Chapter 9: Facing the Court
The day of Evelyn's trial arrived. Arthur tried to shield Maya from the courtroom, but the girl insisted on attending.
""I need to look at her,"" Maya told Arthur firmly. ""I need her to see that I’m not in the chair anymore.""
In the courtroom, Evelyn sat in a orange jumpsuit, looking diminished without her fine clothes and posture. When the prosecutor called Maya to testify briefly about her living conditions, a hush fell over the room.
Maya walked up to the witness stand using only her cane. She sat down, adjusted the microphone, and looked straight at Evelyn.
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""Aunt Evelyn told me I was broken,"" Maya said clearly. ""She made me believe I couldn't stand on my own feet. But she was wrong. I was never broken. I was just trapped.""
Evelyn dropped her head, unable to meet the child's clear, steady gaze. The judge’s gavel fell hard, sealing Evelyn’s fate with a lengthy prison sentence.
