She knew that if she lied under oath, she would go to prison alongside him.

She stood up slowly, her knees shaking.

“Vanessa,” Grant hissed, his voice loud enough for the judge to hear. “Don’t you dare.”

“Quiet, Mr. Holloway,” the judge barked.

Vanessa walked to the witness stand and took the oath.

Her voice was barely a whisper when she swore to tell the truth.

Margaret approached the stand.

“Ms. Albright, you are the personal assistant to Grant Holloway, correct?”

“Yes,” Vanessa said.

“And you have been in a personal relationship with him?”

“Yes.”

“Were you involved in the planning of the custody transfer today?”

Vanessa swallowed hard. She looked at the judge, then at me.

There was a long silence.

The rain tapped against the high arched windows of the courtroom.

“Yes,” Vanessa said.

“And what was the purpose of moving the children from the hospital?” Margaret asked.

Grant glared at Vanessa, his eyes wide with a desperate fury.

“Grant told me we had to get the babies out of the hospital,” Vanessa said.

Her voice grew stronger, though it trembled.