LOGIN"And the contract was withdrawn shortly after."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
I set the phone down on the counter carefully, as if it might explode if I moved too quickly. The kitchen tilted slightly. Or maybe I did. I needed to move. Do something. Anything. Upstairs. Clothes. I had to— My legs carried me before I finished the thought. One step. Another. The stairs stretc
Alicia’s POV I stayed in the kitchen long after the sound of Edward’s car faded. The coffee in my cup had gone cold. I hadn’t taken a sip in fifteen minutes. I’d seen it, the way his mouth opened, the pause, the subtle hesitation before he turned away, then the door closing behind him. That soun
The careful way he’d explained it away. Business. Optics. History. I wasn't crazy. He'd been lying the whole time. I don’t know how long I sat there. Could’ve been five minutes. Could’ve been twenty. Eventually, the sobs slowed. Stopped. I wiped my face with my sleeve. It came away soaked. My
“Thank you.” Thank you. Like I’d done him a favor. Like this was a choice. He moved past me toward the stairs and paused at the first step. “Have you eaten?” The question landed wrong. Absurd. As if we were normal. As if concern meant anything this late, this hollow. “Not yet.” “You shoul







