Chapter 60
Anna
My jaw actually dropped.
She didn’t just defend Ian, she went straight for the throat. I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing…or who she really was.
Michael’s ex-girlfriend.
The realization hit harder than any argument that came before it. She was brilliant. She didn’t come to spar; she came to end this. And God help me, I was loving every second of it.
But beneath that dark satisfaction, something colder settled in my chest.
I couldn’t believe Michael had done this. Planned it. Calculated it. All while looking at me like I was something he loved.
Morgan never looked at him again. Didn’t pause for a reaction. Didn’t wait for denial or outrage. She didn’t need any of it.
She turned and walked back to the defence table with unhurried confidence, heels echoing across the courtroom floor. Each step felt like punctuation. The room remained frozen beneath the weight of everything she’d just exposed.
She took her seat beside Ian.
He didn’t move. Didn’t speak. But his hand shifted slightly toward hers—a subtle, unmistakable acknowledgment. A quiet alignment between two people who knew the tide had turned.
Irrevocably.
Across the room, Michael sat rigid and hollowed out, the man he believed himself to be stripped down to something small, something unrecognizable.
And for the first time since this nightmare began, I felt it settle deep in my bones.
Not hope.
Certainty.
The courtroom felt impossibly still. We sat in silence, waiting for the judge’s ruling, the weight of the past weeks pressing down on my chest. My hands rested on my lap; fingers curled tightly around my bag like it was the only thing anchoring me to the present.
The judge cleared his throat, the sharp sound cutting through the silence as he shuffled the papers in front of him.
“This court has carefully reviewed all evidence, testimonies, and financial records,” he began. “We have considered allegations of unethical conduct, undue influence, and financial manipulation concerning Dr. Ian Collins.”
My pulse thundered so loudly in my ears that I was sure everyone could hear it.
“After thorough consideration,” the judge continued, “it is clear that Dr. Collins acted at all times within professional and legal boundaries. Miss. Mathews’ autonomy was never compromised.
There is no evidence of coercion, influence, or financial gain on his part related to this case.
Allegations suggesting otherwise are unfounded and without merit. ”
I blinked, barely daring to breathe, afraid the moment might vanish if I did.
“The court finds that Dr. Collins is not guilty of all claims brought against him. Mr. Miller’s testimony has been found inconsistent and unreliable, particularly regarding his assertions of motive and characterizations of Dr. Collins’ conduct.
Furthermore, his financial and personal claims have been contradicted by the records presented. ”
A pause followed—brief, deliberate—as the judge lowered the papers and looked over the rim of his glasses toward Michael.
“Mr. Miller,” he said firmly, “this court exists to administer justice, not to serve as an instrument for personal grievances. I strongly advise you not to misuse judicial proceedings for matters rooted in resentment rather than fact.”
The gavel struck once.
“Court adjourned.”
The words landed slowly—then all at once.
Tears slipped from my eyes before I could stop them.
Relief, vindication, disbelief—they all tangled together until I couldn’t tell one from the other.
Nancy turned toward me first, wrapping her arms around me tightly.
Then my dad pulled me in, holding me like he used to when I was a child.
Chloe and Tatum joined in, a quiet circle of warmth and support forming around me as the courtroom murmured around us.
My hands trembled as I reached into my bag.
The envelope.
The one I hadn’t opened. The one he’d told me to wait for.
I slid it free, my fingers clumsy, and carefully broke the seal. My vision blurred as the words came into focus.
They failed to keep us apart.
That was it.
My breath shattered. The tears came harder now, uncontrollable, my face falling into my hands as everything I’d been holding back finally broke loose.
Then I felt hands on my knees—gentle, grounding.
I looked up.
Ian.
The moment I saw him, I collapsed into his arms, sobbing openly, my forehead pressed against his chest as he held me without hesitation, without restraint.
“It’s okay,” he murmured softly, his voice steady against my ear. “We won.”
He pulled back just enough to look at me, his thumbs brushing away my tears with a tenderness that undid me all over again. Then, without caring who was watching, he leaned in and kissed me—slow, sure, like a promise finally kept.
“Let’s get married next week,” he said quietly.
I didn’t hesitate. I nodded, breathless, smiling through tears. “Yes. Yes—let’s do it.”
He reached into his wallet and removed a sleek black card, placing it gently into my hand. “Get whatever you need. Dress. Shoes. Makeup. Anything.”
I laughed weakly. “Aren’t you going to need your card?”
He lifted his phone slightly, a faint smile tugging at his mouth. “Apple Pay.”
I wrapped my arms around him again, holding on like I never wanted to let go. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” he replied, pressing a kiss to my hair. “Go home with your dad. I’ll see you later.”
And for the first time in a long time, as I nodded and pulled away, I believed him.
Not because the court said we were free.
But because we were.