Page 82 of Fake it With Me

He led us through security and down a hallway to a small conference room just off the main courtroom. The room was generic. Beige walls, a scarred wooden table, uncomfortable chairs. Everything about it felt designed to strip away pretense and comfort.

“Why don’t Daisie and I walk around and see all the cool stuff?” Liza suggested in a voice filled with faux enthusiasm.

I nodded. I wanted to tell her thank you, but I just couldn’t get the words out. She gave me a soft smile and then left the room.

“Alright,” Aaron said once we were all seated. “Let’s go over what’s going to happen.”

I tried to focus on his words, but my mind kept drifting. I didn’t want to think about what if, but I also felt like I needed to prepare myself. I didn’t want to crash out in front of the judge and everyone else. I had to mentally get ready.

“The photo is really damning,” Aaron was saying, and that snapped my attention back. “I’m not going to sugarcoat this, Darek. That image makes you look negligent. And we still can’t prove it’s been digitally altered.”

“But it has been,” I said through gritted teeth. “I was holding on to her life jacket the entire time. The water wasn’t choppy like that. Someone changed the background.”

“I believe you. But belief isn’t evidence.” He pulled out his own copy of the photo, spreading it on the table. “The picture is supposedly a still from security footage at the yacht club. When we tried to get the original video, the club said it’s automatically erased after thirty days. So it’s gone.”

“Convenient,” I muttered.

“Very convenient,” Brittany agreed. “We suspect Grant Waverly may have had something to do with either the alteration or the deletion. He has motive—he’s dating your ex-wife—and he has access to the club’s security systems.”

“Can we prove that?”

“Not without the original footage. And even if we could retrieve it, get forensic specialists to recover deleted files from the hard drives, we don’t have time. The judge wants to rule on this today. She’s concerned about Daisie’s safety and wants to ensure she’s in a secure environment.”

“She is in a secure environment. With me.”

“We know that. But we need to convince the judge.” Aaron leaned forward. “The good news is the home evaluation went extremely well. Ms. Ellison’s report is glowing. She describes a loving, stable home with a devoted father. That carries significant weight. She made notes about the security fence around the pool and a double lock on the liquor cabinet. Her opinion matters a lot. She saw the real living conditions and not a split-second snapshot. We will argue that kids do stupid stuff all the time. Any parent probably has a thousand of those split-second snapshots in their parenting career. The evaluation is the real image of your life.”

“Is it enough to overcome the photo?”

“Hopefully. Combined with your testimony, character witnesses, and the fact that Sasha abandoned Daisie for three years—yes, I think we have a strong case. But I won’t lie to you. It’s going to be close.”

“What about Liza?” I asked. “Will they call her to testify?”

“Probably. Sasha’s lawyer will definitely ask about your relationship. You need to be honest. Don’t try to hide the arrangement.”

“I won’t lie under oath.”

“Good. Because if they catch you in a lie, it’s over.”

We went over more details. By the time we finished, my head was pounding and my stomach was in knots.

“It’s time,” Aaron said, checking his watch. “Let’s go.”

Daisie and Liza were waiting outside the room. Melody was there as well. That just made my stomach clench harder. I asked Melody to sit with Daisie outside the courtroom. I didn’t want her to hear all the ugly things that were going to be said about me or her mother. If she was needed, she would be available to speak to the judge. The attorney said that was a possibility.

“Thank you for coming,” I said to Melody.

She smiled. “Absolutely. You just let me know if anyone wants to hear my two cents. I will be happy to tell them what I’ve seen and know.”

“My attorney knows,” I said. “Thank you.”

I gave Daisie a quick kiss and took Liza’s hand.

The courtroom was smaller than I’d expected. Wood paneling, a judge’s bench that seemed too large for the space, a few rows of seats for observers. It was already half-full. I assumed it was people who were probably waiting for other cases.

We took our seats at one of the tables. Liza sat behind me. I could feel her presence, which gave me strength.

Across the aisle, Sasha and her legal team were settling in at their table. She looked nervous. Good. I hoped the judge put her in her place. Grant Waverly sat in the row behind her, his presence like a splinter under my skin. His smug face, his proprietary hand on the back of Sasha’s chair, everything about him made me want to punch him in the throat. I knew he was funding this whole damn thing.