#Chapter 363: One Last Goodbye

The sound of metal clinking against flesh echoed through the courtroom, and I glanced over to see my mother being escorted off the stand in cuffs. My heart lurched in my chest as I watched her being led away, her head bowed in defeat. A wave of despair washed over me, threatening to drown me in its depths. This wasn't how it was supposed to end. My mother, once a force to be reckoned with, now reduced to nothing more than a prisoner in her own skin. The courtroom felt like a vacuum, sucking in all the air, leaving only the heavy weight of finality hanging in the atmosphere. I watched, numb, as my mother was escorted back to her cell. The sound of metal clinking against her wrists echoed in my mind. Timothy rubbed my back with a wide grin plastered across his face. "Can you believe it? Innocent on all counts!" His words were filled with excitement, but my heart couldn't resonate with his joy. I forced a smile, trying to mirror his enthusiasm, but it felt hollow on my lips. "Yeah, it