Chapter 6 - The Hallway Ambush
The tension in the courthouse hallway reached a boiling point as we waited for Judge Maren Cole, the newly assigned magistrate. Vanessa arrived, strutting through the double doors in a sharp cream suit, carrying documents she had no legal right to possess. She was here to gloat. As she sashayed past me, she leaned in, her breath hot against my ear. “You should have accepted the settlement.” I stared straight ahead, refusing to give her the reaction Marcus so desperately wanted for his narrative. Dana quickly ushered me into the new courtroom. When Vanessa tried to sit behind Marcus, Dana objected. Judge Cole, known for her no-nonsense demeanor, immediately ordered Vanessa to wait in the hall. Vanessa stood, her face flushing with humiliated rage. The aisle was narrow, and I was standing near the edge of the counsel table. I braced myself for a passing insult, but I vastly underestimated her malice.
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