“And what happens after the baby is born? The legalities change.”

“Then the trust becomes significantly harder to reach,” Evelyn replied coldly. “We need this handled before the third trimester ends.”

Evelyn, at the defense table, gripped the heavy oak so hard her knuckles turned white. In the gallery behind me, I could hear the faint grind of my father’s jaw tightening.

The recording continued, detailing a horrific conversation in which they debated the most effective ways to disguise my potential death as a tragic “pregnancy complication.”

Evelyn calmly advised Grant on exactly where to strike me so the bruises would stay hidden beneath my maternity clothes.

When the audio finally ended, the silence in the courtroom was deafening.