OLIVIA
The cell phone was pressed so hard against my ear that the hard plastic physically bruised my skin. The silence on the other end of the international line was completely suffocating.
"Michael, say something," I demanded, my voice trembling with raw, unfiltered panic. "We have to file an appeal immediately. We have to take him back to federal court and sue him from a completely different angle. We can expose the bribery. We can expose the judge."
A heavy, exhausted sigh crackled through the tiny speaker. "Olivia, you need to stop. Right now."
"Stop?" I yelled, throwing my free hand up in the air. "He stole everything! He forged my signature, he bought a federal judge, and he completely drained my father's offshore accounts. I am not just going to roll over and let him get away wi
