Why My Family Tried to Sign Away My Life Without My Consent
“I should have done this a long time ago,” he said, touching my shoulder.
“I was afraid of the fallout.”
“But when she went after your life, I couldn’t stay quiet anymore.”
Sarah smiled at us, packing her papers neatly.
“This is going well,” she said.
“The judge is going to throw out their petition.”
I felt a sudden weight lift from my shoulders.
For the first time in years, the sky outside the window looked clear.
But then my phone buzzed in my pocket.
I took it out and looked at the screen.
It was a text message from an unknown number.
I opened it.
There was a photo of the front door of my high-rise apartment.
The door was slightly ajar, the security latch broken.
Below the photo was a single line of text.
“You should have stayed in the Bahamas, Captain.”
I stared at the screen, the warmth draining from my face.
I looked up at my father, then at Sarah.
The courtroom doors began to open again.
The bailiff announced the judge’s return.
I showed the phone screen to Sarah.