CHAPTER 1 — THE MOMENT AFTER THE FALL
The courthouse stairs were no longer just marble.
They were stained evidence.
Khloe lay motionless for a few seconds that felt like an entire lifetime collapsing inward. Her breathing was shallow, fractured. Every instinct in her body screamed one thing—protect the baby.
Above her, chaos had not fully formed yet.
People were still processing what they had seen.
A pregnant woman falling.
A scream cut short.
A man dropping to his knees.
Then—
“HOLD THE AREA!”
Security finally moved, too late, too slow.
But Harrison Cole was already there.
He didn’t look at the crowd.
He didn’t look at Vanessa.
He didn’t even look at Richard.
Only Khloe.
His hand trembled as he pressed two fingers against her wrist.
A pulse. Faint. Still there.
“Stay with me,” he whispered.
May you like
And for the first time in years, his voice wasn’t law.
It was fear.
