My heart dropped.
Across the aisle, Vanessa slowly raised her eyes.
Our gazes met.
For most of the hearing, she had looked fragile.
Ashamed.
Remorseful.
But for the briefest moment, when the judge wasn’t looking, something changed.
The tears disappeared.
The sadness vanished.
And the corner of her mouth lifted.
Just slightly.
It wasn’t a happy smile.
It was the smile of someone who believed everything was going exactly according to plan.
Three weeks earlier, that same woman had stood in my kitchen and made me an offer I would never forget.
An offer involving my company.
My grandsons.
And a threat that had kept me awake every night since.
But the judge hadn’t heard everything yet.
I could feel panic climbing into my throat.
What if the evidence wasn’t enough?
What if Vanessa convinced him she had changed?
What if the court gave her another chance?
