The week dragged on, each day a step closer to the court date.
I found myself rehearsing what I might say, forming arguments in my head.
Yet, the fear of confrontation always stopped me short.
I knew she would be prepared, her words sharp and precise.
She had always been good at that, weaving narratives that left little room for opposition.
But I needed to try, to find a way to articulate my own truth.
The night before the hearing, sleep eluded me.
I tossed and turned, my mind racing with possibilities.
What if things took a turn I wasn’t prepared for?
What if more humiliations lay in wait?
