Chapter 10: The Hearing + The First Blow
1244 Words
The courtroom smelled like wood polish and old paper.
Elise sat straight. Hands folded in her lap so no one would see them shake.
Priya was to her left. Maeve to her right.
Across the room: Damian Cross.
He hadn’t looked at her once.
Three lawyers in suits around him. Files. Tablets. Pens that probably cost more than her rent.
The judge, Justice Whitaker, adjusted his glasses.
“We are here to hear the appeal of Dr. Elise Hart regarding her striking-off by the GMC,” he said. “Ms. Priya Sharma for the appellant. Mr. James Holloway for the respondent.”
Holloway stood. Tall. Grey hair. Smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Thank you, my lord,” he said. “This case is simple. Dr. Hart failed to meet professional standards. She was offered support. She refused. The GMC acted appropriately.”
Priya stood. “My lord, this case is not simple. Dr. Hart was targeted. There is a pattern of powerful donors influencing GMC proceedings against female doctors who refused personal advances.”
Holloway laughed. Soft. “Speculation, my lord.”
“Not speculation,” Priya said. “Evidence.”
Elise’s heart hammered.
---
Hour 1: Her statement
Priya walked her through it. Slow.
“The date of the meeting. The 40th floor. The words he used.”
Elise told it. No crying. No shaking.
“Did anyone witness this meeting, Dr. Hart?” Holloway asked when it was his turn.
“No,” Elise said.
“Any emails? Texts?”
“No.”
“So it’s your word against Mr. Cross’s?”
“Yes.”
Holloway smiled. “Thank you.”
Elise wanted to scream.
---
Hour 2: The GMC witness
A woman from the GMC took the stand. Ms. Claire Bennett.
“We reviewed Dr. Hart’s case,” Bennett said. “There was insufficient evidence of misconduct by the donor. Dr. Hart’s refusal to cooperate with mediation led to our decision.”
Priya cross-examined.
“Did you interview Mr. Cross?”
“We received a written statement.”
“Did you check his phone records? His calendar?”
“That wasn’t necessary.”
“Why not?”
“Because Dr. Hart had no corroboration.”
Priya sat down. Frustrated.
Elise wrote in her notebook: They didn’t even try.
Lunch break.
They went to a small cafe around the corner.
“You did good,” Maeve said.
“I feel like I’m losing,” Elise said.
“You’re not,” Priya said. “This is round one.”
Elise’s phone buzzed.
Leo: Thinking of you. How’s it going?
She didn’t answer. She couldn’t.
---
Hour 3: The blow
After lunch, Holloway stood.
“My lord, we would like to submit new evidence.”
Priya frowned. “New evidence? We weren’t notified.”
“It was only obtained this morning,” Holloway said. “From Mr. Cross’s office.”
He handed papers to the judge.
Elise’s stomach dropped.
The judge read. “This is an email, Mr. Holloway?”
“Yes, my lord,” Holloway said. “From Dr. Hart to Mr. Cross, 6 months before the meeting. Subject: Funding Proposal.”
Elise went cold.
“That’s not—” she started.
Priya put a hand on her arm. “Shh.”
Holloway read aloud: “Dear Mr. Cross, I am writing to discuss potential funding for the NICU at St. Thomas’. I believe with your support we could achieve great things together. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this in person. Yours, Dr. Elise Hart.”
The courtroom was silent.
Elise stared. “I never sent that.”
Holloway looked at her. “Are you saying Mr. Cross forged it?”
“Yes,” Elise said. “I never—”
“Dr. Hart,” the judge said. “Please.”
Holloway turned to the judge. “My lord, this shows Dr. Hart sought Mr. Cross out. She pursued funding. She pursued a relationship with him. Now that he declined, she’s making allegations.”
Priya stood fast. “My lord, we need time to verify the authenticity of this email.”
“You had months,” Holloway said. “The time to verify was before filing.”
The judge looked at Priya. “Ms. Sharma?”
Priya’s jaw was tight. “We request an adjournment to investigate.”
“Denied,” the judge said. “We proceed tomorrow.”
Gavel.
---
Outside, London was grey.
Elise couldn’t breathe.
“He forged it,” she said. “I never sent that.”
“I believe you,” Priya said. “But we have to prove it. And we have 16 hours.”
Maeve was crying. “This is so unfair.”
Elise walked. Fast. No direction.
Her phone buzzed nonstop.
Leo: Elise? Please tell me you’re okay.
She ignored it.
She ended up at Regent’s Park. At their bench.
It was empty.
She sat.
“I’m losing,” she whispered to no one.
“Hey.”
She looked up.
Leo.
He was in a jumper and jeans. No book.
“How did you know I was here?” she asked.
“I didn’t,” he said. “I was hoping.”
She told him. Everything. The email. The judge. The adjournment denied.
He listened. Didn’t interrupt.
When she finished, he sat next to her.
“I’m so sorry,” he said.
“They made it look like I wanted him,” she said. “Like I chased him.”
“That’s not you,” he said.
“How do you know?”
“Because I know you,” he said.
She turned to him. Eyes full. “What if I lose, Leo? What if this is it?”
“Then we fight again,” he said. “But you’re not losing. Not if I have anything to say about it.”
She laughed. Bitter. “What can you do?”
He didn’t answer. He just took her hand.
They sat until it got dark.
“I should go home,” she said.
“I’ll walk you,” he said.
At her door, she stopped.
“Thank you,” she said.
“For what?”
“For believing me.”
He leaned in. Kissed her forehead.
“Always,” he said.
---
Back inside, Priya called at 11pm.
“We found an IT guy,” she said. “He says the email headers look off. We might be able to prove it’s fake by morning.”
Elise closed her eyes. “Okay.”
“Get some sleep,” Priya said.
She didn’t.
At 3am her phone lit up.
Leo: Still up?
Elise: Yeah.
Leo: Want me to come over?
Elise: Yes.
He was there in 20 minutes. With tea.
They didn’t talk about the case.
They just sat on her floor. Him behind her. Her back to his chest.
At 5am she fell asleep.
At 7am Priya called.
“We have something,” she said. “It’s not perfect. But it’s something.”
Elise stood. “Then let’s go.”
---
9am. Court.
Damian was already there. Still not looking at her.
Holloway looked confident.
Priya looked tired. But determined.
“Your lordship,” Priya said. “We have expert evidence that the email submitted yesterday was manipulated.”
Holloway stood. “Objection. This is last-minute—”
“Overruled,” the judge said. “Proceed.”
Elise sat up straighter.
For the first time in weeks, she felt something.
Hope.
- Writer
