Chapter 9 - The Video Link
The digital clock on the wall read 2:14 AM when the nurse wheeled my bed into a private consultation room equipped with a secure wall-mounted monitor and a high-definition conferencing camera.
On the screen, the virtual courtroom was already live.
Judge Thomas sat behind a polished wooden bench, looking exhausted and impatient at being dragged out of bed in the middle of the night. On the left side of the split screen sat Derek—his hair combed, wearing a crisp spare shirt provided by his defense counsel, looking every bit the grieving, misunderstood husband worried about his emotional wife. Beside him sat a high-priced corporate attorney holding a thick stack of printed documents.
“Case number 24-CV-8910,” Judge Thomas announced, his voice booming through the room’s speakers. “Emergency petition for temporary conservatorship and medical custody review filed by counsel for Derek Moreland.”
“Your Honor,” Derek’s attorney immediately chimed in, projecting a tone of profound, manufactured sorrow. “My client is deeply concerned for the welfare of his wife and unborn child. As the court can see from the medical intake logs, Mrs. Moreland is suffering acute psychological distress, paranoia, and erratic behavior exacerbated by the pressures of pregnancy. We are simply asking for temporary emergency guardianship so she can receive proper psychiatric care without the burden of household management.”
My blood boiled. I gripped the edges of my hospital rolling table so hard my knuckles turned white.
“That is a complete lie!” I shouted, leaning forward into the frame of the conferencing camera.
Judge Thomas frowned, peering down through his reading glasses at the monitor. “Order in the virtual courtroom. Mrs. Moreland, you are represented by counsel—?”
“I don't need a lawyer to tell you that man shaved my hair against my will, locked me in a pantry, and live-streamed my humiliation to fund an international financial fraud scheme!” I interrupted, my voice ringing with a fierce, unwavering fury that silenced the courtroom.
Derek flinched on screen, his mask slipping for a fraction of a second as he shot a panicked look at his attorney.
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“Your Honor,” Derek’s lawyer stammered, scrambling to recover. “As you can hear, she is clearly suffering from severe delusions—!”
“Hold on a moment, counselor,” Judge Thomas cut in sharply. He leaned closer to his camera, his eyes narrowing as he reviewed a file blinking on his own screen. “Detective Miller just transmitted the preliminary forensic evidence packet from the scene, including the live stream archive, the physical assault report, and the emergency banking freeze orders. Mr. Moreland... your defense is currently falling apart in real-time.”
