I sat in the rocking chair beside her, watching her in the glow of the nightlight.

My phone screen lit up in the darkness.

It was an alert from a local news outlet.

*Prominent Philadelphia Developer Nolan Pierce Arrested on Federal Fraud Charges.*

I clicked the screen off, throwing the phone onto the changing table.

For the first time in months, the house felt quiet.

Really quiet.

But the silence didn’t feel dangerous anymore.

It felt like a beginning.

I closed my eyes and let myself drift, listening to my daughter’s breath.

By Monday, the rain had cleared, leaving the air cold and sharp.

I dressed in a dark blue suit I hadn’t worn since before my pregnancy.

It was slightly loose around my waist, but it was clean and sharp.

I tied my hair back into a tight knot.

Marcus was waiting for me at the curb at eight in the morning.

“Are you ready?” he asked as I got into the back seat.

“Yes,” I said.

We drove down to the law offices of Bennett & Cole.

The conference room on the fortieth floor was already prepared.