As Mr. Carter’s trial approached, I prepared to support Lily in any way she needed. She was stronger now, standing tall, no longer defined by what happened to her but by how she rose from it.

And I knew, with absolute certainty, that we had done the right thing. We had taken down a predator, not just for Lily, but for every child who deserved to feel safe in their own school. We had turned whispers into a roar, one that echoed far beyond our small town, a reminder that even the most powerful could be brought to justice.