The courtroom was cold, sterile, and utterly silent.Victoria sat at the plaintiff's table, her back straight, her hands folded in front of her. Beside her, Nathaniel was a wall of quiet strength. Behind her, Patricia and Liam sat in the gallery, Michael asleep in his grandmother's arms. Across the aisle, the tabloid's legal team shuffled papers and whispered among themselves.Six months of depositions, motions, and sleepless nights had led to this moment.“All rise,” the bailiff intoned. Judge Morrison entered, a silver-haired woman with sharp eyes and a reputation for fairness. Victoria had researched her extensively. She was neither a sympathizer nor a crusader. She was, above all, a woman who believed in the law.“Be seated,” Judge Morrison said. “We are here for the case of Hamilton versus Globe Media. Plaintiff, your opening statement.”Victoria's lawyer, a fierce woman named Elena Torres, rose to her feet. She was small, unassuming, and utterly relentless—the kind of lawyer who
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