Chapter 4: The Man Who Smiled at Judges
Julian called four times before noon.
Lucy watched each call light up the screen from across the kitchen table at Edward's house — a proper house, in a quiet neighborhood, where Ethan was currently in the back garden eating a sandwich and examining a beetle he'd found near the fence post.
On the fifth call, she answered.
"Lu." His voice was warm.
Relieved.
"I was starting to think something happened to you."
"I'm fine," she said.
"You sound strange.
Are you sure you're okay?
Is Ethan—"
"Ethan is fine."
A pause.
Just half a second.
But she heard it.
"Good.
Good." Another pause.
"Where are you?
You're not at the house."
"How do you know that?"
Silence.
"Julian.
How do you know I'm not at the house?"
"I — I called the neighbor to check on you.
Mrs.
Okafor.
She said you'd gone out early."
Lucy said nothing.
"Lu, you're scaring me.
Talk to me."
"I went downtown," she said.
"To a law office."
The warmth drained out of his voice so fast it was almost audible.
"What law office?"
"Hargrove and Associates."
Three full seconds of silence.
"Why would you go there?" His tone had changed.
Still controlled, but the softness was completely gone.
"My grandfather suggested it."
"Your grandfather." He said it the way someone says a name they've been hoping not to hear.
"When did you speak to Edward?"
"He came to the house.
Two days ago."
"Lucy." His voice dropped.
"Listen to me.
Whatever they showed you — whatever your grandfather told you — you need to understand that man has been trying to manipulate our family since before Ethan was born.
He's not well.
He's been making accusations—"
"They showed me the deed, Julian."
Silence.
"And the transfer document.
And the power of attorney form." She kept her voice flat.
"And the marriage certificate."
Nothing.
Not even breathing.
"Renata Solís," Lucy said.
"That's her name, isn't it."
"Lucy—"
"You used my house as loan collateral.
You forged my signature while I was in the hospital.
You told me my grandfather was ashamed of me.
You told him I didn't want contact." She stopped.
Steadied herself.
"You took my mother's necklace."
"That is not what happened." His voice came back sharp and fast.
"You don't understand the full picture.
The property situation is complicated — there were debts, there were decisions I had to make to protect us — and yes, Renata and I have a history, but it is not what you think, and if you would just let me explain—"
"Were you married to her three weeks ago at the Pinecrest Estate?"
Silence.
"Julian.
Yes or no."
"It's not legally valid," he said.
"Our divorce was never finalized — technically we're still—"
"We were never divorced at all," Lucy said.
"Because you never filed."
He stopped talking.
"You're a bigamist," she said.
The word landed in the room like something dropped from a height.
"And a forger.
And you've been letting your son grow up eating eggs for dinner while you hosted parties in my house."
"Don't do this." His voice had gone very quiet.
"Don't make this into something it isn't.
You have no idea what I can do, Lucy.
You have no idea who I know."
"I saw the photograph," she said.
"Judge Pruitt.
I know who you know."
Another silence.
This one felt different.
"You should be very careful," Julian said softly.
"You're a single mother with no income, no assets, and no legal standing.
Edward is an old man who hasn't been involved in your life for two years.
Whatever that lawyer told you — it's going to cost you more than you have to fight it.
And you will lose."
"Is that a threat?"
"It's a fact." A pause.
"Go home, Lucy.
Take Ethan home.
And let me fix this quietly.
That's the best thing for everyone.
Especially for our son."
The call ended.
Lucy set the phone down on the table.
Her hand was steady.
She hadn't expected that.
She walked to the back door and looked out at Ethan, who had now placed the beetle carefully on a leaf and was watching it with the full concentration of a five-year-old who had nowhere else to be.
Ms.
Reyes had warned her Julian would fight.
She hadn't warned her how fast.
Lucy went back inside and called the law office.
"He made a threat," she said when Ms.
Reyes answered.
"And he mentioned Judge Pruitt.
Not by name — but he mentioned knowing people."
"Did you record the call?"
Lucy closed her eyes.
"No."
"That's all right.
Call him back.
Let him talk.
This time, record it."
Lucy looked at her phone.
"He'll know."
"He'll think he's winning," Ms.
Reyes said.
"That's when people say the most."
Lucy thought about the velvet box.
The orchids.
Her mother's necklace around another woman's neck.
She picked up the phone and called Julian back.
He answered on the second ring, and she could hear the smile in his voice — the warm, relieved smile she had trusted for six years.
"Lu.
I'm glad you called back.
I think we got off on the wrong foot—"
May you like
"Tell me about Judge Pruitt," she said.
And Julian, who believed he had already won, began to talk.
