Seven Weeks Pregnant, until I Found His Secret Chat novel · Chapter 18 of 24

Chapter 18: The Judge Recuses

Casey's POV

The courtroom in Hackensack had a flag, a clock and a judge who did not look up when I came in.

My lawyer walked me to the front table with her glasses swinging on their chain.

Behind us, in the first row, sat Adele in her lilac coat with her hands folded.

Dario's younger lawyer sat across the aisle with a thick folder.

Dario sat beside him, gray in the face, and would not look at me.

"This is a temporary matter," the judge said, reading. "I see no reason to delay."

"Your Honor," my lawyer said. "My client was given two hours' notice."

"The petition is supported by two evaluations."

"By doctors who never examined her."

"I have read the file, counsel."

He had.

He had read it before, and he turned the pages without looking at them.

I stood up.

My lawyer touched my sleeve, and I shook my head.

"May I say something, Your Honor?"

"You're represented."

"I'm the one who's pregnant," I said.

Someone in the gallery coughed.

The judge frowned down from the bench.

"Briefly."

I held on to the table and made my voice steady.

"Two doctors say I'm unwell. Neither one has met me. The first doctor was struck from every record by my husband's father. My husband's mother booked my first appointment before I had asked for one."

"Mrs. Brancato."

"It's Ms. Bowen."

"Ms. Bowen, this is not the place."

"Then tell me where it is," I said. "Because on Friday at seven a car is coming to take me to a room with a locked window, and nobody has asked me what I want."

The judge's face did not change.

Behind me, Adele made a small soft sound in her throat.

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