She read more, and suddenly, her lips pressed together like she was trying not to smile. She flipped to the last page, read it completely, and then something amazing happened. Judge Henderson started laughing.
Not a polite chuckle, not a quiet giggle. She actually laughed out loud, a real genuine laugh that echoed through the silent courtroom. She put her hand over her mouth, trying to control herself, but her shoulders were shaking.
She looked at Brandon again, and that made her laugh even harder. I had never seen anything like it. Neither had anyone else, apparently.
Brandon’s confident expression crumbled. He leaned forward, confused. His lawyer looked startled, turning to whisper urgently to Brandon.
In the gallery behind us, I could see Veronica Ashford, the pharmaceutical heiress—Brandon’s new girlfriend—shifting uncomfortably in her seat. Her perfectly made-up face showed confusion and worry.
Judge Henderson wiped tears from her eyes, still smiling widely. She looked directly at Brandon, and her expression changed from amused to something harder, colder.
«Mr. Pearce,» she said, and her voice had an edge to it now. «In twenty years of presiding over family court, I have never, and I mean never, seen such a clear-cut case of…»
She paused, looking down at the papers again, then back up at him. «Well, we’ll get into the details momentarily, but I must say, your audacity is truly remarkable.»
Brandon’s face went pale. His lawyer was frantically whispering to him. I could see Brandon shaking his head, looking confused and angry.
He had no idea what was in that envelope, no idea what evidence Maggie and I had spent weeks gathering. But I knew. And sitting there, watching his confidence dissolve, I felt something I hadn’t felt in years.
I felt powerful.
Judge Henderson set the papers down, folded her hands, and looked around the courtroom. «I think we need to revisit some facts about this marriage, don’t you? Mrs. Morrison, let’s go back to the beginning. Tell me about how you and Dr. Pearce met, and what happened during those six years while he was in medical school.»
Maggie stood up beside me. «Your Honour, if I may, I’d like to walk the court through the timeline, starting eight years ago.»
«Please do,» Judge Henderson said, and she still had that slight smile on her face like she knew something wonderful was about to happen.