### **Chapter 8: The Appeal**
Justice wasn't about winning. Elle Hoods knew that better than anyone.
The mock trial was over. The verdict had been read. Yet as Elle walked through Harvard's halls, she knew the real fight had only just begun. The system didn't change with one case, one argument, or one moment of clarity. It changed when someone refused to let it settle.
That was why she wasn't done.
The professor called her to his office later that evening. His expression was measured, curiosity laced with caution. "You made quite an impression today."
Elle didn't bother pretending to be flattered. "Was that the goal?"
He leaned back. "Most students aim to prove their legal competence. You seem to be proving something else."
Elle met his gaze. "Competence isn't the issue. The issue is whether the law serves the people or just the process."
Silence.
Then, a faint smirk. "You believe the system can be changed?"
Elle exhaled. "No. I believe it *must* be."
The professor nodded slowly. "That's a dangerous belief."
Elle smiled. "Only if it works."
Harvard Law wanted her to learn the rules. Elle Hoods was here to rewrite them. And she wasn't stopping anytime soon.