The grand courtroom was packed to the brim, the air thick with tension and the suffocating scent of expensive perfume and aftershave.
Every seat was filled with society's most powerful elites, eager to witness the scandal of the century.
Cameras flashed.
Whispers echoed like venomous snakes slithering across the marble floors.
Amelia White entered the courtroom with her head held high, a vision of cold elegance in a snow-white tailored suit that contrasted sharply against the somber courtroom walls.
But beneath that flawless exterior, her heart pounded like a war drum in a losing battle.
Her eyes flicked across the room and landed on him.
Ethan Blake.
Seated confidently at his lawyer's table, his sharp jaw clenched, his storm-gray eyes locked on her like a predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
His gaze wasn't just cold—it was lethal.
And sitting beside him…
Cassandra Vance.
Dressed demurely in soft pastels, crocodile tears already welling in her perfectly lined eyes.
Amelia's lips curled into a bitter smile.
Let the performance begin.
The judge entered, the courtroom falling instantly into a tense silence.
The proceedings began, and it wasn't long before Cassandra took the stand.
She walked up slowly, every step calculated for maximum sympathy, her head bowed slightly, her voice trembling as she began to speak.
"Your Honor, it breaks my heart to be here today… but I fear for the well-being of Miss White's unborn child. She's… emotionally unstable."
Gasps rippled through the courtroom.
Ethan's expression darkened further, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.
Amelia's chest burned with a familiar rage, but she kept her composure, her fingers clasped so tightly they left crescent-shaped marks in her palms.
Every word Cassandra uttered felt like a knife twisting deeper into old wounds.
But not this time, she thought, her jaw tightening. This time, I came prepared.
When it was finally Amelia's turn to respond, she rose gracefully, her heels clicking against the marble like gunshots in a silent war.
She approached the stand, her eyes meeting Cassandra's with icy calm.
Without hesitation, she placed a thick file onto the judge's bench.
"Your Honor, I have new evidence."
The judge raised a brow.
Amelia's voice was steady, every word laced with restrained venom.
"While Miss Vance claims to fear for my child's safety, she conveniently forgot to mention her own criminal record… and her most recent involvement in an underground gambling ring to which she owes nearly two million dollars."
Cassandra's face went ghostly pale.
The courtroom erupted in gasps.
Her practiced tears dried instantly, panic flashing across her perfectly made-up face.
Ethan's head snapped toward Cassandra, his eyes filled with betrayal and barely restrained fury.
The judge called for order, his gavel slamming against the bench like thunder cracking through the storm.
Amelia stood tall, her voice cutting through the chaos like a blade.
"If anyone in this courtroom is unfit to speak about the well-being of my child, it's the woman who sold her conscience for a debt she couldn't pay."