Denying My Son's Guilt

The judge banged his gavel again, and the noise in the gallery slowly died down.

My phone buzzed once more.

Another stock alert. The drop had widened to five percent.

I glanced at the screen, my expression unchanged.

My calm seemed to break her.

“You!” She shot up from the witness stand. Her finger trembled as it aimed at me. “I’m reliving a nightmare up here, and you’re worried about your money?!”

Her tears started flowing harder.

“Do you have any idea what I’ve been through? I was going to be a model! Your son ruined me! He completely ruined me!”

Gavin rushed to her side to calm her down. “Tiffany, deep breaths. Just tell your story. The court will get you justice.”

She sat back down, wiping her tears with a shaky hand.

“Go on, dear. Tell everyone what happened that night.”

Tiffany took a deep breath, her voice breaking.

“I was just… I was just taking a walk in the backyard. It’s always so safe back there, so quiet.”

“And then?”

“Cooper just appeared out of nowhere. I think he was drunk. He knocked me onto the grass.” Her voice grew frantic. “He was so strong. Unnaturally strong for a teenager.”

The jury was hanging on her every word.

“He pinned me down and started tearing at my clothes. I struggled, but it was no use. His hands were at my throat. Tearing at my clothes…”

She touched her neck brace, wincing in pain.

“I could feel his breath on my neck. Hot and ragged. Like an animal.”

“And then?” Gavin prompted.

“I screamed for help, and he started hitting me. Over and over, punching my face, my chest, my arms…”

Her performance was peaking. She looked ready to faint.

“There was blood everywhere. I thought I was going to die right there.”

Sounds of sympathy came from the gallery.

“Monster!”

“He’s not even human!”

“Harper, how could you raise a kid like that?”

I remained perfectly still, my face calm.

But in my head, I was already picking apart the holes in her story.

Unnaturally strong?

Tried to bite her neck?

Breath like an animal?

Interesting.

“Wait.”

My voice was quiet, but it sliced through the noise. The room went silent.

“May I interrupt?”

The judge frowned. “The defendant has counsel.”

“I’d like to ask the questions myself,” I said, standing up and smoothing the sleeve of my blazer. “Miss Tiffany, I’d like to confirm a few details.”

Gavin shot to his feet. “Objection! The defendant is intimidating the victim!”

“Your Honor, I simply wish to clarify a few technical points.”

The judge eyed me. “Allowed. But be respectful.”

I walked toward Tiffany. My composure was clearly making her nervous.

“You said he ‘tore’ at your clothes. And those marks on your neck… you said he bit you?”

Tiffany stared at me, confused. “What are you talking about?”

“Think about it. A man in a rage uses his fists. He rips and tears with his hands. An animal bites. An animal acts on pure instinct. You're describing an animal attack, not a human one.”

Gavin leaped up again. “Objection! The defendant is humiliating the victim and implying she’s a liar!”

The judge banged his gavel. “Ms. Mitchell, watch your words.”

I turned to the judge. “Your Honor, I’m not questioning the victim’s honesty. I’m simply pointing out a biological fact.”

Then I turned back, looking directly into Tiffany’s eyes.

Her gaze started to shift.

I gave her my first smile of the day, but it was as cold as ice.

“It’s obvious you’ve never even seen my son. If you had, you would’ve come up with a much better lie.”