“Order in the court!”

The judge’s gavel struck, but the noise of the crowd refused to die down. Media swarmed the gallery, microphones and cameras clashing against each other, the spectacle too grand to ignore. The case of Everett vs. Cortez was already the talk of Manila.

Alexa sat rigidly beside Roman at the defendant’s table, her palms clammy. Roman leaned close, whispering.

“Don’t flinch. They want you to look weak.”

“I'm just nervous,” she hissed back, though her ...