The Franklin County courtroom was dead quiet, save for the low, annoying buzz of old fluorescent lights overhead.
Standing next to her attorney, Emma Caldwell placed her palm on the bulge of her pregnant belly. She looked tired—exhausted to the core, with her pale face and dark rings under her eyes. Opposite her was her husband Daniel, impeccably dressed in a suit made of navy material that was probably more expensive than her monthly mortgage payments. He was already without his wedding ring. Beside him was Vanessa Price, who bent towards him every other minute to whisper something into his ear.
“Mrs. Caldwell,” Judge Margaret Whitaker put on her reading glasses and looked down at her, “as per the document, you wish to get a divorce immediately and waive your rights over the house, savings accounts, cars, and business assets. Is that correct?”
Emma’s defense attorney made a move to speak. “Your honor, my client feels…”
“I am talking to Mrs. Caldwell,” the judge said sharply.
Emma raised her chin. “Yes, Your Honor. I don’t want anything that belongs to him.”
A high-pitched laughter of triumph came from Vanessa. Judge Whitaker sent a glare in her direction. “You interrupt my courtroom once more, and you’ll wait out in the hallway.” Turning his attention back to Emma, she began to speak steadily. “I don’t want the house he brought her into when I was at my doctor’s appointments. I don’t want the cash for the lies he told; I simply want to have my child away from him.”
Daniel pulled back his chair forcefully, rising to his feet. “This is absurd! My wife is mentally unstable at the moment. Emotional. She is trying to paint me as a monster due to spite!”
“Take your seat, Mr. Caldwell,” the judge said smoothly. Daniel slumped back into the chair, turning an angry shade of red.
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Judge Whitaker put the folder on her desk. “Before we proceed further, there is an issue that needs to be settled first. Not long ago, I met a little girl sobbing near the vending machines. She had some disturbing information to reveal about her father and some other woman.”
Daniel’s complexion turned pale. Vanessa tensed up.
“Bailiff, please get her in!”
The thick, heavy double doors opened to reveal a little six-year-old girl, dressed in a thin yellow cardigan and holding on to an old stuffed rabbit.
“Lily?” Emma said.
But hadn’t Daniel told Emma that Lily was in school and that she wasn’t tough enough to be at court? Here she was staring at her father with clear terror.
“Lily, honey, you haven’t done anything wrong,” Judge Whitaker consoled her.
Daniel once again stood, but this time with a strained voice. “This is absolutely inappropriate! My daughter should have nothing to do with a property dispute!”
“That is until your daughter decided to go to the judge because she was upset!” Judge Whitaker said.
Lily moved slowly up the aisle and stood next to Emma. “I’m sorry, Mommy Emma, for not telling you sooner,” she said with teary eyes.
Daniel’s lawyer sprang to his feet. “Your Honor, may we have a recess?”
“Denied!” the judge snapped.
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