The betrayal stung. Not just Anabella's decision to leave him, but the cold indifference from those he had thought were loyal. Whenever he sought advice or tried to understand the situation, the answers were vague and unhelpful. No one dared to tell him what he had done wrong.
"You did everything right," James had said earlier that evening, trying to cheer him up. But even his son's blind faith wasn't enough to soothe the storm inside. Daniel felt lost, adrift in a sea of consequences he couldn't comprehend.
______
The day of the court hearing arrived, bringing with it a grim sense of finality. Daniel straightened his tie in the mirror, his reflection pale and haggard. He had no one to accompany him, no one to offer a comforting word or a reassuring presence. He was walking into the courtroom alone.
