Page 118 of The Tower

I stare at her, stunned. “They’re here?”

“They want to support you. And some of them are prepared to testify about what they saw—the medications, the way your father controlled everything.”

A lump forms in my throat. These people have come—risking their livelihoods—to support me. It’s more than incredible, it’s humbling.

“It’s time,” Jack announces, checking his watch. “They’re ready for us.”

The walk to the courtroom feels like a march to the gallows. My legs are wooden, my breathing shallow. Grimm stays close, his presence both comforting and electrifying.

As we approach the courtroom doors, Liam stops me with a gentle hand on my arm. “Remember,” he says, his voice low and intense, “no matter what happens in there, you’re not alone.”

For a moment, we just look at each other, the world narrowing to the space between us. Then Ruby clears her throat, and the moment shatters.

“Ready?” she asks.

I nod, squaring my shoulders. “Ready.”

The courtroom is smaller than I expected, more intimate, which somehow makes it more intimidating. Two tables face the judge’s bench—ours, where Jack is already arranging his materials, and my father’s, which remains conspicuously vacant except for three attorneys in identical dark suits.

I scan the gallery, my breath catching when I see the familiar faces from Reed Tower. I give them a small smile, and Birgit, Ruby’s grandmother who did more to raise me than my own father, blows me a kiss.

“All rise,” the bailiff calls, and we stand as Judge Harlow takes her seat. She’s a formidable woman with sharp eyes that seem to miss nothing.

Her gaze sweeps the room. “Where is Mr. Reed and his counsel?”

One of the dark-suited men at the other table rises. “Your Honor, I’m David Mercer, representing Mr. Reed. I regret to inform the court that my client has been unavoidably detained. We request a continuance of⁠—”

“Denied,” Judge Harlow cuts in, her voice crisp. “This hearing has been scheduled for weeks. Mr. Reed was well aware of the date and time. We will proceed.”

A ripple of whispers passes through the gallery. I feel a surge of hope, quickly tempered by caution. My father’s absence is unexpected, worrying. He never cedes control willingly, never misses an opportunity to paint himself as the concerned, devoted parent.

“In light of the petitioner’s absence,” Judge Harlow continues, “we’ll proceed with review of the submitted evidence.”

What follows is both less and more dramatic than I expected. There’s no confrontation with my father, no chance to see his face when he realizes he’s lost control of me forever. Instead, Judge Harlow methodically reviews the evidence both sides have submitted—my father’s collection of videos showing me at various public events, clinical assessments from doctors in his employ, and on our side, footage from Alexander’s party, testimonials from Ruby and others, and most damning of all, the lab results showing the cocktail of experimental drugs that had been in my system, not to mention the testimony of Dr. Chen and the affidavit of our whistleblower as to the details of Project Recall.

I sit straight-backed throughout, feeling strangely disconnected from the proceedings. It’s my life being dissected, my autonomy being decided, yet it all has a surreal quality, as if I’m watching someone else’s story unfold.

“Ms. Reed,” Judge Harlow says suddenly, drawing me back to the present. “Would you stand, please?”

I rise on legs that feel less steady than I’d like, Liam’s hand supportive at my elbow.

“I’ve reviewed all the evidence before me,” she says, looking directly at me in a way that makes me feel both seen and exposed. “Including the medical reports, the witness statements, and the footage from various events. Based on my assessment, I see a young woman who has been systematically medicated without her informed consent, whose fundamental rights have been violated, and who has demonstrated clear competence when free from such influence.”

My heart begins to race, hope rising cautiously within me.

“It is the finding of this court that Sasha Reed is fully competent to manage her own affairs and requires no legal guardian. Furthermore,” she continues, her voice hardening, “I am forwarding all evidence of Victor Reed’s actions to the district attorney’s office with a strong recommendation that criminal charges be pursued.”

The words wash over me in a wave of disbelief and relief. Just like that, it’s over. I’m free. Legally, officially free from my father’s control.

“Congratulations, Ms. Reed,” Judge Harlow says with the faintest hint of a smile. “This case is dismissed.”

The courtroom erupts in controlled chaos as reporters rush for the doors, eager to break the news. Grimm’s arm wraps around my waist, grounding me as the reality of what just happened begins to sink in.

“We won,” I whisper, the words feeling foreign on my tongue. I’ve spent so long expecting to lose that victory feels almost disorienting.

“We won,” Grimm confirms, pressing a kiss to my temple. “You won, Princess.”

Ruby rushes up to me, her face alight with joy. “You did it!” she exclaims, pulling me into a fierce hug. She shoots a wary glance toward where Leo Grimm holds court across the room, then returns her attention to me, her expression still gleeful, but now her eyes are haunted.