DAMIEN'S POV
Victoria's trial started on a Tuesday. I sat in the witness waiting room, suit perfectly pressed, stomach in knots.
The prosecutor found me an hour before I was scheduled to testify.
"Mr. Hartley, I need to prepare you. Your mother is representing herself. She'll cross-examine you directly."
My hands went cold. "She's questioning me herself?"
"Yes. She has that right. Are you prepared for that?"
No. I wasn't prepared to have my mother interrogate me about why I was testifying against her for attempted murder.
"I'll manage."
"She'll try to make you seem like an ungrateful son. She'll bring up everything she did for you. Stay calm and stick to facts."
When they called my name, I walked into the courtroom. Victoria sat at the defense table in a conservative dress, hair p
