He stepped into the middle of the hallway to block our way, a black leather briefcase at his side.

“You still have time to sign the draft in private, Audrey,” Julian said, his voice quiet and tight.

Clara stepped up beside him, twisting her large emerald ring around her right index finger.

“It would save everyone in town a terrible amount of public embarrassment,” Clara said, her sharp smile not reaching her cold gray eyes.

I stood perfectly still in the middle of the hallway, my arms folded over my stomach.

“You don’t have to do this in front of the judge,” Julian added, raising his voice slightly as two court clerks walked past.