an

apping around my throat like an invisible rope. Even the faint shuffling of papers had cease

e was w

he judge to d

o watch m

the world to protect me-was now the very one dragging me into ruin. He had accused me of infidelity, pai

y woul

e had money. He

d no

together just to keep them from betraying me. My legs felt like they

ad to

be my deat

n had promis

throbbed painfully, my vision spinning as though the courtroom itself was collapsing a

e judge

nnel's Sydney possessions be tr

truck me li

be paid to him as compensation for the pain and

ars

onth will result in the accused

a

gave

ke that, my

f the courtroom. The impact barely registered. My head spun violently, my chest

dn't b

med to enter my lungs. A sharp, stinging pain spread throug

wn my face, blurring

ed millio

er and over again in

supposed to

supposed t

. who was really havin

ped my lips, but it turned

asn't

was c

ng abused in the m

s I to say

s no

gh to catch the attention of a powerful m

ad plan

urse

cle-th

suddenly

ped into this courtroom. This trial... it was nothi

the sa

ed weakly, my voice bare

n't c

done anyt

s slipped out, raw and desperate. "I didn't ch

o one

ne s

ne c

icemen didn't spare me a second glance as they began dragging me out

oor as I was pulled along, my v

th

ner of my ey

ch

face, her eyes gleaming with satisfac

aid, her voice low but sharp enough to pierc

art d

The smile on her lips widened, cruel and mocking. Then,

od

ide me shatte

eyes fou

, everything

just hi

now dark, distant... unreadable. There was hatred the

hrough me, cutting

ed to

im, to grab him, to

ody woul

he didn't

st wa

s dragg

t of the courthouse, I was

hout direction, my min

some

standing at the

and biting, as though trying to wake me up

his wasn'

as my

..?" I whispered,

was no

olut

h

d no

fam

her wa

a mental hospital, lost to

no

d a

to my stomach, trembl

b

ssing fate h

t in this end

heeks as the doctor's w

It may be your only one... your womb w

sob esc

gers tightening slightly against m

cracked c

..." My breathing hitched painfully. "But I can't...

as I stepped clo

protect

whipping around me as

king violently now. "Momma is so so

ling as I slowly leaned forw

one

d everythin

pa

umili

fe

ryt

ars, loud and consuming,

! Don't

e echoed