A wave of murmurs swept through the room.
The judge looked sharply at the clerks, the guards, the prosecutor.
“No one leaves,” she ordered. “Lock the doors. Now.”
The heavy metallic clicks echoed as the doors were sealed, making the air feel suffocating.
Olivia had gone pale.
Not because she feared Ethan.
But because of that device—something she had never seen before—hidden against the body of her seven-day-old baby.
“I didn’t put it there,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I swear, Ethan… I had no idea.”
Ethan glanced at her.
Just for a second.
And he believed her.
Not because he had time to question it—
But because he knew exactly how she looked when she lied.
And this… wasn’t it.
This was the face of someone realizing her child had been used to smuggle the truth into a courtroom already poisoned by lies.
“Hand it over to the court,” the judge said firmly.
Ethan didn’t move.
Richard finally reacted.
“Your Honor, that proves nothing,” he said quickly—too quickly. “Anyone could have planted something like that to create chaos and delay the sentence.”
The judge turned toward him slowly.
“Delay? This is not a death sentence, Mr. Vaughn.”
Richard swallowed.
He had spoken without thinking.
And everyone noticed.
The prosecutor’s expression shifted for the first time.
Ethan held Noah with one arm and raised the device with the other.
“Are you worried about what’s on it?” he asked, locking eyes with Richard.
