I walked into court eight months pregnant, thinking the worst thing I’d face was a

The courtroom was a cavernous space, but right now it felt suffocating, the air pressing down with a tangible weight. The bailiff nodded to Judge Hart, stepping forward to close the heavy oak doors. The sound of them shutting reverberated through the room like a final judgment, sealing us in together and sealing everyone else out. The wood’s echo seemed to hang in the air, a reminder that this was now an arena, and the battle was about to begin.

My heart pounded in my chest, both from the physical blow and the shock of recognition. Judge Ryan Hart—my father. A man who had vanished from my life when I was just a child, leaving behind only whispers and fragments of memory. I hadn’t known he was here, hadn’t known he held such a position of power. Our lives had diverged so completely that seeing him in that role was as surreal as it was terrifying.

Ethan shot me a puzzled glance, clearly wondering why the judge’s focus was so intently on me. Vanessa, too, shifted uneasily, sensing the mood in the room change, the smirk slipping from her face.