Chapter 13 - The Subpoena
The highly official, heavily stamped federal subpoena arrived in the mail exactly two months before the massive criminal trial was officially scheduled to begin.
I was legally, absolutely required to physically return to Portland and testify directly against Liam in front of a judge, a jury, and his ruthless lawyer.
Brenda sat beside me as I opened the heavy envelope, gently placing her supportive hand on my violently shaking shoulder to ground me.
"You are incredibly strong, Claire, and telling the absolute truth on that stand is the only way to completely end his reign of terror," she said softly.
I spent the entire month meticulously preparing with the federal prosecutor via secure video calls, entirely bracing myself for the brutal cross-examination I would face.
The prosecutor warned me that the defense would aggressively attack my mental health, my professional nursing record, and completely twist my sudden disappearance against me.
"They are going to call you a crazy, highly vindictive liar, but you must remain completely calm and stick entirely to the absolute facts," he advised.
I practiced reciting the horrific timeline of abuse over and over again, completely forcing myself to emotionally detach from the incredibly painful, violent memories.
I booked a highly secure hotel room in downtown Portland entirely under a completely fake corporate name, absolutely refusing to let anyone know where I was staying.
The night before I was scheduled to fly back to Oregon, I couldn't sleep a single wink, violently tossing and turning in my small shelter bed.
I was absolutely terrified of seeing his cold, dead eyes again, completely fearing that simply being in his physical presence would paralyze me entirely.
But I tightly gripped the small burner phone that held the massive insurance photos, entirely drawing absolute, pure strength from the undeniable evidence I possessed.
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He had completely tried to murder me for a massive payout, and I was going to use his own greedy arrogance to completely destroy him.
I packed my small, simple suitcase with absolute, entirely unwavering determination, officially ready to finally return to the city that almost became my graveyard.
