LOGIN"And the contract was withdrawn shortly after." "Yes." "How did you interpret that?" "She followed through." Cole objected. Speculation. Sustained. "Ms. Holloway. Across three years of events. How would you describe Alicia Valentine's manner?" "Controlled. Always controlled. She was never visi
Her smile faltering. A shadow passing across it. "Because I want you to understand—" "No." A step closer. "You are here because you are terrified. Because despite everything. Despite the photo. Despite Edward sleeping with you. Despite wearing his grandmother's necklace. You're still not his wife.
Alicia's POV The screen came on. The photography gallery. Museum lighting. Artwork on the walls. I was already there when Lucy walked in. I watched myself from across a courtroom. The navy gown. Hair up. Standing in front of a photograph of a woman whose face was half in shadow. Lucy stopped be
"No." She picked up one page from her table. Set it back down without reading it. The movement of someone who had taken in every word long before this moment and no longer needed to see them again. "Mr. Valentine. You called Alicia Valentine thirteen times that morning." "Yes." "She didn't answe
Edward's POV Four steps to Cole's table. Folder down. His hand moved over it without looking up. Done. Seven more to the stand. I sat. Adjusted once for the shoulder. Hands open on the railing. The sling pulled across my chest and I left it. Cole stood at the podium. "Mr. Valentine. Please sta
Judge Harmon returned at fourteen minutes. She set the folder on her bench and read without acknowledging either side. Two pages. She closed it. "The exhibit will be admitted with the following limitation. The jury is instructed that Exhibit D is to be considered only in the context of witness tes
"That must have been stressful. It's admirable that you're here today despite what your family is going through." His tone carried real sympathy, and it slipped past the armor I'd worked so hard to keep in place. Because yes, it had been stressful. Terrifying, actually. And I was here because Edwar
Alicia's POV I'd been sitting in the living room for hours when Edward's car came into the drive, the sound muted in the late evening quiet. The afternoon had passed in a strange kind of numbness. After returning from the hospital, I went to our bedroom to put away the few things I'd packed for th
Edward's POV Sunlight hit my face through curtains I didn't recognize. I blinked awake, disoriented, taking in the guest room at my mother's house. The same dark wood furniture from my teenage years, the same heavy drapes, the same view of the rose garden through tall windows. Everything familiar
When had it happened? The night after the charity dinner, when Edward had drunk too much wine and actually remembered I existed for twenty minutes? My birthday, when he'd given me the obligatory gift of brief, mechanical intimacy? Or that night three weeks ago, before Lucy returned, when he'd almost







