LILY
The silence in the courtroom felt deafening after James's outburst.
I sank back into my seat, my legs too shaky to support me. Ace's hand found mine immediately, his fingers intertwining with mine in a gesture that felt like an anchor.
"Are you okay?" he whispered.
I nodded, even though I wasn't sure it was true. Seeing James again had brought back every terrible memory I'd tried to bury. But it had also shown me something important.
I wasn't the same broken woman who'd fled in the middle of the night two months ago. I was stronger now. Braver.
"Ms. Adams," the judge said, "please continue."
Zoe stood again, her composure unshaken by James's outburst.
"Your Honor, I think Mr. Collins's behavior just now speaks to the kind of controlling and abusive patterns my client has endur
