists on the table in front of me. The trial had dragged on for weeks. Every day, I’d watched as Chloe spun her lies, as her lawyers twisted the truth, trying to make me out to be the monster. I couldn’t let Chloe win after everything she’d done.

Alanna was sitting a few rows behind me, her presence a comforting reminder that I wasn’t alone in this. She had testified earlier in the trial, her voice steady but laced with the pain Chloe had caused. Watching her on the stand, reliving those memories, had nearly torn me apart. But she’d held her ground, just as she always did.

The doors to the courtroom opened, and Mr. Collins, my lawyer, walked in, his face as calm as ever. He was a man who rarely showed his emotions, but today, there was a determined glint in his eyes that gave me a shred of hope. We had one last shot, one final piece of evidence that could turn the tide in my favor.

He took his place beside me, leaning in slightly as