Gemotions

The courtroom felt suffocating, the air heavy with judgment. Anna sat at the plaintiff's table, her posture rigid, her jaw clenched. She listened to the lawyer, the one paid to defend the thief, the man who had stolen her design. Each word was a slap in the face.

She crossed her arms, a futile attempt to ward off the chill that had settled in her bones. She wanted to scream, to interrupt, to reveal the truth to the world. Her chest felt constricted, making it difficult to breathe. She pictured the defendant, sitting there with his fake sincerity.

Her fingernails dug into her palms. She would not crack. She would not show weakness. She would not let them win. She kept her gaze fixed, unwavering.