Breaking Point

Intro Ella Hayes, 18, has always been the sweet girl quiet, diligent, and responsible. But everything unravels when she punches a boy at school for bullying a new girl, landing her in legal trouble. Her father, David, is stunned, and their already-strained relationship worsens when she refuses to explain herself. What no one knows is that Ella has been secretly buying study-enhancing pills from an older man to cope with academic stress. Her online job, supposedly to save for college, has been funding her habit. When the court case threatens to expose the dealer, Ella stays silent, unwilling to betray the promise she made to protect him, even at her own expense. Ella’s lawyer, a sharp and compassionate man in his 30s, is determined to clear her name. As the trial progresses, she finds herself drawn to his steady presence, though their connection is complicated by the circumstances. He notices her hesitance, her silence, and begins to suspect there’s more to the story. Meanwhile, David is torn. He doesn’t understand the daughter sitting silently in court, shackled and distant. As he works to uncover what’s truly happening, he’s forced to confront his own shortcomings as a father. Ella faces mounting pressure from all sides her father, the court, her peers, and her hidden guilt. The pills and her silence weigh heavy on her, but she fears that speaking the truth will destroy the lives of others. As the trial reaches its climax, Ella must decide: Will she protect the people she cares about, or will she finally fight for herself?