It was taken from a video file.

The timestamp was from two weeks before my surgery.

My stomach dropped.

The bailiff pressed play.

Nick was seated in our living room, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, speaking in a low tone.

We couldn’t see who he was addressing, but the voice sounded like a woman’s.

“I’m telling you,” Nick said in the recording, “once the transplant’s done, I’ll finally be free.”

The courtroom fell silent.

Nick’s attorney attempted to object, but the judge overruled him immediately.

In the footage, Nick continued, unaware he was being recorded. “I’ve already met with a lawyer. Assets are getting moved. The custody strategy is in place. She won’t see it coming. I’ll leave her with nothing.”

My ears rang as I gripped the table to steady myself.

I couldn’t believe that was what he had been planning just before I risked my life for him!

The woman let out a quiet laugh. “And she really doesn’t suspect anything?”

“She’s too trusting,” Nick replied. “Always has been.”

I heard a faint rustling in the background of the video. Then Nick’s eyes shifted.

“Hold on,” he whispered to the woman. “I need to see what Chloe is doing.”

“Chloe? What are you doing?” he said in a normal voice.

The camera angle shifted slightly as small hands adjusted it.

My daughter’s voice came through the recording, soft and innocent.

“I’m trying to learn to record things with my tablet.”

In the courtroom, several people let out quiet gasps.

On the screen, Nick’s expression tightened for a brief second before he forced a smile. “That’s great, sweetheart. Let Daddy see.”

The footage jolted sharply. The image blurred, and then the tablet slammed against the floor. A sharp crack echoed through the speakers.

One corner of the tablet had struck something solid.

The screen went black, but the audio kept playing.

“Oh no,” Nick said too quickly. “It slipped.”

There was a short silence. Then his tone lowered.

“Chloe, listen to me. Don’t say anything to Mommy about the call Daddy just had. It’s adult stuff. You wouldn’t understand.”

Silence again.

“If you keep it between us, I’ll buy you a brand-new tablet. The newest one. Deal?”

My chest constricted.

On the recording, Chloe responded uncertainly. “Okay.”

The video cut off.

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