"Do you have anything to say about this?" he asked as he played the surveillance video for everyone to see. The footage clearly showed me leading my son to the pond, dragging him into the water and holding him down until he stopped struggling. Only then did I let go.
The moment the video ended, all eyes in the crowd turned towards me. Shock, anger and hatred filled their gazes. As I watched the video, a scene I had never witnessed before and faced the eyes of a crowd that seemed ready to tear me apart, I felt like I was reliving my previous life. That same feeling of utter helplessness and despair washed over me once again.
Before I could utter a single word, Ruby stormed toward me, her eyes burning with fury. She slapped me across the face, her voice shaking with rage. "Theo, are you even human? Ronan was your own son! He was only five years old! How could you do this to him?"
My wife's hand trembled, but her slap was forceful, leaving a sharp sting on my cheek. Her bloodshot eyes glared at me with pure hatred, as if she wished she could tear me apart. The scene was eerily familiar.