Chapter 5
Khloe woke at dawn.
Her first word was not Richard.
It was “baby.”
I stood from the chair beside her bed.
“He’s alive.”
Her eyes filled.
“Boy?”
“Yes.”
“Elliot?”
“Yes.”
She tried to smile, but pain pulled her face tight.
“Can I see him?”
“Soon.”
Her hand searched for mine.
I took it carefully.
“What happened?” she whispered.
I did not lie.
“You fell. Vanessa pushed you. Richard watched.”
Her eyes closed.
A tear slipped down.
“He told me no one would believe me.”
My chest tightened.
“How long?”
She shook her head weakly.
“Harry.”
“How long, Khloe?”
Her lips trembled.
“The affair? A year. The threats? Since I got pregnant.”
I sat slowly.
The room seemed to narrow.
“What threats?”
“He said if I embarrassed him, he’d prove I was unstable. Vanessa said she would raise the baby better than me.”
I tasted blood because I had bitten the inside of my cheek.
Khloe continued.
“They had papers.”
“What papers?”
“Psychiatric evaluation. Prenup amendment. Custody plan.”
I stood.
“Where?”
“At the house. In Richard’s office safe. But he’ll move them.”
Maya was already at the door.
“I’ll get a warrant started.”
Khloe grabbed my wrist.
“Harry, he owns half the police.”
“Then we use the half he doesn’t.”
She looked terrified.
“You don’t know what he’s like at home.”
“I should have.”
Her expression softened with grief.
“I hid it.”
“I should have seen through hiding.”
She cried then.
“I was ashamed.”
I leaned over and kissed her forehead.
“Shame belongs to the person who hurt you. Not you.”
A nurse wheeled her toward the NICU later that morning.
When Khloe saw Elliot, she pressed one shaking hand to the glass.
“My baby,” she whispered.
He kicked one tiny foot.
She sobbed.
I stood behind her.
My phone buzzed again.
Maya.
Warrant delayed. Judge assigned is Richard’s golf partner.
I looked through the glass at my sister and nephew.
May you like
Then I texted back.
Then we change the judge.
