Page 20 of Worship Him

One last sip empties the glass, and I set it down with finality. Tomorrow begins a new chapter—a chapter where Destiny has no part in my life or my company.

8

DESTINY

Barrett and I step out of his car, my heels clicking against the courthouse steps. The crisp air does nothing to settle the unease knotting in my stomach.

“You sure you don’t know what this is about?” I ask Barrett, adjusting the strap of my handbag.

“Thomas said they wanted to present something new,” Barrett replies, holding the door open for me. “We couldn’t exactly refuse without raising eyebrows.”

I nod, taking a deep breath as we walk through security. The metallic clinking of the detector seems to echo my nervous heartbeat. I keep my face composed; no one needs to see the turmoil inside me.

We enter the courtroom, and I’m struck by how sterile it feels—wooden benches, stern-faced judge, and the faint smell of old books and paper.

But it’s Adam’s eyes that grab me. They’re filled with an anger that nearly knocks me off balance.

"Steady," Barrett murmurs, placing a hand on my elbow to guide me forward.

“He’s looking at me as if I’m his arch-nemesis. What’s going on?” I whisper to him as we take our seats.

“Not sure, but we’ll find out soon enough,” he murmurs back, his eyes narrowing at Adam’s lawyer, Thomas, who stands across from us.

We take our seats, and I can't help but steal glances at Adam. His jaw is clenched, eyes blazing with a ferocity I've never seen before. What could have happened to make him look at me like that?

"All rise," the bailiff calls out, and we stand as the judge enters. Something about the air in the court room makes my heart race. I’m scared, and I don’t even know why.

Once we're seated again, Thomas stands up.

“Your Honor, we have new evidence that we believe is pertinent to this case,” Thomas announces, his voice sharp. He hands a folder to the judge, who starts flipping through it with a frown.

My heart races. New evidence? What could they possibly have?

Barrett leans over to me. “Stay calm. We’ll handle whatever this is.”

I nod again, though my fingers are digging into my palm beneath the table.

"Proceed," the judge says.

Thomas smirks, looking directly at me. “It has come to our attention that Mrs. Lewis has been concealing the existence of a child born during the course of this marriage.”

The room goes silent. My heart stops. I can’t breathe.

Everything around me goes dark, and I feel like I’m about to slip into an abyss of my own creation.

Barrett grabs my hand, bringing me back to the moment. I feel the blood rush through my body, sweat forming on my forehead.

“What?” I finally manage to whisper, my voice shaking.

Adam’s eyes lock onto mine, a storm of emotions swirling in them—hurt, anger, betrayal.

“Yes, Your Honor,” Thomas continues. “A child that Mr. Ryder had no knowledge of. Given the timing, it’s highly likely that Mrs. Lewis was unfaithful during their marriage.”

“That’s not true!” I blurt out, standing up. “I didn’t?—”

“Mrs. Lewis!” The judge bangs his gavel. “You will have your turn to speak.”

Barrett pulls me back into my seat, whispering fiercely, “You need to remain calm, Destiny.”

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