Chapter 7 - The Unravelling Forgery
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Ten minutes later, the side door opened, and Judge Amelia Warren stepped into the courtroom. A veteran judge with silver hair and an unreadable, razor-sharp gaze, she took the bench after Ben formally recused himself on the record and took a seat in the gallery behind me.
Two paramedics arrived simultaneously, kneeling beside me to check my vitals and attach a portable heart monitor to my abdomen.
Judge Warren reviewed the notes Ben had handed her, her eyebrows rising with every second.
"Mr. Pike," Judge Warren began, her voice echoing with dangerous calm. "I understand your client, Mr. Caldwell, claims that Mrs. Caldwell voluntarily abandoned the marital home and signed a legal waiver forfeiting temporary support?"
"That is correct, Your Honor," Graham Pike said, stepping forward quickly to regain control. "We have the signed electronic agreement right here, executed three weeks ago."
Pike handed a paper up to the bench.
Judge Warren glanced at it. "Mrs. Caldwell, did you sign this document on June 14th at 2:15 PM?"
"No, Your Honor," I said from the medical gurney the paramedics had prepared for me. I reached into my manila folder and pulled out a stamped document. "On June 14th from 7:00 AM until midnight, I was admitted to the emergency high-risk pregnancy unit at St. Jude Hospital. I was heavily medicated and under continuous observation."
The clerk passed my medical record to Judge Warren.
"The timestamps on this hospital admission directly contradict the digital signature time on your document, Mr. Pike," Judge Warren stated coldly. "Furthermore, I see that the witness signature on this agreement belongs to a Ms. Bianca Shaw."
Judge Warren looked over her glasses at Bianca, who was currently standing near the back wall flanked by two armed bailiffs.
"Ms. Shaw," Judge Warren said. "Did you witness Mrs. Caldwell sign this document?"
Bianca swallowed hard, looking desperately at Adrian. "I... I was told she signed it."
"So you lied on an official legal affidavit filed with this court?" Judge Warren asked softly.
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"Your Honor!" Adrian interrupted frantically. "It was an administrative mistake by my staff! I can explain—"
"Silence, Mr. Caldwell!" Judge Warren barked. "You are swiftly digging yourself into a very deep legal hole."
