The room seemed to hold its breath, suspended between tension and revelation. My heart pounded like a drum as I watched Zaden, a small figure in the vast courtroom, carrying the weight of a moment far beyond his years. Every movement of his fingers, every shift of his shoulders, betrayed the pressure he felt — the gravity of adult decisions resting on his young frame.
He fiddled with the phone in his hand, then cleared his throat, a determined yet innocent sound that made the room quiet instantly. “Can I play something for you, Your Honor?” he asked, voice steady but tinged with the honesty only a child could summon.
The judge leaned forward, curiosity flickering across his face. “And what is it you wish to show us, Zaden?”
Zaden glanced at me, and I gave a weak, supportive smile, silently hoping his choice wouldn’t backfire. He unlocked his phone and scrolled until he found the recording he had prepared.
“Last night,” he began, “my dad and I talked. He said I should say I wanted to live with him. He got really mad when I said I didn’t. He said…well, it’s better if you hear it.”
He pressed play. The courtroom filled with the crackling sound of Damian’s voice — stern, insistent, commanding. “Zaden, you have to tell them you want to live with me. Just say it. Things will be better. More fun, more games. You don’t want to disappoint your dad, do you?”
A mixture of anger and pride hit me like a wave. Damian’s manipulation was clear, yet Zaden’s bravery shone through. Every ear in the room was straining to catch each word. Damian’s lawyer leaned closer, whispering nervously, while Damian himself looked increasingly uneasy, the smirk that had once seemed so confident now gone.
The judge listened silently, expression neutral, absorbing every moment. When the recording ended, the room felt suspended in a fragile, truth-laden pause.
“Thank you for sharing that, Zaden,” the judge said gently. “I appreciate your honesty.”
A subtle shift occurred. Damian’s confidence had cracked, replaced by visible uncertainty. The balance in the courtroom had tilted.
