“At 3 a.m., I jolted awake when I heard my daughter’s bedroom door click open. My husband slipped inside quietly, just like every night. My hands trembling, I opened the hidden camera app I had secretly placed inside her stuffed animal a few days earlier… ‘Daddy… please don’t…’

“You’re doing remarkably well,” Miranda said. “Most mothers in your position can barely speak. Your clarity will make a difference.”

Fiona felt hollow, yet she nodded, focusing on staying composed for Serena’s sake. Across the table, Dr. Nathaniel Kerr, the child psychologist who had interviewed Serena, offered his assessment.

“She trusts you deeply,” Dr. Kerr said. “The fact that she opened up quickly is a positive sign. She is frightened but not broken.”

Fiona exhaled shakily. “I should have acted sooner.”

“Do not blame yourself,” Dr. Kerr replied. “Your observation and action were extraordinary. Many children never get a voice.”

The legal process loomed large: emergency protective orders, forensic interviews, custody hearings, criminal proceedings. Fiona had to navigate each step while supporting her daughter. She feared Julian’s defense, knowing he could manipulate perceptions and charm the court.