My brothers best friend

Chapter 46: A battle of Words and Evidence

Chapter 46

Valerie's Point of View

Two months later...

The courthouse feels suffocating as I step inside, the weight of the building pressing down on me from all sides. The cold marble floors reflect the bright fluorescent lights overhead, giving everything a sterile, clinical feel. It's as if I'm walking into an execution chamber, except I'm the one on trial. I almost laugh at the irony—I'm not the one who deserves to be here. But the thought dies before it can form fully.

I force my legs to move, the echo of my footsteps against the stone amplifying the stillness around me. My heart hammers in my chest, each beat reminding me of the weight of what I'm about to face. The air feels too thick, too oppressive. I look around, hoping to spot some kind of comfort, but it's just strangers milling about, too busy with their own things to even notice me.

My parents aren't here. They're both lawyers, but their cases today kept them away. I try not to think too much about that. I know they would be here if they could, but their absence still stings. It leaves an emptiness that I try to push aside.

I swallow hard, nerves tightening my throat. I can already feel the tightness building in my chest—the familiar, heavy weight of fear that has been my constant companion through all of this. But I have to do this. I have to face him. I can't back down now.

Taking a deep breath, I push my shoulders back and lift my chin, trying to summon whatever strength I have left. As I move forward, I know I'm not alone. Jake's presence feels like an anchor, a steady reminder that I'm not facing this by myself. I focus on the warmth of his hand resting lightly on my back, grounding me as I step closer to the courtroom doors.

The reality of what's ahead settles over me again, and the thought of walking into that room, of sitting in front of a judge and a room full of strangers, makes my stomach twist in knots. But there's no turning back. I can't back down.

I try to keep my breathing steady, but my chest feels tight, each breath more shallow than the last. My palms are clammy, and the nerves seem to coil in my stomach, tightening with every step I take. The sound of my heartbeat feels too loud, too fast. I force myself to focus, to concentrate on the steady rhythm of my feet moving against the cold floor beneath me.

But the overwhelming weight of today settles in. Today is the day. The day I have to face him. The man who took everything from me. Aaron. His name echoes in my mind like a silent scream. The man who raped me, who shattered something inside me that I don't know if I'll ever be able to fix. The man whose face is burned into my memory, even though I wish, so desperately, that I could forget it.

I can still see it so clearly: the smirk on his face as he thought he had control. The coldness in his eyes, the way he twisted everything, making me feel like I was the one in the wrong. And yet, through it all, the one thing that stands out is the way I felt powerless. Helpless. Trapped in that moment, in that place, with no way to escape. It haunts me still.

But I can't let him win. Not today. I refuse to let him win.

I'm not alone. Mason, my older brother, stands beside me, his presence a steadying force I didn't know I needed until this moment. He's standing a little too close, almost like he's trying to shield me from the world. But right now, I don't mind. The warmth of his body so near is comforting, like a reminder that I'm not facing this alone. I don't have to be strong by myself.

On my other side, Viktoria stands, her arm draped around me in a protective embrace. Her touch is soft but firm, a silent promise that she's here for me no matter what happens in the next few hours. It's almost as if she's trying to carry some of my burden for me, offering her strength when I feel like I have so little left to give.