Trent had me pinned against the wall when the front door suddenly opened. Rain echoed through the house as Daniel stepped inside wearing a dark jacket and carrying his duffel bag. The moment he saw the bruise on my face and Trent’s hand gripping my arm, the entire room froze.

“Take your hand off my wife,” Daniel said quietly.

Trent released me instantly. Evelyn immediately launched into lies, claiming they had only come to protect Daniel’s money and property because I was unstable. But Daniel’s expression never changed as he looked between my swollen cheek and the forged papers spread across the table.

Then he asked me the simplest question of the night: “Did they hurt you?” I looked directly at Evelyn and answered yes. That was the moment everything began collapsing around them-