After my stepfather injured my twin sister and me, he brought us to the hospital. My mother calmly told the doctor, “They just fell down the stairs.” My stepfather smiled, thinking he had won. But as the nurse checked my vitals, I slipped a handwritten note into her pocket, and…

my fingers tightly through Chloe’s.

“No, Arthur,” I said softly, ensuring the absolute finality of my tone resonated in his ears. “I don’t think I’ve won. I think you have finally, permanently lost.”

Chapter Four: The Crucible of Truth

Three grueling weeks later, the preliminary hearings commenced at the county courthouse. Arthur and Eleanor’s defense continue reading …