That was when I realized something important. She had known about the affair, about the money, about the lies Jason told in whispers over wine and hotel sheets.
But she had not known everything.
For the first time, I wondered whether Madison Brooks had been fooled too.
Not innocent. Not blameless. But perhaps not as powerful as she had imagined herself to be.
The judge called a recess.
Her gavel came down once, crisp and final, and the courtroom exhaled all at once.
Reporters surged to their feet, but the bailiff immediately ordered them back. Daniel moved in front of me with quiet efficiency, handing me my coat without making me feel ashamed for needing it.
“You did well,” he said.
I slipped my arms into the sleeves. The fabric felt heavy now, not protective so much as temporary.
