A murmur rippled through the courtroom, a mixture of surprise and empathy. The judge leaned forward, his expression softening. “And how about with your mother, Chloe? How do you feel?”

Chloe glanced at Laura, whose face had lost its earlier confidence, replaced with a look that was both vulnerable and unsettled. “Mommy is fun, and I love her,” Chloe said, her voice earnest. “But sometimes, she forgets about me when she’s with her new friend.”

The words landed with a profound impact, echoing around the room. The kind of honest truth only a child could deliver, slicing through adult pretensions and conflicts with a clarity that was both innocent and unflinching.