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“Relevance,” I force out, narrowing my eyes when they meet his.

He turns back to Bianca. “I’m sorry to ask about such delicate matters, but I assure you, Mrs. Casiraghi, it is relevant.”

She says nothing, only nodding. “Ask what you want to ask, Mr. Hart.”

“Isn’t it true that weeks after withdrawing your petition for divorce back in 1994, it came to light that your trust fund suffered considerable losses due to bad investments?”

“Objection,” I blurt out. “Hearsay. There was no evidence entered in disclosure to prove that claim.”

Ezra moves to sift through the binder at his seat, pulling out two copies of a stapled document and passing one to me. “This was just brought to our attention today. I was going to formally submit it as soon as possible.”

I skim the financial record he’s given me, overviewing what appears to be the account housing Bianca’s trust. Just as he said, there was a significant loss shown in late 1994. I look up to find Bianca’s eyes. This is also something she should have told me. What the fuck is going on?

“Mrs. Casiraghi,” Ezra goes on. “Is it correct that these two events occurred within the same month?”

I watch as Bianca looks past Ezra, following her line of sight as I notice her looking at Lorenzo. Her husband looks smug, but when I look back at my client, there’s a spark of sadness in her eyes that wasn’t there before. A crack in her armor that is entirelyunlike her. She shakes it off before giving Ezra her attention again.

“It is true that these two things occurred close together. One has no bearing on the other.”

Ezra nods, taking a breath before turning to look at me. I’ve already caught sight of his father, who looks pleased, but strangely, Ezra doesn’t. If anything…he looks apologetic.

“Pass the witness,” he tells me quietly.

Alexander pats Ezra on the back as he takes his seat as if offering congratulations, and I quietly seethe in mine, my teeth grinding as I just barely manage to keep my irritation in check.

“I’ll reserve for trial,” I manage.

“We are off the record at four thirty-six,” the court reporter chirps from the corner, signaling the end.

I feel decidedly less confident than I did only moments before, this new information sure to raise doubt in a juror’s mind. Everything in me wants to pull Bianca aside and grill her about what the hell just happened, but I know it will make us look unprepared, so I force myself to wait until we’re alone. She leaves almost immediately, and I wonder if she will wait outside for me or slip away so that I’ll have to chase her down. She’s determined to make my job difficult.

“Well, that was exciting,” Alexander says as he approaches me, his leering smile back in place as I pack away my things. “Good sport.”

I narrow my eyes. “These are people’s lives we’re dealing with. I would hardly call it sport.”

“It’s all sport from where we’re standing,” he chuckles. “We’re nothing but gladiators in another’s arena, after all.” I blink back at him with disbelief, but he’s already turned away from me togive his attention to Ezra. “Good work today, Ezra. Come to the house this evening. Your mother would love to have dinner.”

Ezra doesn’t look up from where he’s still scratching notes down in his seat, but he gives a tight nod all the same. Alexander leaves us alone after that, everyone else having already filed out, and I decide if I never have to see Alexander Hart again, it will be too soon.

“I’m sorry about what he said,” Ezra says softly. “He can be…challenging.”

“He can be a real dick,” I snort. “No offense.”

To my surprise, Ezra’s mouth twitches in a smile. “None taken.”

“I hope he’s better to you than he is to everyone else, because fuck.”

There’s a flash of something across Ezra’s face, but I can’t place it. He finally packs his things back into his briefcase, pushing away from the table. “I was against him coming, by the way.”

“Why? You’re on the same team, after all,” I grouse.

Ezra’s lips turn down, a wrinkle forming between his brows like he’s considering that and realizing that it doesn’t suit, which I find odd.

“I assume it was for my benefit,” I huff, changing the subject. I don’t like the almost pained expression on his face. “Probably thought he could intimidate me.”

There’s a hint of Ezra’s real smile, the tightness around his eyes lessening just a bit. “Are you saying I don’t intimidate you, Dani?”

“I think you wish you did.”