Chapter 13: Judgment Day + The Verdict
1094 Words
72 hours.
Elise didn’t sleep.
She stayed at Priya’s office. On the sofa. With a blanket and case files.
Maeve was with her now. Brought in from Birmingham. “For safety,” Priya said.
Two police officers came to take statements about the letters.
“Nothing concrete yet,” the officer said. “But we’re watching.”
Elise nodded. She didn’t say where she’d been staying.
She didn’t say his name.
---
Wednesday. 10am. Royal Courts of Justice.
The room was full. Reporters. Law students. People from the GMC.
Damian was in the front row. Three lawyers. No emotion.
Elise sat between Priya and Maeve. Hands in her lap.
Justice Whitaker came in.
“This is the judgment in the matter of Dr. Elise Hart v. General Medical Council,” he said.
Elise’s heart was in her throat.
“The court has considered the evidence of procedural unfairness, the new digital evidence, and the additional witness statements submitted.”
Pause.
“The appeal is... allowed.”
Elise froze.
“What?” Maeve whispered.
Priya grabbed her hand.
“The GMC’s decision to strike Dr. Hart off is overturned,” the judge continued. “The panel failed to properly investigate allegations of donor interference. Dr. Hart’s name is to be restored to the medical register within 14 days. Costs awarded to the appellant.”
Gavel.
For a second, silence.
Then Maeve started crying. Priya was smiling.
Elise just sat there.
She won.
She actually won.
Across the room, Damian stood. No expression. He looked at her once. Then walked out.
Reporters swarmed.
“Dr. Hart! How do you feel?”
“Is this about Mr. Cross?”
Priya blocked them. “No comments today.”
Outside, the air was cold but Elise felt warm.
“I did it,” she whispered.
“You did it,” Priya said.
Her phone buzzed 20 times.
Maeve: WE WON
Colleagues: Welcome back
Unknown: So proud of you
And one from Leo.
Leo: Elise. Where are you? I saw the news. I’m so happy for you. Can I see you?
She stared at it.
She hadn’t answered him in 3 days.
---
That night she went back to her flat in Camden.
Her own bed. Her own space.
She was safe. For now.
At 9pm there was a knock.
She opened the door.
Leo.
He looked tired. Hair messy. Holding a bag of food.
“You left,” he said.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Can I come in?”
She stepped aside.
He set the food down. Didn’t eat.
“I saw the news,” he said. “You won.”
“I did,” she said.
“I’m so proud of you, Elise,” he said. “I’ve been worried sick.”
“I know,” she said. “I’m sorry I didn’t text.”
“Why did you leave?” he asked.
She looked at the floor. “Things got... complicated. With work.”
“Work,” he repeated. “Or me?”
“Not you,” she said fast. “Never you.”
He sat on her sofa. “Then talk to me.”
She couldn’t. Not with the letters. Not with Maeve’s photo.
“I can’t,” she said.
He nodded. Hurt. “Okay.”
They sat in silence.
“I missed you,” he said finally.
“I missed you too,” she said.
He looked at her. “Are we okay?”
“I don’t know,” she said. Honest.
He stood. “Can I kiss you?”
She hesitated. Then nodded.
He kissed her. Soft. Like he was afraid she’d break.
When he pulled back: “Don’t disappear again. Please.”
“I won’t,” she said.
But she was lying.
---
The next 14 days were chaos and calm.
Her name was restored to the register.
She got emails from 3 hospitals. Interviews.
The police said the letters were “untraceable”.
Priya was pushing to get the drive from Dr. Blake. Court order in progress.
And Leo.
They saw each other every other day.
Park. Bookstore. Her flat.
They didn’t talk about the letters.
They didn’t talk about his dad.
They just... were.
Two weeks after the verdict, he took her to the bookstore again.
He was quieter than usual.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he said. “Just thinking.”
“About what?”
“About how much I like you,” he said. “And how scared I am to lose that.”
Elise’s chest hurt. “You’re not losing me.”
“Promise?” he asked.
“Promise,” she said.
He kissed her. On the window seat. Slow.
---
Friday. Day 15.
Priya called at 7am.
“We got it,” she said. “The court approved the order. Dr. Blake is handing over the drive on Monday.”
Elise sat up. “The email. Proof.”
“Proof,” Priya said. “This is it, Elise.”
Elise hung up.
Her hands were shaking.
She was close.
So close to ending him.
---
That night she was at Leo’s.
Cooking together. Laughing.
His phone buzzed. He ignored it.
Then again.
He checked it. His face changed.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing,” he said. “Board meeting stuff.”
She nodded.
But later, when he was in the shower, her phone buzzed.
Priya: Heads up. Damian’s team is asking for your address. Officially. ‘For service of appeal’.
Elise froze.
She deleted the text.
When Leo came out, she was dressed.
“I have to go,” she said.
“Where?” he asked.
“Home,” she said. “I’m sorry.”
He walked her to the door. Kissed her.
“Text me when you’re in?”
“Yeah,” she said.
---
On the tube home, she thought: 3 more days until the drive.
She was almost there.
And then she could tell him everything.
About his father.
About why she had to lie.
But not yet.
Not until it was over.
---
Monday morning. 9am.
Priya texted: We have the drive. Meeting at 10.
Elise was getting ready to leave.
There was a knock at her door.
Not Priya.
A man in a suit.
“Dr. Hart?” he said. “You’ve been served.”
He handed her papers.
CROSS GROUP v. DR. ELISE HART
DEFAMATION. DAMAGES: £5 MILLION.
Elise’s blood went cold.
He was suing her.
Before she could even use the drive.
---
Her phone rang.
Leo.
She didn’t answer.
- Writer
