“I thought I was imagining it… I thought it was stress…”
Richard let out a bitter laugh.
“Poor Daniel. Too soft for this world.”
“Where is he?” the judge demanded.
Richard said nothing.
He didn’t need to.
Everyone understood.
Dead.
Before the judge could give the order—
Everything exploded.
Richard shoved the lawyer beside him and lunged—
Not at Ethan.
At Olivia.
At the baby.
It happened in a blur.
Ethan roared and threw himself sideways, slamming into Richard before he could reach them. They crashed into a table. The laptop hit the ground. Olivia screamed, pressing herself against the wall, holding Noah tightly.
The bailiffs rushed forward.
This time, Richard pulled something from his pocket.
A gun.
Chaos erupted.
A shot rang out.
The bullet buried itself in the wood behind the judge.
Screams. Panic. Bodies diving.
And Ethan—still in cuffs—locked onto Richard’s wrist with everything he had.
“Let go!” Richard shouted wildly.
“Never!” Ethan fired back.
Another shot.
And then—
Silence.
Richard’s body jerked.
Then went still.
Behind him stood the security officer, her weapon still raised, hands shaking.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Until Noah cried.
A sharp, living cry that cut through everything.
The world came back.