36. Alexander

"We're all here for you, Alexander," Liam said as he patted my shoulder. Before long, his wife, Addison, made her way over to us and gave me a hug, whispering, "We're here for you always." She pulled away, and I gave her a small smile before the doors to the courtroom opened and a guard walked out, calling us in. David had offered to watch Savannah for us while we were in court. Kat grabbed my hand and gave it a soft squeeze before we walked in. The courtroom was filled with only close family and friends, from my siblings to Kat's family and Marcus, who had shown up a little after we entered to watch the trial take place. The DA and ADA were across from us, with Margaret and Angelo, along with their lawyer, sitting on the other side of the small space. We all stood up upon hearing that the judge was entering before we were allowed to sit down.

"Case number 3266, New York vs. Margaret and Angelo Storm, is now in session," the guard announced as he walked to the old woman at the podium, handing her the case file. I felt a hand slide into my left one and looked over to see Ella silently crying. I gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and she took a deep breath before focusing on the hearing.

"I've reviewed the case, and I have to say, Mr. and Mrs. Storm, I have never seen a case like this in my 45 years as a judge," the woman said as she leaned on her brown leather chair, looking at Margaret and Angelo, who were wearing orange jumpsuits.

"The court calls Valentina Storm to the stand," the DA announced, making the courtroom erupt in whispers. I looked at Marcus in confusion, and he shrugged, looking equally perplexed. The doors to the court opened, and a moment later, a stunning woman in a black pencil skirt and matching blazer entered the room, her dark hair pulled back in a bun. I felt as though everything around me stood still as our eyes locked. She looked just like the woman in the photo.

"Silence!" the judge yelled, slamming her gavel on the table as Angelo stood up.

"You're supposed to be dead! I sent my men to kill you. How are you still alive?!"

"SILENCE!" the judge yelled, though the room continued with its whispers. "Who is this woman, Mrs. Wyatt?"

"I object, Your Honor. I was not notified that she was a witness in this trial," the defense attorney said as he stood up, slamming his hands on the table.

"You were, in fact, notified, Mr. White," the DA said. "It's there in your folder, along with my next witness."

"I can't breathe," I whispered as I felt my lungs constrict in my chest, the longer I stared at the woman I thought was dead. How is it possible that she's standing just mere feet from me?

"Valentina," Marcus whispered in shock. As if she heard her name, she looked away from me and towards the man sitting beside me, giving him a small smile. I had to know what had kept her from looking for me. What took her so long to reach out to me? Did she not want me like she said she did?

"Miss S—" the judge called, but she cut her off.

"De Luca, Your Honor," she said. Her voice sounded gentle, filled with sadness, anger, hurt, and hate as she looked at the people in front of her. She walked to the witness stand, and after she promised to tell the truth, the DA and defense lawyer both took turns questioning and cross-examining her.

"Why'd you wait until now to show yourself?" the defense lawyer asked, and my mother gave him a deadpan expression.

"Objection, Your Honor. How is this of any relevance to the case?" Mrs. Wyatt interjected.

"You're okay, Alex. Take deep breaths," Kat whispered as I felt light-headed, my lungs continuing to constrict in my chest.

"Ask another question that is relevant to the case, Mr. White," the judge said, and the defense lawyer clenched his jaw but nodded.

"If you were in hiding, how did you know that my clients were in jail?"

Silence fell over the courtroom as the woman I never thought I'd see sat in the witness chair.

"Answer the question, Mrs. De Luca," the judge said, and she pursed her lips before replying.

"The news. That's how my husband and I learned that my parents had been arrested, not once, but multiple times for violating a restraining order our son had placed against them," she replied. Her eyes locked with mine, and I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. She knew. She had been keeping a close tab on my life all this time.

"Why didn't you show yourself sooner?" the defense lawyer asked, prompting the DA to yell, "Objection!"

"Ask her a different question, Mr. White, unless you are done cross-examining the witness," the judge said.

"We have a right to know why she didn't show up sooner," the defense lawyer insisted, making my mother chuckle.

"You want to know why? I'll tell you. My husband and I didn't come forth sooner because we were protecting our son and his family." She looked over to Kat and me. "We were threatened that if we ever got near our son, they would kill him and his family. What would you have done if you were placed in a similar situation, Mr. White?"