“Something like that.”
“Do I still get to yell, ‘Not guilty, Your Honor!’”
“No.”
“Are you sure? Because I think I could make thatverydramatic.”
“Youareguilty so you’d be lying.”
“So I need to get my checkbook ready?”
“Absolutely not.” Her chin lifts in defiance. “I’m not paying a dime back to that man. I’ve read through the trust, and I believe we satisfied the conditions of a good-faith marriage.”
“You’re joking, right? We haven’t spoken in five years.”
“So?” Her jaw sets. “The amount of crap marriages I’ve seen come through my office is ridiculous. How is that kind of dysfunction considered more ‘good faith’ than ours? I’ll argue that they’re not. I know I can win this.”
“Someone’s delusional.”
“I’m not delusional. I’m good at my job, so just let me take care of it.”
“Well, let’s hope so.” I shrug. “I’d love not to have to come up with all that money right now.” I have a lot of money tied up in my house and land.
“We have an emergency hearing in front of the judge in two days.”
“So soon?”
“My father’s lawyer filed a motion for immediate relief to stop the monthly payout and freeze the account. It’s just a quick session to decide what happens until the case is resolved. But the biggest problem is the judge assigned to the case. It’s Judge Perry.”
“Who’s Judge Perry?”
“He’s a whacko. I’ve never gone before him but some of my colleagues have and I’ve heard he’s super traditional and unorthodox. It’s going to be an uphill battle with him.”
“Well, let me know how it goes.”
Her brows lower. “You have to be there too.”
“Why do I have to come?”
The eye roll she gives me is answer enough.
“Fine. I’ll be there. Text me when and where.”
The waitress appears, holding a plate of hot food and a glass of soda. “Can I get you anything else, sugar?”
“No, this is great. Thank you.” I scoot the food closer, smelling the greasy bacon.
“I just can’t figure out why now.” Camila watches me take a bite. “Why, when we only have six months left on the marriage, is Glen Lucas challenging the validity when he’s not so much as glanced our way in the last five and a half years?”
“Beatsh me,” I say through a mouthful of waffles.
“I was certain he would leave us alone until the end, so nothing about his affair would ever come out. Keeping me a secret is the most important thing to him, plus he got the tax breaks by having his assets in the trust.” She drums her fingers on the table as she thinks. “It’s as if something happened. But how could something have happened when nobody even knows about the agreement?”
My chewing pauses as I replay last Friday night, when I told Shanna about the marriage. Since then, I’ve tried to call and text her, but she’s ghosting me. I thought she just needed some space, but maybe a muzzle is what she needed.
I swallow hard. “Actually, somethingdidhappen.”
Camila’s brown eyes carefully study me. “What do you mean?”
