Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 621

Hiram's face betrayed a flicker of fear, almost imperceptible to anyone who wasn't looking closely.

To everyone else, he was Karina's pride and joy, raised single-handedly by her. It was unthinkable that she could treat him poorly. The tales of abuse were still largely unknown.

"Can you tell me what the defendant gave you to eat? The round things?" The judge's tone was gentle, seemingly wary of frightening the young boy.

Recalling how Hiram used to follow Karina's orders without question sent a chill through me. He had grown accustomed to her oppression, likely to comply with her demands even now.

And there I was, with hardly a defense.

Karina, on the other hand, exuded confidence. She looked at me, her gaze filled with self-assurance, eagerly anticipating Hiram's words that would seal my fate.

"The round things were sweet," Hiram finally spoke, his words immediately causing Karina's demeanor to darken. She shot him a look filled with veiled threats, though unnoticed by others.

But I noticed. I had seen that look before.

"Hiram, are you sure they were sweet?" Karina couldn't help herself, her question earning a frown from the judge, who promptly silenced her.

Hiram didn't look at Karina but fixed his gaze on me, his eyes full of trust and determination. "Ms. Finch gave me peach-flavored candy. It was white and sweet. I loved it more than anything!"

As soon as he finished, Karina's face turned sour, her shock at being contradicted by her own protégé palpable. The control slipping from her grasp was a bitter pill to swallow.

Yet, the situation didn't allow Karina to lash out or interrogate Hiram. With a face turned steel-gray from fury, she signaled her lawyer, who began to bombard Hiram with questions aimed at me, specifically about anything else I might have given him besides the peach candy.

Hiram denied everything except for the candy, repeating, "Ms. Finch has always been kind to me. She only gave me sweets."

Murmurs spread through the courtroom, everyone seemingly astonished by Karina's self-sabotage. Frustration boiling over, she grabbed Hiram, "Your Honor, I don't know what kind of spell Ms. Finch has cast on my son. I request a recess!"

"Mom, you were the one who gave me those pills. You told me to take them!" Hiram's sudden outburst left no room for Karina's dignity. His face flushed, tears brimming in his eyes, "If you say they were poison, why did you give them to me? Aren't I your son?"

The courtroom erupted into chaos. My heart, previously suspended in anxiety, plummeted back into place, a mix of relief and vindication washing over me. Hiram's acknowledgment of my kindness felt like a reward for my efforts. He was a good kid, misled, but not beyond saving.