We walked toward the glass doors that led to the courthouse elevators.

My heels clicked against the damp concrete, the sound echoing off the low ceiling.

With every step, the weight of the situation pressed harder against my shoulders.

Grant’s legal team was already inside.

They had three senior partners from the city’s top family law firm.

I only had Nathan, a man I barely knew, and a lie that was unraveling before we even reached the courtroom.

We stepped into the elevator.

A man in a sharp grey suit stood near the buttons, holding a leather briefcase.

He looked at Nathan, then his eyes flicked down to me and Rosie.

I saw the spark of recognition in his eyes.

He had seen the news article on his phone.

He quickly looked away, staring up at the floor indicator lights.

The silence in the elevator was suffocating.

Rosie buried her face in my shoulder, sensing the tension.

The elevator chimed as we reached the third floor.

The doors slid open.

The hallway was a sea of marble and bright fluorescent lights.