Chapter 3: The Slap
The bailiff stepped forward immediately. “Ma’am, sit down.”
But Patricia ignored him completely.
She stormed toward me, heels striking the courtroom floor like gunshots.
I froze.
She stopped inches from my face, eyes blazing with fury.
“You dared to fight me?” she hissed.
Then her hand cracked across my cheek.
The slap echoed through the entire courtroom.
My head snapped sideways. Someone gasped loudly behind me.
And from the back row, Lily burst into tears.
Ryan looked down at his shoes.
The judge slowly rose from the bench, his face pale but tightly controlled.
“Madam,” he said quietly, “do you realize what you’ve just done?”
Patricia lifted her chin proudly.
“I defended my family.”
The judge stared at her for a long moment.
“No,” he replied coldly. “You just confirmed everything I needed to know.” Continue Reading ⬇️