Zara couldn’t believe her ears.
For a moment, the words echoed in her mind, refusing to settle into meaning. This had to be a joke… a cruel misunderstanding that would be corrected any second. But the judge had already risen, his robe sweeping behind him as he disappeared through the courtroom door.
It was over.
The low murmur of voices filled the room, but Zara heard nothing. Her world had gone silent. She stood frozen, her heart pounding so violently it felt as though it might tear through her chest.
Lilly was her only reason for living. Her light. Her comfort. The one pure, unwavering love she had left in this world. And now… she had to stay away from her for three whole months.
Three months.
It sounded like a lifetime.
A sharp ache spread through her chest, stealing her breath.
