“Yes, Your Honor,” I replied, my voice steady. “And I have something else.”
The courtroom shifted. A collective gasp filled the air as I stood slowly, my chair scraping softly against the floor. I carefully removed my blazer and lifted the hem of my shirt at my left shoulder, where the fabric met my skin.
“Permission to show it to the court?” I asked quietly.
Judge Keane nodded once, her expression unchanged. “Proceed.”
I lifted the cloth just enough to reveal the pale, raised scar carved into my shoulder. The room fell into complete silence.