I found a baby aband0ned in my apartment hallway and raised him as my own.

“Thank you, Your Honor,” he began, his voice steady and calm despite the storm swirling around us. He looked at me first, his eyes full of a love that felt like a physical embrace, before turning to face Charlotte.

“I don’t remember you,” he said bluntly, “and I won’t pretend to understand the reasons behind why I was left. But I do know who I am because of the woman who raised me.”

The courtroom was silent, all eyes on the young man who had captured their attention not with drama, but with dignity.