"If you don't withdraw the lawsuit, I can't promise I won't countersue you for framing Emily."
My breath caught, as if something had lodged itself in my chest.
He let out a soft sigh, his tone easing as if indulging a child. "Withdraw the case, Claire. Let's end it here. We can go back to living the way we used to. Don't push this to the point where it can't be fixed."
Anger burned through me.
"That was a life, our child! How can you be this calm? You watched our baby die and still defended her! All I'm doing is making Emily pay for what she did."
Daniel flicked his hand, sending the file to the floor. "If you won't take the easy way, then I'll go all the way with you!"
After saying that, he pressed the intercom and called in the secretary outside. "Escort her out."
The secretary came in, polite on the surface but firm as she ushered me out of the office.
Before leaving, I shot Daniel a glare, my teeth clenched. "Daniel, I'm not giving up."
Soon, my lawyers and I reorganized the evidence and filed the lawsuit.
On the day of the hearing, Daniel arrived with Emily by his side.
When he saw me, he instinctively stepped forward as if to question me.
I ignored them completely and walked straight into the courthouse.
Daniel froze for a moment, his expression darkening. Then, as if to provoke me, he wrapped an arm around Emily's waist and raised his voice deliberately.
"Emily, don't be scared. She has no evidence. I've hired the best legal team for you. She won't win."
I didn't respond.
Once the hearing began, my lawyer presented the most direct piece of evidence.
Daniel probably hadn't expected that I still had footage from that day.
After the accident, my car had been sent to an auto repair shop.
The dashcam had recorded everything in full. The evidence was undeniable.
The legal team Daniel hired was indeed formidable, their arguments airtight.
But my lawyers were no less capable.
The team I had hired was led by my best friend Sophie Miller, a core group made up mostly of her former classmates, all graduates of the finest law school.
When she took the case, she had only said one thing. "Don't worry. I won't let you lose."
Round after round of examination brought the truth into the open.
In the end, faced with irrefutable evidence, Emily lost the case.
Though Daniel's legal team managed to keep her out of prison, she was still ordered to pay substantial damages.
By the time we walked out of the courthouse, night had fallen.
Shadows from the trees flickered across Daniel's face, obscuring his expression.
Before leaving, Daniel stood beneath the tree, his face hidden in shifting light and shadow. "This time, I slipped up. You won't get another chance like this."
With that, he didn't linger. He turned and left, his arm around Emily.
I didn't bother with them. Instead, I had my staff deliver the verdict and the full dashcam footage to my media company.
Overnight, major media platforms across Northhaven began reporting on the case.
Social media, financial pages, even street news screens were quickly set ablaze with the story.
Public opinion spread like an explosion.
Daniel and Emily were pushed straight into the eye of the storm.
The Carter Group was shaken, and its stock price dropped.
I returned to my apartment, about to check the news and comments on my phone.
I had just unlocked the screen when a call from my staff came in before I could even open the news app.
"Ms. Parker, something's wrong! There's been a fire near the media district!"
He paused, as if struggling to continue.
"The fire broke out in the building where your media company is located. The flames are massive. The entire building is almost engulfed. And we just got word… your lawyer friend is still inside!"
