Ethan was whispering urgently to his lawyer, but the lawyer was barely listening, his face grim.

Behind them, Vanessa was packing her things into her bag.

She stood up and tried to slip out the back of the courtroom.

But as she reached the double doors, two men in dark suits stepped into her path.

They wore badges on their lapels.

One of them spoke to her in a low voice, and Vanessa’s face went completely white.

She looked back at me, her eyes wide with terror.

She wanted me to stand up, to tell them it was a mistake, to save her.

I sat still, keeping my hands resting flat on the table.

The agent took Vanessa by the elbow and guided her out of the courtroom.

I knew what was coming next for her.

The foundation’s assets would be frozen by the end of the day.

Ethan’s firm would be seized.

The lifestyle she had sold her soul to protect was gone.

The trial continued for another three hours, a steady parade of numbers, bank statements, and shell company registries.