My heart nearly stopped.
Howard looked directly at the judge.
“My dad told his girlfriend that once Mom paid off his debt, he was leaving her.”
The courtroom fell silent.
Then Howard pulled a flash drive from his pocket.
“There are recordings too.”
Aidan went pale.
“Howard!” he barked.
My son flinched—but continued anyway.
“I heard Dad talking on the phone one night.”
The bailiff inserted the flash drive into the courtroom computer.
Seconds later, Aidan’s voice filled the room.
“Once Claire pays everything, I’ll divorce her and take the house,” the recording said clearly.
Then came laughter.
His laughter.
“She’ll be broke. I’ll say she’s unstable and take Howard too.”
I stopped breathing.
Aidan’s mistress laughed on the recording. “That’s cruel.”
“So what?” Aidan replied. “Claire’s weak. She’ll fold.”
The courtroom erupted in whispers.
I covered my mouth as tears streamed down my face.
Howard looked at his father with heartbreaking disappointment.
“You lied to me,” he whispered.
Aidan looked completely shattered for the first time.
“Son—”
“No.”
