Chapter Twenty: The Courtroom and the Heart
Evan sat in the back of the courtroom, hands clasped tightly in his lap. The polished wooden benches were familiar, yet the air felt heavier than ever. Today wasn’t just another hearing—it was a reckoning. His father was present, sitting across the room with his lawyer, his eyes shadowed but sharp, watching Evan as though measuring whether he had truly grown beyond his reach. Lila squeezed his hand gently. “You’re ready,” she whispered. Her calm presence grounded him in a way no words could. “I hope so,” he murmured, taking a deep breath. He remembered all the preparation: the rehearsed statements, the legal advice, the countless hours spent going over questions. He had done everything he could. Now it was time to face the storm. ⸻ The Hearing Begins The judge entered, and the courtro
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