And looked over her shoulder.
“You still haven’t figured it out, have you?” she said.
Richard frowned.
“Figured what out?”
Victoria’s smile widened.
“The real secret.”
Then she returned to her seat.
Ten minutes later, Judge Morrison returned.
The courtroom settled again.
But the tension now felt completely different.
This was no longer a divorce case.
Judge Morrison looked down at the documents again.
“Based on the new evidence submitted,” she said, “the court is suspending the financial ruling until further investigation is conducted.”
Richard felt the weight on his chest lighten slightly.
But the judge wasn’t finished.
“The Chicago Police Department will now open a criminal investigation into the matters revealed in this courtroom.”
She glanced toward Victoria.
“Ms. Blackwood, you are ordered to remain in the city until further notice.”
Victoria crossed her arms calmly.
“Of course.”
Judge Morrison then turned toward Emily.
Her voice softened slightly.
“Young lady… you’ve brought extremely serious evidence to this court today.”
Emily nodded nervously.
Judge Morrison looked toward Richard.
“Mr. Blackwood, do you know this child?”
Richard hesitated.
“No.”
Emily looked down.
Judge Morrison turned to the bailiff.
“Contact Child Protective Services. We need to make sure she’s safe until her mother recovers.”
Emily’s head snapped up.
“I don’t want to leave!”
Richard crouched beside her again.
“It’s okay,” he said gently.
Emily shook her head quickly.
“My mom said I should stay with you.”
Richard blinked.
“With me?”
Emily nodded.
“She said you’re the only person she trusts.”
That surprised him.
He had never met Laura Bennett.
Or had he?
His lawyer suddenly cleared his throat.
“Your Honor,” Patterson said slowly.
“There may be… another matter we should address.”
Judge Morrison looked at him.
“What matter?”
Patterson hesitated.
Then he handed the judge one of the documents from the envelope.
Judge Morrison read it.
Her eyes narrowed.
Then she looked up slowly.
“Mr. Blackwood…”
Richard felt a chill.
“Yes?”
The judge held up the paper.
“This appears to be a DNA report.”
Richard frowned.
“The one proving the baby isn’t mine?”
“No.”
Her voice had changed.
“This is a different DNA report.”
The courtroom leaned forward.
Judge Morrison continued reading.
“The test compares two samples.”
Richard’s heart began to pound.
“Which samples?”
Judge Morrison looked directly at him.
“One from you.”
“And one from the child.”
The room went completely silent.
Richard’s brain struggled to process the words.
“What child?”
The judge slowly lowered the document.
Then she looked toward Emily.
And said the sentence that stunned everyone in the room.
“According to this report…”
Her voice was steady.
“…Emily Bennett is your biological daughter.”
The courtroom exploded.
“What?!”
“Did she just say—?”
Reporters nearly fell over themselves trying to type faster.
Richard felt like the floor had vanished beneath him.
“That’s impossible.”
Emily looked up at him with wide eyes.
“Am I…?”
Richard stepped back slowly.
His mind raced.
He had never met Laura Bennett.
Never had an affair.
Never—
Then something surfaced in his memory.
A charity gala.
Eight years ago.
A young assistant bringing documents to his office late at night.
Laura Bennett.
Judge Morrison continued reading.
“The DNA match probability is 99.98 percent.”
Richard stared at Emily.
She stared back.
Those green eyes.
The same shade as his own mother’s.
Emily spoke quietly.
“Does that mean…”
Her voice trembled.
“…you’re my dad?”
Richard didn’t know what to say.
Across the courtroom, Victoria began laughing softly.
It was not a pleasant sound.
“Oh Richard,” she said.
“You really didn’t know.”
Richard turned toward her slowly.
“What are you talking about?”
Victoria leaned back in her chair.
“That sweet little assistant you barely noticed?”
She smirked.
“She noticed you.”
Richard’s fists clenched.
“You’re lying.”
Victoria shrugged.
“Believe whatever helps you sleep.”
Then she added something that made the room fall silent again.
“But if you think that secret is shocking…”
She leaned forward slightly.
“…wait until you find out why Marcus really needed that money.”
