Chapter 4 - The Christmas Eve Hearing
The courthouse was practically empty on Christmas Eve, save for the desperate families fighting in emergency family court. Judge Eleanor Davies, a no-nonsense magistrate with thirty years on the bench, presided over the room.
Mark sat at the plaintiff's table, wearing a bespoke navy suit. Vivian sat directly behind him in the gallery, wearing Jillian’s pearl earrings. Mark dabbed at his eyes with a tissue as his sleazy lawyer, a man named Trenton, painted a horrific picture of Jillian.
“Your Honor,” Trenton said smoothly, “My client has endured months of psychological abuse. Mrs. Vance has returned from a war zone unstable and prone to violent outbursts. We have emails from her threatening Mr. Vance. We have an evaluation proving the child, Leo, is terrified of his mother. For the safety of the boy, we ask for full custody and a permanent restraining order.”
Judge Davies looked sympathetic. She turned her gaze to the defense table.
Jillian sat perfectly still. She wore a sharp, charcoal gray military-cut blazer, her hair pulled back in a severe bun. She didn’t look crazy. She looked like a general surveying a battlefield.
“Ms. Bennett,” Judge Davies addressed Sarah. “Does your client have a response to these severe allegations?”
Sarah stood up, buttoning her suit jacket. “We do, Your Honor. In fact, we agree with Mr. Trenton on one point: Leo Vance is in grave danger. However, the monster he is terrified of is sitting at the plaintiff’s table.”
Mark scoffed, rolling his eyes. “She’s delusional.”
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“Your Honor,” Sarah continued, ignoring Mark. “We would like to introduce Defense Exhibit A into the record. A verified, forensically authenticated video from the child’s playroom, dated December 10th.”
Mark’s smug smile faltered.
