Chapter Fifty Nine

A week later

The courtroom was a grand, wood-paneled space with high ceilings, dominated by the judge's bench at the front. The Merendran flag and the state flag flanked the bench on either side. The audience seats were packed with onlookers, mostly friends and family of the involved parties.

Kyle Neeson sat at the plaintiff's table with his attorney, Mr. Goulding. Opposite them, at the defendant’s table, were Edselyn Santillan, her husband Sinjin, and their attorney, Ms. Rodriguez.

The courtroom was silent as everyone awaited Judge Caldwell's arrival. When she finally took her seat and reviewed the case file, she glanced around the room, taking note of the palpable tension in the air.

Judge Emily Caldwell, an experienced and stern figure, was a friend of Sinjin's father, but she wasn’t the type to let personal connections influence her judgments. Known for calling a spade a spade, it was this integrity that made Sinjin appreciate her and feel relieved that she was presiding over the