The moment felt heavy and tense.
Richard Blackwood stood at the courtroom doorway. His expensive suit was wrinkled, something he would never have allowed before. His perfect hair now showed gray strands. But what caught Sophia’s attention most were his eyes—red, desperate, and fixed on her.
Just days ago, that look would have scared her.
Now, it didn’t.
He looked awful. That was the first thing she noticed as he walked in with his lawyer. His face had stubble, his shirt collar was creased, and his eyes kept moving around the room nervously before landing on her.
Sophia met his gaze without fear.
Instead of panic, she felt cold satisfaction.
“Your Honor,” Richard’s lawyer said smoothly. She was a sharp, confident woman who looked like she enjoyed destroying people in court. “My clien
