Chapter 2 - ENOUGH
The courtroom was formal and crowded.
Judge Rowan presided.
Adrian sat across from Claire.
Vanessa should not have been there.
She walked in anyway.
Cream designer dress.
Perfect hair.
Smug expression.
Claire stared.
Adrian’s lawyer whispered to him.
Claire heard nothing.
Then the proposed settlement was placed in front of her.
Adrian leaned over.
“Sign it.”
Claire said:
“No.”
His jaw tightened.
“Claire.”
“No.”
Then he stood.
Too fast.
Judge Rowan looked up.
Adrian grabbed the pen.
Pressed it toward Claire.
“SIGN IT!”
Claire pushed his hand away.
Adrian slapped her.
Hard.
The courtroom gasped.
Claire crashed against the table.
One hand instantly covered her belly.
Her eyes filled with shock.
Then rage.
Vanessa moved to Adrian.
Grabbed his arm.
Pressed herself against him.
“Know your place.”
Claire stared at her sister.
Vanessa stepped closer.
“He chose me.”
Something inside Claire changed.
She stood.
Slapped Vanessa.
Vanessa spun sideways, clutching her cheek.
Adrian lunged.
Claire shouted:
“ENOUGH!”
The word echoed.
Bailiff moved instantly.
Adrian stopped.
Claire turned toward Judge Rowan.
Reached into her case bag.
SLAMMED a thick envelope onto counsel table.
“Your Honor—proof.”
Adrian’s face changed.
Vanessa’s smile vanished.
Claire ripped the envelope open.
Photographs.
Held them up.
“He cheated—with my sister.”
Judge Rowan stood.
Not because adultery shocked him.
Because Rachel Sloan had already stepped forward with another document from the same envelope.
“Your Honor, we need the court to examine page fourteen of the settlement.”
Adrian froze.
Judge Rowan looked down.
Rachel continued:
“The version my client initialed last week is not the version filed this morning.”
May you like
Silence.
The affair suddenly became the smaller problem.
