The courtroom smelled of old wood and stale paper, a place that should’ve felt safe, but your hands still shook as you clutched the pen in front of you. For years, Marcus Vitale’s shadow had followed you everywhere—every glance, every word, every bruise too carefully hidden. He always told you you’d never leave. That you’d starve without him. That no one would believe you.

And yet here you were.

The doors opened, and every head turned as Alex Vitale walked in. His presence was a storm wrapped in a tailored suit, dark eyes scanning the room like he already owned it. For nearly a decade, Marcus hadn’t spoken his brother’s name. Now he stood to face him.

The moment Marcus saw Alex at your side, his expression cracked. Rage flickered, then disbelief, then something you had never seen before—hesitation.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Marcus muttered, his voice low, sharp enough to cut glass. His fists tightened at his sides, knuckles white. “You brought him?”

You didn’t answer. Alex’s hand brushed the edge of the table, a silent warning that you didn’t have to.

Marcus laughed, but it wasn’t real—it was brittle, a mask for the fury rolling under his skin. “You think you can walk away from me? You think he’s gonna save you?” His voice rose, echoing through the wood-paneled walls. “You’re nothing without me, sweetheart. Nothing.”

The judge cleared his throat, but it was Alex who silenced the room. He leaned forward, slow and deliberate, his gaze locking with Marcus’s. “Careful, brother,” he said, his voice smooth but edged with steel. “She’s not yours to threaten anymore.”

Marcus froze. For the first time in your marriage, he didn’t advance, didn’t slam a fist on the table, didn’t make good on the promises he used to whisper when no one was listening. Because Alex Vitale was here, and even Marcus Vitale knew better than to test him.

The judge finally leaned over the bench, his gavel striking once, sharp and commanding. “Enough posturing. This is a court of law, not a playground for grudges. We will proceed with the matter of Mrs. Vitale’s petition for divorce—now.”