The next morning, ire was pacing around her room, getting ready to head to court. She was feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. This could finally be the day Lisa gets what she deserves. As she was zipping up her bag, her phone rang. It was Matthew.


    "Hey, I heard you''re going to court today," Matthew said the moment ire picked up.


    ire nodded, even though he couldn''t see her, and said, "Yep, heading there now. Hopefully, it''ll be thest time. This trial has been dragging on forever, and Lisa should finally be put in jail."


    Matthew sighed at the other end. "Why didn''t you tell me? I could''vee with you or something."


    ire smiled, knowing Matthew meant well but wasn''t exactly the best support in stressful situations. "I didn''t want to bother you with it. Plus, while I''m gone, I need you to take care of that meeting I have at 9 AM."


    Matthew groaned dramatically. "Ugh, meetings. Why do you do this to me, ire?" She could practically see his face scrunched up in irritation, and she couldn''t help butugh.


    "You''ve gotta get used to it, Matthew. One day, who knows, you might be the one running thispany if I''m not around anymore." She said it with a teasing tone, but Matthew didn''t like it one bit.


    "Don''t say weird stuff like that!" he protested, sounding genuinely ufortable.


    ire chuckled. "Rx, I''m just joking. Anyway, I have to get going now. I''ll call youter with the good news."


    "Yeah, let me know how it goes. Good luck, ire," Matthew said, his voice softening a bit.


    "Thanks, I''ll need it," she replied before hanging up the call.


    With that, ire headed downstairs to the lobby and slid into the backseat of her car. She felt good about today like things might finally got her way. Maybe, just maybe, Lisa would get sentenced for years-or, if ire had her way, for a lifetime. That thought made her feel a little lighter.


    The ride to the courthouse took about 30 minutes, and when she arrived, herwyer, Mr. David, was already waiting for her in the lobby.


    "Morning, ire," he greeted her with a firm handshake. "You ready for today?"


    "Ready as I''ll ever be," ire replied with a small smile. They walked inside together, heading towards the courtroom.


    As they walked, Mr. David nced at her and said, "You''ll be testifying today. Remember, ire, you need to tell the whole truth. Don''t hold back on any details. This could be the final push we need to win this."


    "I know," ire nodded. "I''ll tell them everything."


    They walked in and took their seats. A few momentster, the judge entered, and everyone stood up as he took his ce at the front. ire scanned the room, her brow furrowing when she noticed something or rather, someone-missing.


    She leaned over and whispered to herwyer, "Where''s Lisa? She''s supposed to be here."


    Mr. David looked over to the defense table, frowning. "That''s odd. She''s required to be here. Maybe she''s sick or something?"


    ire rolled her eyes, her annoyance barely contained. "ssic Lisa," she muttered under her breath. "Always pulling some kind of stunt. Sick, my ass."


    The trial kicked off, and after some initial formalities, t was time for ire to take the stand. She walked up, took the oath, and sat down, her hands gripping the edges of the chair. She took a deep breath, steadying herself as she faced the courtroom. Mr. David approached and gave her a nod of encouragement. "ire, can you tell the court about your history with Lisa?"


    ire cleared her throat and began.


    "It all started when Lisa had an affair


    with my ex-husband. They were going to get married, but I warned him about her-about all her lies and maniption. Eventually, he called off the wedding. That''s when Lisa starteding after me


    She nced at the jury, who were listening intently. "At first, it was small things. She''d send me nasty messages or spread rumors about me. But then it got worse. Much worse." "Can you exin what you mean by ''worse''?" Mr. David asked.


    ire nodded. "Lisa started stalking me. She would show up at my house, at my work. Once, she even tried to drive me off the road. I lost count of how many times she tried


    to hurt me. And it wasn''t just ed


    physical-she tried to ruin my


    reputation too. She spread lies about me, and when that didn''t work, she drugged me."


    There were gasps from the audience. ire paused, trying to keep her emotions in check.


    "Drugged you?" Mr. David asked, his voice calm but firm.


    "Yes, she didn''t stop. A few monthster, she tried to kill me. She... she kidnapped me, took me to some remote cabin, and tried to kill me again" her voice firm and determined. No hesitation can be sensed in her voice. The room wentpletely silent. Even the judge seemed frozen for a moment.


    "She said she was going to end it once and for all. She had a knife, and I honestly thought I was going to die. But I managed to escape with the help of my friends."


    Mr. David stepped back slightly. "Thank you, ire. I know this is difficult for you to relive, but your testimony is crucial."


    ire nodded and looked over at the empty seat where Lisa should''ve been. The fact that Lisa wasn''t even here to face her made her blood boil. But she wasn''t going to let Lisa''s absence stop her from telling the truth.


    The judge, an older man with


    graying hair and a stern look,


    ???


    nodded toward ire Peterson as she stepped down from the witness stand. "Thank you for your testimony, Ms. Peterson," he said, his voice firm but polite. ire, feeling a surge of confidence, gave a slight nod in return. She walked back to her seat, ncing over at the defense table where Lisa


    his voice


    Thompson''swyer sat, looking a bit


    out of sorts.


    The judge shifted his attention to him and said, "Your turn, Mr. Ronald. Time to dispute Miss Peterson''s testimony and make your case for Ms. Thompson''s innocence."


    ire couldn''t help but raise her eyebrows as she watched Lisa''swyer, who looked about asfortable as a fish out of water.


    Just Mr. Ronald, looking like he''d rather be anywhere else but there. He stood, tugging at the cor of his shirt nervously, and stepped forward to address the court.


    ire leaned back in her seat, a small smile ying on her lips. Oh, this was going to be good. She could sense it. Lisa''swyer looked like he was about to pass out, and ire had a gut feeling this day was going to end in her favor.


    "Uh, your honor," Mr. Ronald began, his voice shaky, "My client, Miss Thompson, uh, should be found not guilty because, um, the testimony provided by Miss Peterson is, uh, clearly unreliable."


    ire stifled augh. Clearly? He didn''t sound sure of anything. She nced over at the judge, who was sitting there with one of those expressions that said, "I''ve heard this before, and I don''t believe a word of it."


    When Mr. Ronald finally finished his pitiful defense, the courtroom was dead silent for a moment.


    The judge cleared his throat and leaned forward. "Well, thank you, Mr. Davidson. I''ll make my decision now."


    ire sat up straighter in her seat, heart pounding with anticipation.


    A court clerk rushed over, leaning down to whisper something in the judge''s ear. ire frowned. What now?


    The judge''s face tightened as he listened, his hand still hovering over the gavel.


    "Before I render my verdict," he said, his voice noticeably more tense, "I''ve just been informed that Ms. Thompson has been admitted to the hospital. She apparently... attempted to harm herself."