Fear had replaced every trace of confidence.
Judge Morrison slammed the gavel again.
“ORDER!”
The room finally quieted.
She turned her gaze toward the officers.
“Remove Mr. Marcus Blackwood from the courtroom.”
Marcus didn’t resist as they led him toward the exit.
But just before he reached the doors, he turned his head slightly.
And looked back at Richard.
Not with hatred.
Not even with regret.
With something else.
Something darker.
“You should thank me,” Marcus said quietly.
Richard stared at him.
“What?”
Marcus smirked.
“You really think this started six months ago?”
Before Richard could respond, the officers pushed Marcus through the doors.
And he was gone.
The courtroom buzzed again.
Judge Morrison leaned back in her chair, studying the room.
“This court will take a fifteen-minute recess while these new developments are reviewed.”
She struck the gavel.
“Court is in recess.”
The room erupted into chaos.
Reporters rushed for the hallway.
Lawyers gathered into frantic discussions.
Court staff hurried between desks.
But in the middle of the storm stood one very small, very quiet figure.
Emily.
She still stood near the witness stand, clutching the edge of the wooden railing.
Richard noticed her.
For the first time since the chaos began.
He slowly walked toward her.
His lawyer tried to stop him.
“Richard, maybe you shouldn’t—”
But Richard raised a hand.
“It’s fine.”
He approached the girl carefully.
Up close, she looked even more fragile.
But her green eyes were still steady.
Still watching him.
“You’re Emily,” he said softly.
She nodded.
“Yes.”
Richard crouched slightly so they were eye level.
“Thank you,” he said.
Emily hesitated.
Then she asked something unexpected.
“Are you mad?”
Richard blinked.
“Mad?”
“That the baby isn’t yours.”
The question was so simple it caught him off guard.
He thought about it for a moment.
Then he shook his head slowly.
“No.”
Emily studied his face.
“Why not?”
Richard gave a tired smile.
“Because the truth is better than a lie.”
Emily seemed to think about that.
Then she nodded.
“My mom says that too.”
Richard’s attention sharpened.
“Your mom,” he said gently. “You said she’s in the hospital?”
Emily nodded again.
“She got hurt.”
“How?”
Emily’s fingers twisted together again.
“She worked for Mrs. Victoria.”
Richard felt a chill crawl down his spine.
“What do you mean?”
Emily took a breath.
“My mom was her assistant.”
That made several nearby reporters turn their heads.
Richard’s voice dropped.
“And she gave you the envelope?”
Emily nodded.
“She said if something happened to her, I had to bring it here.”
James Patterson, Richard’s lawyer, stepped closer now.
“What’s your mother’s name?” he asked.
Emily looked at him.
“Laura Bennett.”
Patterson froze.
Richard noticed immediately.
“You know that name?” Richard asked.
Patterson nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
His voice was suddenly tense.
“Richard… Laura Bennett was Victoria’s personal assistant for nearly ten years.”
Richard felt the unease growing.
“Why does that matter?”
Patterson lowered his voice.
“Because she disappeared three weeks ago.”
