Chapter 9 - The Hearing
Friday morning arrived with gray skies and biting winds. Inside the imposing downtown courthouse, the atmosphere in Family Court Room 4B was tense.
Adrian sat at the petitioner’s table, wearing his best charcoal suit, trying to project the image of a heartbroken, desperate father. He even managed to force a slight redness into his eyes.
The heavy wooden doors opened, and Emma walked in.
Adrian’s breath hitched. She was no longer the exhausted, crying woman in the oversized tan coat. Emma wore a sharply tailored navy blue suit, her posture impeccable, radiating absolute authority. Flanked by Mr. Vance and a team of top-tier litigators, she didn't even glance in Adrian’s direction as she took her seat.
"All rise," the bailiff announced.
May you like
Judge Miller, a stern-faced woman with decades of experience on the bench, took her seat and peered over her glasses at the two parties. "This is an emergency hearing regarding the custody of Leo and Mia Sterling. Mr. Sterling, you filed an injunction claiming Ms. Hayes abducted your children?"
Adrian stood, feigning a tremor in his voice. "Yes, Your Honor. My wife suffered a post-partum mental break. She hired armed mercenaries to take my babies in the middle of the night. I am terrified for their safety."
