"And the financial records? The emails?"
Maya's expression hardened. "People like Richard Whitmore think they're untouchable, so they get sloppy. The emails were in a wrongful termination lawsuit filed two years ago—public record if you know where to look. The financial records... well, let's just say Mr. Hutchinson should use stronger passwords than his birthday."
"You hacked?"
"I utilized publicly available information," Maya corrected firmly. "Everything I found was legal to access. That's the irony: they broke laws to frame my father, but I followed every rule to expose them."
A veteran legal correspondent leaned forward. "Maya, what you did today... seasoned attorneys with decades of experience couldn't have done it better. How did you stay so composed?"
For the first time, Maya's mask slipped. She was, for a moment, just a 13-year-old girl who'd carried an impossible weight. "I wasn't composed. I was terrified every second. But Dad always taught me that courage isn't about not being scared. It's about doing what's right despite the fear."
"What's next for you?" someone asked.
"School on Monday," Maya said simply. "I have a history test."
Everyone laughed, breaking the tension.
"But seriously," the reporter continued, "law schools will be fighting over you. Have you thought about your future?"
Maya exchanged glances with her father. "Today taught me something. The law isn't just about books and courtrooms. It's about people. It's about making sure what happened to my dad doesn't happen to anyone else. So yes, I'll probably become a lawyer, but not the kind who works in towers like Whitmore and Associates. The kind who works for people like us."
As the interview wound down, Judge Eleanor Whitmore appeared in the doorway. The reporters tensed, sensing another story.
"Might I have a word with Miss Thompson?" the judge asked quietly. "Alone."
Maya looked at her father, who nodded. The room cleared, leaving just the 13-year-old girl and the 65-year-old judge.
"I owe you an apology," Judge Whitmore began. "And your father. I let my family connection cloud my judgment. I should have recused myself immediately."