Chapter 300
The air feels colder today and every breath I take feels taxing, like I have to remind my body how to do it.
Just like yesterday, I walk beside my lawyer, my steps feeling heavier as we get closer to the courtroom. As if sensing my anxiety, Lilly places a hand hovering near my back like she’s afraid I might tip over if she lets go.
My stomach is tight and the panic surging inside me makes me physically ill.
I don’t say it out loud, but this irrational fear takes root so deep inside my soul, it’s becoming hard to shake it off.
What if yesterday was just false hope? What if we lose? What if I get sent to prison?
“Breathe,” Lilly whispers as we reach the doors.
I nod, though I’m not sure I remember how.
We step inside, and the room is already filling.
Barely anything or anyone registers, except Bio-Renew’s legal team, who sit composed with neat stacks of files in front of them and Jocelyn, who sits behind them, her back straight, chin lifted and hair pulled tightly away from her face.
Unlike me, she looks calm and that makes my heart thud even more painfully against my ribs as fear takes over.
I take a deep steadying breath as I settle into my chair, adjusting slightly as the baby shifts inside me. The movement is subtle, but it grounds me. Reminds me why I’m here.
Lilly squeezes my shoulder before moving to sit behind me just as the bailiff announces the judge.
“Defense may proceed.” The judge says after taking his seat.
Kerry stands slowly without any rush, as if she has all the time in the world. All eyes on her as she adjusts her suit jacket, before speaking
“Your Honor, yesterday the prosecution presented a narrative built on surface-level digital evidence. Today, we examine that evidence beneath the surface p>
Her voice is calm and authoritative, drawing the attention of everyone in the court.
The prosecution stiffens, and Jocelyn narrows her eyes, her lips in a thin line.
Kerry calls Benji first. He walks to the stand, clearing his throat. I can see the nerves in the way he grips the railing before sitting.
Kerry asks about lab procedures. About shared terminals. About late nights during research sprints.
Benji explains that during critical phases, multiple team members rotate between stations. Credentials are often logged in quickly, especially when collaboration intensifies.
“So,” my lawyer asks calmly, “it would not be unusual for multiple researchers to access overlapping files in close proximity p>
“No,” Benji replies. “That’s normal p>
The prosecution tries to frame it as irrelevant but it isn’t. It plants doubt.
Carl follows. He speaks about internal tensions. About project competition. About how Jocelyn has always been unhappy about me being appointed team leader.
Brandon comes next and lastly, Rose.
The prosecution objects twice but the judge overrules both.
“Your Honor, with permission, we would like to revisit the digital access logs presented yesterday.” Kerry says.
The screen behind the witness stand lights up with the same cold data that was used to paint me as a criminal.
“Yesterday,” my lawyer says evenly, “these logs were presented as proof of singular access p>
My heart starts pounding again and my throat tightens, but then she clicks the remote and another set of logs appears beside the first
Silence ripples across the room as everyone’s eyes turn to the screen.
“These entries,” Kerry explains, voice steady and controlled, “indicate that Ms. Meyers’ credentials were used from Terminal One at 11:42 p.m p>
She clicks again. “And simultaneously from Terminal Three at 11:42 p.m p>
The prosecution attorney stands abruptly. “That’s impossible p>
My lawyer doesn’t even look at him.
“It would be,” She agrees. “Unless credential duplication occurred p>
The judge leans forward. “Explain p>
Kerry nods.
“There was a confirmation that there was no system malfunction at that time. No mirrored session. No technical glitch. This indicates either credential cloning or deliberate misuse of the defendant’s ID from a secondary station p>
Kerry clicks the remote again, and it shows timestamps, badge swipe access and badge ID.
A sharp intake of breath echoes somewhere. I turn slowly and catch Jocelyn’s composure shifting. It’s just slightly, but it shows in the way her fingers grip the edge of the table now.
“On the same, the prosecution also claimed Ms. Meyers exported proprietary files at 11.42pm,” Kerry continues, her voice calm but unwavering, carrying across the courtroom without strain. “However, we found security footage one hundred and fifty meters south of Bio-Renew that shows Ms. Meyers driving away from the company at 10:33 p.m p>
A ripple of murmurs moves through the room.
“The export in question occurred more than an hour after she’d already exited the premises. Furthermore, badge access logs confirm she did not re-enter the facility that night p>