The silence in the courtroom was thick, almost electric, as if the air itself held its breath. My pulse thundered in my ears while I watched Zaden, so small in stature yet standing at the heart of such a heavy moment. His hands trembled around his phone, but his eyes held determination beyond his years.
“Can I play something for you, Your Honor?” he asked, his voice steady despite the fear that surely pressed against him. The judge leaned forward, intrigued.
Zaden unlocked his phone, found the file, and pressed play. Damian’s voice filled the room—coaxing, pressuring, manipulating. “You have to tell them you want to live with me… You don’t want to disappoint your dad, do you?”
Gasps rippled quietly through the gallery. My chest ached with pride and sorrow as Zaden’s bravery exposed what words alone could not.
The judge’s expression hardened. “Mr. Carter, this will require further examination,” he said firmly. Damian’s confidence crumbled, his smirk replaced by unease.
I finally exhaled. Zaden had faced the storm—and emerged with the truth shining beside him.
