Chapter 4

Three days later, the court convened.

Because of the storm online, the gallery was packed with content creators and so-called concerned citizens who'd come for justice.

Samuel's girlfriend, Polly Lawrence, sat in the front row, sizing me up with a sidelong look of pure disgust.

She was even holding up her phone, sneaking off messages, the corner of her mouth curled in a smug little smile.

From the moment the hearing began, everything was stacked against me.

The opposing lawyer submitted not only screenshots of the online abuse aimed at me, but also the police report from that day.

He wanted to prove I was emotionally unstable, likely to cause the child further harm.

"Your Honor." The lawyer pushed his glasses up and finished with the earnest tone of a man who believed every word.

"Our investigation has found that after her husband's death, the plaintiff, Ms. Carla Fox, not only failed to fulfill her duty to raise the child, but attempted to forcibly seize a portion of a minor's settlement money."

"By contrast, the child's grandmother, Ms. Summer Lambert, remains willing, even in the depths of losing her son, to raise her granddaughter with no conditions attached."

Right on cue, Summer buried her face in her hands and wailed.

"My boy... my poor boy, dying like that..."

"As long as my granddaughter's money is safe, I'd sooner go pick trash out of dumpsters than touch a single cent of it!"

She cried like every word came straight from the heart, and the gallery filled with sighing and fingers pointed my way.

Samuel leaned in across the table and sneered under his breath.

"Sister-in-law—see that? That's public opinion."

"There's still time to drop the suit. Hand over the bank card and get lost."

"You really think you can go up against us and win?"

I sat at the plaintiff's table with my face drained of color, my palms already soaked with cold sweat.

The judge rapped the gavel for quiet, frowning as he looked me up and down.

"Plaintiff, the defense has filed to transfer guardianship and to manage the settlement on the child's behalf. Do you have any rebuttal?"

His voice carried through the hall.

"If you cannot demonstrate that your claim to divide the funds is legitimate, this court will apply the relevant principles and dismiss your suit."

Someone in the gallery was already murmuring approval, and Polly tapped away at her screen, thrilled.

In their eyes I was a bad woman through and through.

The moment the judge ruled, my daughter's money would go straight into their bride price and a new house.

I closed my eyes and drew in a breath. The stabbing pain in my right side made me shake with every breath I took.

Bracing both hands on the edge of the table, I slowly rose to my feet.

"I do not agree to give them the money."

My voice wasn't loud, but in the silent courtroom it came through with perfect clarity.

Samuel let out a cold snort.

"Who do you think you are? What right does a rotten-hearted woman like you have to manage the Dickerson family's money?"

I ignored him. Meeting the contempt in every eye, I drew a folded piece of paper from an inside pocket.

I'd clutched it so long it had gone soft and creased.

"I am suing my three-year-old daughter for the one and a half million that belongs to me."

"Not to remarry. Not to throw it away."

I raised my hand and slapped the paper down hard on the bench.

"It's to save my daughter's last way out."