A Mercy in Condemnation

FABIAN

I stood at the back of the sentencing chamber, deliberately keeping my distance. The room smelled of polished wood, tension, and the acrid edge of fear. Anxiety and grief hung in the air, thick enough to choke on. I adjusted my stance, trying to remain invisible while still maintaining a clear view of the proceedings.

At the center of it all sat Bianca Hayes, her shoulders set in a rigid line. She'd lost weight since her arrest—her cheekbones more pronounced, her wrists thinner where they rested in metal restraints. But her eyes remained the same: sharp, alert, missing nothing.

In the gallery, Vanessa sat between Leo and Olivia. Even from this distance, I could see the tremble in her hands as they clasped together in her lap. Her brother kept a protective arm around her shoulders, while Olivia held her free hand. A united front. A family.