Objection Your Honor, That’s My Husband

Briar After all these years, I had always believed that my life would look different. I’d imagined a future where I would finish law school, build a stable career, and create a safe home for the people I loved. What I never expected was for my life to become a constant struggle filled with unpaid bills, sleepless nights, and the fear of losing the one person I had promised to protect. But at that moment, sitting on the cold courtroom hallway bench, I felt as though I was running out of strength. My fingers felt numb against my lap. They were cold, but they were also sweaty from the anxiety I could not control. My palms had been shaking for so long that I had stopped trying to force them to stay still. My stomach felt unsettled, and every few minutes, I fought the urge to close my eyes because the headache behind my temples had become unbearable. The voices around me had become distant. The only thing I could truly hear was the sound of my own thoughts. The custody hearing had ended moments ago, and I already knew whatever the decision would be, would change everything. Two years ago, I would never have imagined that I would have to stand in front of a judge and prove that I was worthy of raising the little girl who had depended on me since she lost her mother. But that was exactly where I was. A soft laugh from nearby pulled my attention away from my thoughts. “Such a sweet little girl,” a man said. My head slowly turned toward the sound. Poppy stood a few feet away from me, holding hands with the Whitfields’ lawyer, Mr. Paul. The man was smiling down at her with a warm expression that would have looked comforting to anyone watching from the outside. “You were very brave today,” he told her. “Your grandparents are very lucky to have someone as wonderful as you in their family.” Poppy looked up at him with her innocent expression.“Thank you,” she replied. My chest tightened at the sight. She did not understand what was happening. All she knew was that people smiled at her and that she was loved. My eyes burned as I watched her. Poppy was my niece, my late sister Ivy’s daughter, and the only family I had left after losing the person who had raised me alongside our parents. After Ivy died in what everyone believed was a tragic accident, I became the person responsible for keeping Poppy safe. I had put my entire life on hold for her. I attended classes during the day, worked whenever I could find extra hours, studied late into the night, and made sure Poppy always had everything she needed. I never complained because she was worth every sacrifice. But today, after another custody hearing, I didn’t know what my fate would be. The same people who were trying to remove Poppy from my care were now one step closer to getting full custody. My hands trembled harder. I pressed them together, trying to control myself. How was I supposed to accept the possibility of losing her? A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it. I wiped it away quickly, hoping no one noticed. But the pain did not disappear. Neither did the fear. “Ms. Shaw.” The voice beside me made me look up. My court-appointed attorney stood there, holding his phone in one hand and a folder in the other. He looked uncomfortable, almost as if he already knew he did not have the words I needed to hear. He kept adjusting his glasses and avoiding my eyes. That alone told me everything. He wasn’t confident nor prepared. And he knew it.“We’re doing everything we can,” he muttered. I stared at him. The words sounded empty. “Are we?” I asked quietly.His eyes finally lifted to mine. “Briar—” “No,” I interrupted softly. “I’m not trying to blame you. I just need to understand.” My voice shook. “Because every time we walk into that courtroom, they have a stronger argument, better lawyers, more resourcesand I keep hearing that we’re doing everything we can, but it doesn’t feel like we’re getting anywhere.” He looked away. And that was the answer I needed. I did not wait for another response before making my decision. Slowly, I pushed myself up from the bench, even though my legs felt unsteady beneath me. For a brief moment, I questioned whether I would actually be able to cross the hallway without breaking down. However, the moment my eyes landed on Poppy, I forced myself to move forward. I could not fall apart in front of her. “Poppy,” I called softly. The little girl turned around immediately. The moment she saw me, her entire face brightened with a familiar warmth that made my chest ache. “Aunt Briar.” Hearing her call me that almost shattered the control I was desperately trying to hold onto. But instead of breaking, I swallowed the emotions rising inside me and forced a gentle smile onto my face. “Come on, sweetheart. It’s time for us to go.” She nodded without hesitation and walked toward me. The moment her small hand slipped into mine, my breathing became heavier. Her fingers were warm and delicate, and the trust she placed in me felt overwhelming. She had no idea how frightened I was. To her, this was just another moment with her aunt. To me however, it was the one thing reminding me that I still had a reason to keep going. The moment we stepped outside, the cold air touched my face. For a few seconds, I allowed myself to breathe.That very moment was when I noticed him. A tall man stood near the courthouse steps. At first, I only noticed his height. He