The federal courthouse in Manhattan was designed to intimidate. High ceilings, marble floors, the symbolic weight of the judicial system made manifest in architecture. Adrian sat in the witness preparation room, reviewing his testimony notes with the prosecution team, trying to concentrate while his left shoulder throbbed with residual pain from the gunshot wound.
Three months had passed since the cabin confrontation. Three months of recovery, rehabilitation, and intensive preparation for the trial that would determine Elena Vasquez's fate. Adrian had undergone cognitive therapy to help him process the betrayal and manipulation. He'd spent hours reviewing the chemical documentation of Elena's compound, preparing to explain complex pharmaceutical processes to a jury of non-specialists.
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