Silence fell over the courtroom, but not the ordinary kind. This was the kind that pressed against the chest, making every breath feel loud, every heartbeat thunder. Every eye in the room was fixed on him—Mr. Benson, standing calm and composed at the center of it all, unshaken as though the tension surrounding him could not touch him.
"My Lord…" His voice was steady, deep, and controlled. "I believe it is time we correct the direction of this case."
No one interrupted, not even the judge. There was something in his tone, something that demanded space, not by force but by presence. Dorian's lawyer frowned first, trying to regain composure. "And you are?" he asked, the edge in his voice betraying both curiosity and unease.
