Chapter 18

Chapter 18

~ Mirabella ~

The courthouse smelled like cold metal and floor polish. I sat on the hard bench, knees pressed together, hands twisted in my lap like they might unravel if I let go. The room was too quiet—an anxious kind of quiet that pressed against my ears and made my pulse pound louder than it should have.

My eyes kept flicking toward the double doors.

Any moment now.

Cole would walk in.

He had to.

I’d left him five voicemails. I told him everything. Well, almost everything. I poured my pride into a blender and served him whatever was left of me, desperate and raw and choking on my own confessions. He had to come. He said he would come.

Right?

The clock on the wall ticked louder than it needed to. Every passing second jabbed needles into my skin.

Rows of people filed into the courtroom. Ethan entered first, dressed in a sharp navy suit, the picture of a respectable father. Sienna followed closely, her red lips curled into something almost pleasant, if I