Chapter 8

When Celine woke up in the hospital, pain ripped through her whole body.

"You're awake?" The nurse pulled back the curtain. "Your uterus was badly damaged. We were able to save you, but you lost the baby.

"And you won't be able to get pregnant again. Get plenty of rest."

'Baby?'

Celine stared blankly.

Her periods had always been irregular, and last month's never came.

She'd taken a pregnancy test, tossed it in a drawer, then completely forgot to check it with everything going on.

After three years of trying, fertility meds, and treatment after treatment...

She'd finally gotten the baby she wanted.

Celine closed her eyes.

Then a thought hit her. 'How long was I out?'

"What's the date?"

"The seventeenth. One in the afternoon."

The nurse put away her chart and left.

Celine forced herself upright.

'Dad's hearing started half an hour ago!'

Pain made her vision go black, but she pushed through it and grabbed a cab to the courthouse.

She was about to rush inside when someone caught her as she swayed.

"There's no point going in."

Derrick spoke from behind her.

Calm.

Cold.

Empty.

"The case is over."

Celine snapped her head up and met his unreadable stare.

Derrick stared at her deathly pale face, giving nothing away.

"Court isn't a game, Celine. No one's going to sit around waiting for you to clean up your mistakes."

Jenny popped out from beside him.

"Cece, you didn't even show up for your own dad's hearing? That's pretty careless, don't you think?

"You should've seen him in there all alone. He looked so pathetic!"

The notes Celine had spent sleepless nights preparing slipped from her hand and scattered across the floor.

Every time she found a little hope, it was ripped away again.

This time, she broke.

"Why?! Derrick, why couldn't you just help me once...?"

She jerked her head up, eyes red, and slapped him as hard as she could.

"That's my dad! He didn't do it!

"Why won't you believe me?!"

Her words broke apart as tears streamed down her bloodshot face.

She'd just lost their only baby and spent two days unconscious in the hospital.

And during those same two days, her husband had been busy sending her dad to prison.

What a joke.

Derrick's head snapped to the side, his cheek quickly turning red.

"Are you done?! Court runs on evidence and procedure. You're the one who showed up late.

"How is that anyone else's fault?"

Derrick shoved her away and grabbed a bottle of ice water.

Then he dumped it over her head.

"Calm down!"

Celine shuddered from the cold, but Derrick didn't even look back.

His footsteps faded, leaving her there shaking.

Even through the pain, she forced herself to visit her dad at the detention center.

Behind the glass, George looked worn out, but he still managed a smile.

"Celine, it's okay. It's only three years. They'll be over before you know it...

"Don't fight with Derrick over this. He doesn't know I was framed.

"Don't wreck your own life because of me. Just live well..."

Celine pressed her hand against the glass until her knuckles went white.

'After everything Derrick did, how am I supposed to stay with him?'

She shook her head and swallowed her tears.

"Dad, we're done. Just wait for me. I'll get your conviction overturned. I swear."

Celine slowly stood and looked at the wreck staring back at her in the mirror.

She had nothing left.

So she'd risk everything.

Even herself.

Taking a breath, she reached into the hidden pocket of her purse and pulled out the gold-embossed business card with shaking fingers.

She called.

He answered almost immediately.

"Celine?"

His voice was deep and calm.

Celine shoved down the hatred burning inside her and got straight to it.

"It's me. Mr. Harrison, I need your help.

"First, get Derrick to sign the divorce papers.

"Second, help clear my dad's name and overturn his conviction."

Hank gave a quiet chuckle.

"Then we have a deal."