Chapter 5 - The Counter-Strike
The morning of the temporary custody hearing arrived with grey skies and relentless rain.
Michael walked into the courthouse looking entirely too confident, flanked by a high-priced divorce attorney and Sarah, who wore a black wool coat and a smug expression that suggested victory was already guaranteed. She didn't even look at me when I walked in with my father and our quiet, unassuming family lawyer, Marcus.
Inside courtroom 3B, Sarah’s attorney presented their case first. They painted me as a volatile, aggressive mother unfit to raise a child, playing up the incident with the bag of dirt while conveniently leaving out why the dirt was there. Michael took the stand, looking downcast and reciting a rehearsed speech about how worried he was for his son's safety.
The judge listened intently, her expression turning stern as she looked down at me. "Mrs. Harrison, do you have any defense against these allegations of physical aggression?"
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Before I could answer, my lawyer Marcus stood up. "Your Honor, we do not contest that an altercation occurred. However, we ask the court's permission to submit Exhibit A: the complete, unedited security and audio footage from the apartment lobby and living room during the birthday party."
Sarah’s smug smile faltered for a fraction of a second.