was dressed in a dark coat that reached past his knees, and his posture immediately caught my attention. He stood still while people moved around him, watching the entrance with a focused expression. My first thought was that he had some connection to the Whitfields. The moment that thought crossed my mind, my grip on Poppy’s hand tightened. A sudden wave of fear, suspicion, and confusion moved through me as I watched the unfamiliar man. He looked directly at me. Then he started walking toward us. With every step he took, the uneasiness inside me grew stronger. I did not know who he was or what he wanted, but something about the situation made me instinctively want to protect Poppy. Without thinking, I moved slightly in front of her, placing myself between her and the stranger. “Briar?” he called. The sound of my name made me freeze and my mind went completely blank for a moment. How did he know my name? The man stopped a few feet away from me and studied my reaction calmly. There was no visible hostility in his expression, but that did nothing to ease the questions forming in my mind. My heart started beating faster. “Yes?” I answered carefully. The man extended his hand toward me. “My name is Desmond Cole. I work for Norman Jacques.” For a moment, I wondered if I had misunderstood him. I stared at Desmond, unable to hide the confusion on my face. He seemed to notice my reaction, but he did not appear surprised. Instead, he remained calm, as though he had expected me to react this way. “Did you just say Norman Jacques?” I asked. My voice came out quieter and more uncertain than I intended. “Yes,” he replied. For several seconds, I could only look at him. Then a short, disbelieving laugh escaped from my lips. I could not understand why someone connected to a man like Norman Jacques would be standing in front of me. The situation was too strange. The last thing I expected after leaving a courtroom was to be approached by a stranger representing one of the biggest hockey stars in the country. Norman Jacques was not someone people ignored. He was the captain of an NHL team, one of the most recognized athletes in the world, and someone whose face appeared everywhere. Sports interviews, advertisements, magazines, and television broadcasts. He lived a life completely different from mine. While I struggled to pay tuition fees, fight for custody, and count every dollar before buying groceries. I studied Desmond carefully, searching for any sign that this was some kind of misunderstanding or cruel joke. However, his expression remained unchanged. He was not laughing, and looked completely serious. And that only made me more uncomfortable. Desmond lowered his voice slightly. “I have a proposalfor you.” My first instinct was to walk away. I had no reason to listen to a stranger offering me something I did not understand. But then he continued.“A simple arrangement. Marry Norman Jacques for one year. And in return, you will receive enough money to hire the best family lawyer in the state. And your daughter gets to stay with you.” For several seconds, I could not respond. My mind completely stopped processing his words. I was certain I had misunderstood him. How did he know about my case? Marriage? To Norman Jacques? I looked at Desmond again, waiting for him to reveal that this was some kind of mistake or an attempt to test my reaction. But there was nothing. “You’re serious,” I said slowly. “Yes.” I stared at him for a long moment. Then I laughed. It was not because I found the situation amusing. I laughed because I could not believe this was actually happening. “You have to be kidding me,” I said. I shook my head slowly. “I’m not for sale.” With that, I turned away before he could say anything else. Whatever this was, I wanted no part of it. It had to be some kind of trick. That night, after putting Poppy to bed, I walked toward the front door, preparing to switch off the final light in the apartment. And that was when something on the floor caught my attention. A white envelope rested just inside my doorway. My entire body immediately became still at the sight of it. I had not heard anyone outside nor did I hear the door open. Slowly, I walked closer as a feeling of uneasiness settled inside my chest while my mind became a whirlwind. Who had placed it there? How long had it been sitting outside my door? I hesitated before reaching down. Every instinct inside me warned me to leave it alone. But curiosity won as I picked up the envelope. The moment I saw the words printed across the front, my heart dropped. ‘Family Court.’ My hands immediately became unsteady. I opened it carefully, already fearing what I would find inside. The letter contained the official update from the hearing.And the judge had granted the Whitfields temporary visitation rights starting this weekend. The moment I read the words, the paper slipped slightly between my fingers. No. My breathing became uneven as I read the sentence again, hoping I had misunderstood. But I hadn’t. My knees got weak. I reached out and grabbed the nearby table to steady myself, but tears had already filled my eyes. The fear I had been trying to ignore finally became real.They were getting closer to taking her away from me. “Poppy…” I whispered. My voice broke as her name left my lips. I looked toward the hallway where my little girl was sleeping peacefully, unaware of the fear consuming me. “I’m not losing you.”