Thomas’s lawyer stood up. “Your Honor, this is an unverified recording, likely taken out of context—”

“The thumb drive with the original audio is attached to the back of the binder,” Mr. Harrison said calmly. “We are happy to play it for the court.”

Judge Miller opened the binder and began to read the transcript.

The courtroom was completely silent except for the rustle of paper.

I watched Thomas’s face turn from confident to a pale, sickly gray.

“Furthermore,” Mr. Harrison said, “we have included an email chain between Mr. Harper and the biological mother, Rebecca, dating back to the week of Caroline’s birth.”

Judge Miller turned the pages in his binder.

“These emails show that Mr. Harper actively forced the biological mother to abandon the child due to her physical limb difference,” Mr. Harrison said. “He threatened her with financial ruin if she ever attempted to contact the family.”

Thomas stood up, his chair scraping loudly against the linoleum floor. “This is a fabrication! Those emails are ancient history, and they’ve been doctored!”

“Sit down, Mr. Harper,” Judge Miller said, his voice flat and cold.