*Day 2*
The morning sun glinted off the courthouse steps as Lillian Parker adjusted her blazer nervously.
She and Chloe had arrived early, taking seats near the middle of the gallery.
The room buzzed with whispers, flashes of cameras from journalists stationed behind the glass partitions.
"I still can't believe we're here," Lillian murmured, clutching her bag tightly.
Chloe leaned closer.
"It's going to be okay. Sebastian knows what he's doing."
Lillian swallowed.
"I know. But… him being there, testifying about Ethan… it feels so real now."
Chloe squeezed her hand.
"You'll survive this. And so will he. Just… breathe."
The doors opened, and a hush fell over the room.
Sebastian Wolfe entered, his tailored suit impeccable, his posture rigid but controlled.
Even from across the room, he radiated authority.
Lillian's chest tightened.
She wanted to reach out to him, to give him some comfort.
Instead, she squeezed Chloe's hand, letting herself draw strength from him silently.
Sebastian paused just inside the courtroom, scanning the gallery.
His eyes met Lillian's for a fleeting moment.
She felt a shiver run through her — calm, protective, as if he knew she was there and that she needed him, even if he couldn't speak.
The judge called the session to order. Sebastian was sworn in.
He walked to the witness stand with steady steps.
Lillian watched him closely, noticing how even under the scrutiny of cameras, reporters, and the courtroom audience, he remained composed.
"Mr. Wolfe," the prosecutor began, "please describe the events of May 12th, when you were attacked outside Sovereign Technologies."
Sebastian's jaw tightened slightly.
"I was leaving the building. It was late afternoon. The streets were relatively quiet."
His voice was steady, controlled.
"Ethan Bennett… approached me suddenly and attacked. I was caught off guard. He struck me with force before security intervened."
Lillian flinched at the word attacked, her stomach knotting.
She could almost feel the impact he described.
Chloe placed a hand over hers, a grounding presence, but Lillian's eyes never left Sebastian.
"Was anyone else present?" the prosecutor asked.
"Security responded immediately," Sebastian said.
"But the attack was quick. I sustained injuries that required medical attention."
Lillian's heart pounded.
She remembered the hospital stay, the fear that had gripped her.
Seeing him recount it now — calm, authoritative — made her chest ache with relief that he had survived, and pride at how composed he remained.
The defense attorney leaned forward.
"Mr. Wolfe, can you confirm your relationship with Lillian Parker?"
Sebastian's gaze flicked briefly to Lillian, softening.
"Yes. She is my… partner."
His tone was careful, formal, but there was unmistakable warmth for only her.
Lillian's cheeks heated.
She ducked slightly, grateful for the distance the courtroom demanded.
She could feel the gaze of reporters from the gallery, but Sebastian's eyes — sharp, protective — anchored her.
"Did the defendant, Mr. Bennett, show any intent to harm you beyond the physical assault?" the prosecutor continued.
"Yes," Sebastian said evenly.
"He targeted me deliberately. There was malice in his actions. He intended serious injury."
The gallery murmured, flashes flickering.
Lillian hugged her knees for a moment, feeling a mix of anxiety and admiration.
Even under pressure, Sebastian's voice was unwavering, commanding the room's attention.
The defense attorney leaned forward.
"Mr. Wolfe, is it true your relationship with Miss Parker provoked this attack?"
Sebastian's lips curved faintly.
"No. Ethan acted on his own delusions. My relationship with Miss Parker has never endangered her safety — that is precisely why security intervened immediately."
Lillian exhaled quietly, grateful for his careful words.
She didn't want to feel like a target in the courtroom, and Sebastian ensured she wasn't.
When the break came, Sebastian stepped down from the stand.
Cameras flashed, reporters shouted questions, and the noise surged.
Lillian instinctively moved to the side, but he subtly positioned himself between her and the press.
"Stay close," he murmured under his breath, his hand brushing hers lightly.
Protective, grounding, intimate.
"I can't believe you're calm," she whispered as they walked to her seat.
"I have to be," he replied softly.
"For me. And for you."
Ethan Bennett sat in handcuffs, glaring at Sebastian, anger and jealousy clear in his eyes.
He couldn't approach, couldn't reach him, but the tension in the room was palpable.
Sebastian continued his testimony, recounting the attack step by step.
Lillian noted how he never flinched, never faltered, and yet every glance toward the gallery softened only for her.
Every look was reassurance: I'm okay. We're okay.
During a short recess, Lillian whispered to Chloe, "He… he's incredible. Even now, he's… untouchable."
Chloe smiled.
"That's Sebastian. Calm in a storm. And he's protecting you without making a scene. You can let him."
"I just… I wish I could tell him how proud I am," Lillian murmured, "how much I care."
"He knows," Chloe said gently.
"In your eyes. In the way you watch him."
Back in the courtroom, the trial resumed.
Security, media, and the judge all witnessed Sebastian's composure as he described Ethan's aggression — clearly fueled by his obsession with Lillian.
When the day ended, Sebastian returned to the gallery.
His hand brushed hers lightly, guiding her past the press and cameras.
"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.
"I am now," she whispered.
"You… handled that perfectly."
"I had to," he said softly.
"For me. For you."
Her heart swelled.
"Thank you. For everything."
He leaned down slightly, brushing a kiss against her temple.
"Always."
Outside, the chaos of the press swirled, but he shielded her, hand on her back as they walked to the car.
Lillian pressed her hand to his arm, grateful, safe, and profoundly aware of his presence.
"Tomorrow is another day," he murmured, eyes meeting hers.
"We'll face it together."
Lillian smiled, heart light.
"Together."
For the first time since the attack, with Ethan in handcuffs and cameras flashing, she felt a sense of peace.
Safe.
Seen.
Protected.
Loved.