I exhaled a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. Relief washed over me, not just for myself but for Zaden. I reached across the space between us, clasping his small hand in mine. He looked up at me with those big, innocent eyes, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

“Thank you, Zaden,” I whispered, squeezing his hand gently. “You were so brave.”

As the gavel banged and the court adjourned, I knew we still had a long road ahead. But in that moment, Zaden had stood up for his truth, and that was a victory in itself. Damian’s shadow may still linger, but it no longer loomed as large. We were a team, my son and I, and that bond was something no one could ever take away.