Chapter 2

Three days later, I took the day off so I could go to court with Dad.

"Once I get my wages back, I can buy your mom a few new outfits. And I'll finally be able to help buy your cousin, Heather, a computer for her college applications."

The thought of finally recovering his money had lifted Dad's spirits. He talked excitedly the entire way there.

When we arrived at the courthouse on time, Mark, who had spoken to Dad just the day before, was nowhere to be found. No matter how many times we called, he didn't answer.

"Maybe Mr. Fleming got the time wrong?"

Dad sat at the plaintiff's table, anxiously picking at the thick calluses on his hands. He looked at me.

"Claire was the one who contacted Mr. Fleming. Why don't you call her and ask what's going on?"

Before I could reach Claire, the courtroom doors opened.

But the man who walked in wasn't Mark. It was the attorney Nicholas had just hired.

Spencer Hunt, the intern Claire had been staying late to mentor and whose thesis she had been helping revise.

At the same time, Mark finally answered his phone.

"I'm sorry, Josh. Ms. Doyle sent me out of town at the last minute to handle another case. I won't be able to represent your father today."

The call ended just as Spencer's voice rang through the courtroom.

"Your Honor, I'm counsel for the defendant, Nicholas Webb, from Doyle & Associates. The defense is ready to proceed."

Doyle & Associates. Counsel for the defendant...

The words crushed every last bit of hope Dad had carried into the courtroom.

"Josh, Doyle & Associates... Isn't that Claire's firm? What is she trying to do?"

It felt like a fist had slammed into my chest.

I never imagined Claire would break her promise without warning, much less send Spencer to turn Dad from the plaintiff into the target of a counterclaim.

"The defense is filing a counterclaim against the plaintiff, Mr. Felix Cooper, in this labor dispute. The grounds for the counterclaim are as follows. First, during his employment, Mr. Cooper led his crew in violating construction regulations, resulting in substandard work and direct financial losses to my client."

Spencer continued without a trace of mercy.

"Second, Mr. Cooper used inferior materials during construction and deliberately misrepresented them as compliant, constituting a serious breach of contract. Third… Fourth...

"In light of the above, the defense requests that the court order Felix Cooper to pay my client a total of 100 thousand dollars in damages."

The hearing lasted two hours.

Dad had no attorney, and not a single witness dared speak on his behalf.

Even when I tried to object, I was deliberately cut off.

Dad stood there alone, struggling to explain himself. The more anxious he became, the harder it was for him to get the words out.

By the end, the judge's expression had shifted from sympathy to impatience.

We lost.

In the span of a single hearing, the 24 thousand dollars Dad was owed had turned into a 100-thousand-dollar judgment against him.

Now, he was the one being ordered to compensate Nicholas for damages.

When we walked out of the courthouse, Dad clutched the ruling in his trembling hands.

"It's okay, Dad. It's okay... I'll figure something out."

I gripped his hand, my chest tightening with every tremor that ran through him.

Just then, a black Mercedes pulled up in front of us.

The moment Dad saw Claire step out, his lifeless eyes brightened. Still clutching the ruling, he hurried toward her.

"Claire, did you come to help me..."

But Claire walked straight past him, then past me.

She opened an umbrella and stopped in front of Spencer.

"You did great. You must be exhausted. I made a reservation at your favorite restaurant to celebrate."

Spencer smiled and fell into step beside her. "I couldn't have pulled off that counterclaim without your help preparing the evidence."

"You would've won, anyway. I just helped you tighten things up."

They laughed and talked as they descended the courthouse steps, oblivious to everyone around them.

My nails dug into my palms as I shouted after Claire, "Claire, are you deaf? Can't you hear Dad calling you?"

The air went still.

Nicholas emerged from the courthouse, his gaze moving between Claire and Dad.

"Ms. Doyle, you know that guy?"

Claire didn't even look up. "Nope."

Nicholas visibly relaxed, then he turned and glared viciously at Dad.

"You hear that, old man? The hotshot lawyer says she doesn't know you. You've got a lot of nerve pretending you two are close! Look at yourself. You're nowhere near her level."

Dad's face turned scarlet. His lips trembled, but he couldn't force out a single word.

"Claire, how can you be this cruel?!" I shouted again.

She paused for only a second before Spencer said, "I'm hungry."

Without hesitation, she got into the Mercedes and drove away.

Dad stood on the courthouse steps, gripping the ruling as his body began to sway.

"Dad?" I ran over and caught him. "Dad, what's wrong?"

He looked at me, tears shining in his cloudy eyes, but none of them fell. "Josh, did I embarrass you?"

My eyes instantly burned. "No, of course not..."

"Then why... Why won't Claire admit she knows me?"

Even after I took him home, I still couldn't give him an answer.

For the first time in my life, I hated myself for being so powerless and for loving the wrong person.