Chapter 7 Courtroom Battles

• The courtroom smelled like lemon polish and desperation. I smoothed my navy skirt—the one I'd bought specifically for this occasion—and tried to ignore the tremor in my hands. Rebecca squeezed my arm as we approached the heavy wooden doors.
• "Remember what we discussed," she whispered. "Don't react to their provocations. Stay calm, no matter what they throw at you."
• I nodded, the knot in my stomach tightening. My heels clicked against the marble floor as we entered, the sound echoing through the high-ceilinged room. Heads turned. Whispers followed.