“Is this something that cannot wait?”

Vance looked back at Grant, then at Evelyn, who sat upright in the first row of the gallery.

Evelyn’s face was a mask of cold stone, her pearls gleaming against her high-necked jacket.

She caught my eye and gave a slow, deliberate nod.

It was the same cold look she had given me years ago when she told me I didn’t belong in her family.

“It concerns a matter of public record that has just surfaced online, Your Honor,” Vance said.

My heart hammered against my ribs.

Nathan reached under the table and found my hand, squeezing it once.

His palm was dry, his grip unyielding.

“Whatever they have, Emily, we stand our ground,” Nathan whispered, barely moving his lips.

The judge looked at our table.

Our lawyer, Sarah Jenkins, stood up.

“Your Honor, we are prepared to proceed,” Sarah said, her voice clear and resonant.

“My client has waited months for this day.”

“The custody of a six-year-old child should not be delayed by internet rumors.”

Judge Miller tapped his wooden gavel once, a sharp sound that made me jump.