Chapter 208


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    The air in the courtroom crackled with tension as I watched Sarah, Beth, and Faith, my former


    colleagues, storm into the room. Cameras shed and the crowd stirred in wonder as they paused


    in the center of the room.


    Jasper snorted, waving at them. “What is this? There weren’t cited as witnesses,st I checked!”


    Mr. Erickson seemed just as stunned. He eyed each of the women, then leaned toward them. His


    voice was barely a whisper as he hissed at Beth.


    “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he snapped. “Now you three are going against me?”


    d to me


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Beth cast a nce in his direction, but she might as well have been looking through him. She then


    turned and gave me a quick nod. “We figured showing up in person would make more of an impact,


    given the circumstances.”


    “You can’t be serious!” Erickson ran a hand through his thinning hair and shook his head. “After all


    I’ve done-”


    “Exactly,” Sarah cut him off with a sneer. “After all you’ve done.”


    She then turned to the judge and tucked in her chin, her hard expression giving way to something


    soft and demure. “I can assure you that our willingness to testify was inadvertent on Ms. Sinir’s


    part. This is our doing.”


    The judge, still disgruntled, peered down at her and adjusted his sses. “I see. As long as you


    remain relevant, the court will hear your testimony.”


    As Sarah took her ce in the witness stand, I felt a surge of gratitude and admiration. I didn’t think


    they would


    make it at all, let alone show their faces for all to see.


    Honor,” Sarah began, her voice unwavering, “I worked alongside Ms. Sinir at Erickson and Co.,


    and I can


    attest to the toxic environment perpetuated by Mr. Erickson. The abuse of power, the harassment–it


    was pervasive, and it extended far beyond one isted incident.”


    I observed the jury, the judge, and the spectators, their attention drawn once more by Sarah’s


    words.


    As Beth followed with her testimony, the details of her own ordeal spilled forth. The weight of her


    words, the emotional toll etched on her face, seemed to grip the cameraman. I heard a few


    reporters instruct them to pan


    on Beth’s face as tears ran down her cheeks.


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    Faith, thest to testify, spoke with a quiet strength that I just knew the media was eating up. “Your


    Honor, I, too, experienced harassment at the hands of Mr. Erickson. The fear, the shame–it’s


    something that no one should have to endure in a professional setting.”


    The judge listened attentively as they spoke, the skepticism that had lingered in the early stages of


    the trial withering away.


    Jasper leered at Faith, his face red with fury. Mr. Erickson looked just as affronted, as if he’d


    believed that never in a thousand years would his other employees rat him out. Up until then, he


    had appeared confident enough, but that mask as starting to slip.


    The jurors, once skeptical, now appeared contemtive, their faces reflecting a dawning awareness


    as they looked down on Mr. Erickson. The spectators, a mix of reporters,wyers, and concerned


    citizens, listened with a collective solemnity.


    “Any more surprise witnesses up your sleeve, Ms. Sinir?” Jasper growled, shooting me a re.


    “Any more revtions you’ve conveniently kept hidden?”


    I felt the anger bubble within me, but I kept my tone even. “Ourmitment is to the truth, Mr.


    Morgan. If the court requires further testimony, we will cooperate fully. The truth has nothing to


    hide.”


    Jasper’s expression tightened, his confidence momentarily shaken. There was a murmur amongst


    the crowd. People aimed their cameras in his direction, curling their lips in disgust.


    Mr. Erickson seemed to lose hisposure then. His face contorted with anger as he stood


    abruptly and mmed his fists against the table. “Lying whores, all of you! This is a setup! A


    conspiracy!”


    The courtroom erupted in chaos, the outburst causing unrest among the spectators. The judge, with


    a stern expression, banged his gavel, demanding order. “Mr. Erickson, you will maintain decorum in


    this courtroom. One more outburst, and you will be held in contempt.”


    “But this is ridiculous!” he continued, almost kicking over his chair. “All this ‘girl power‘ bullshit so


    they can knock me down a peg. I worked hard to get to where I am, and I’m not going to let some


    tramp who can’t handle a little flirting destroy that!”


    The anger within me red at the repulsive words he was hurling in our direction. I clenched my


    fists, determined not to let his tirade undermine what I sensed was a tide turning in my favor. I


    looked over at my friends, who were at the edge of their seats at that point.


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    Timothy caught my eye and gave me a meaningful look with a gentle smile. I smiled back,


    wondering how much freer I would be after this was all over. Perhaps I wouldn’t have to hide


    anymore.


    The judge, regaining control, turned to the jury. “I apologize for the disruption. Please disregard any


    outbursts and focus on the evidence presented. We will proceed with closing statements before


    deliberations.”


    As the judge addressed the jury, I could feel Mr. Erickson’s eyes burning into me. I exchanged a


    brief nce with Jane, a silent understanding passing between us. He may have just given us a


    win.


    Jasper, seemingly attempting to salvage the situation, approached Mr. Erickson with a hushed


    conversation. Their exchange was intense, punctuated by gestures and hushed tones. I strained to


    hear their words, but the


    courtroom noise and the hum of conversations obscured their discussion.


    The judge, now addressing the jury, dismissed them for deliberation.


    As the jury filed out, the judge turned his attention to Mr. Erickson. “Control yourself, Mr. Erickson.


    This court will not tolerate any further disruptions. If you wish to continue, do so in a manner


    befitting this setting.”


    The judge’s words seemed to have a sobering effect on Mr. Erickson, who reluctantly nodded, a


    simmering frustration still evident in his eyes. As the jury deliberated, the tension in the courtroom


    reached a fever pitch.


    Jasper, now free from the constraints of the jury, turned his attention back to me with a smug grin.


    “Ms. Sinir, you may have swayed the jury with your theatrics, but it won’t change the fact that this


    trial is based on shaky ground. You’re clinging to straws, and when the jury returns, you’ll soon


    realize that.”


    I met his gaze with a determined re. “I wouldn’t speak too soon if I were you. It was


    embarrassing thest time you did it and lost miserably.”


    Jasper’s grin faltered, reced by a sh of irritation. Before he could retort, the jury returned. The


    room fell silent as they took their seats.


    The judge, his expression stern, addressed the foreperson. “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, have


    you reached


    a verdict?”


    The foreperson, a middle–aged woman with a solemn demeanor, nodded. “We have, Your Honor.”


    The anticipation in the courtroom was palpable as the foreperson handed the verdict to the court


    clerk. The clerk, with deliberate precision, read the words that would determine the oue of this


    hard–fought battle.


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    “We, the jury, find in favor of the intiff, Ms. Evie Sinir.”


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