Page 49 of Faking it with my Bad Boy Crush

"I have evidence." I pulled up the payment records. "Three payments from an investment group to Mr. Hutchins, perfectly timed with key events in this dispute. One payment before the allegedly fraudulent survey. One before filing the property claim. One before accelerating the sale deadline."

I advanced to the email chain I'd copied before leaving my firm—Marcus's communication about applying "strategic pressure" to force a sale.

"Your Honor, this is an internal communication from the investment group's legal team, discussing the deliberatecreation of legal vulnerabilities at Honey & Hearth Bakery. They're not defending property rights. They're manufacturing a crisis to steal a business they couldn't acquire legitimately."

The courtroom went silent. I saw several spectators lean forward, heard whispers ripple through the gallery.

Judge Morrison studied the documents on her screen. "Mr. Caldwell, this is an internal communication from your former firm?"

"Yes, Your Honor. Which I preserved as evidence before my employment was terminated for reporting ethical violations."

"Your Honor, this is attorney-client privileged material—" Victoria started.

"That exception doesn't apply when the communications show ongoing fraud," I cut her off. "The crime-fraud exception to privilege is well-established law. These communications document the deliberate creation of fraudulent legal claims. That's not protected."

I returned to the podium, pulling up the business plan. "Your Honor, Ms. Romano is not a struggling business owner who needs the court's intervention. She's a successful entrepreneur with documented growth, solid financials, and a detailed expansion strategy. She graduated top of her class from the Culinary Institute of America. She was senior pastry chef at Canlis—one of Seattle's most acclaimed restaurants—by age twenty-seven. She's tripled this bakery's revenue in seven years."

I advanced through the projections, the growth strategies, the evidence of competence and success.

"Granting this emergency motion doesn't protect anyone's legitimate interests," I concluded. "It only serves to punish Ms. Romano for having the audacity to fight back when she discovered the fraud. I'm asking the court to deny the motion, allow the independent survey to proceed as scheduled, and impose sanctions on opposing counsel for filing a baselessemergency motion designed to harass rather than resolve legitimate disputes."

I sat down, my heart pounding. Maya's hand found mine under the table, squeezing gently.

Judge Morrison was quiet for a long moment, reviewing the documents, the evidence, both sides of the argument.

"Ms. Campbell," she said finally. "Your client received payments from the investment group immediately before key events in this dispute. Can you explain that timing?"

Victoria Curtis stood smoothly. "Those were legitimate consulting fees—"

"For what consulting services?" Judge Morrison's tone was sharp. "Specifically. What services did Mr. Hutchins provide that coincidentally occurred right before filing legal claims?"

"Property assessment and development advisory—"

"That's vague, Ms. Campbell. I'm asking for specifics."

Victoria hesitated, and I saw the crack in her armor. She didn't have specifics because there weren't any. The payments were payoffs, and everyone in this courtroom now knew it.

"Your Honor," Victoria tried again, "the timing may appear suspicious, but—"

"It doesn't appear suspicious. It is suspicious." Judge Morrison's voice was ice. "And when combined with the surveyor's notation about adjusting the baseline per client specification, and with the internal communications Mr. Caldwell presented showing deliberate creation of legal vulnerabilities, and with the conveniently timed emergency motion filed only after fraud allegations were raised—the picture becomes very clear."

She looked at Victoria Curtis with barely concealed disgust. "This court does not appreciate being used as a tool for corporate harassment. Motion for injunctive relief is denied. Furthermore, I'm accelerating the independent survey to be completed withinseventy-two hours rather than one week. Both parties will be notified of results immediately upon completion."

"Your Honor—" Victoria started.

"I'm not finished." Judge Morrison's gaze swept across the opposing counsel table. "I'm also ordering your client and all associated parties to preserve all documents and communications related to this property dispute. If the independent survey confirms Mr. Caldwell's fraud allegations, I will be referring this matter to the county prosecutor for criminal investigation. And I will be reporting the involved attorneys to the state bar for potential ethics violations."

The courtroom erupted in whispers. I heard someone in the gallery—Tessa, probably—let out a whoop of celebration.

"Court is adjourned." Judge Morrison banged her gavel. "Mr. Caldwell, Ms. Romano, well done. The truth matters in my courtroom."

Outside the courthouse, Maya threw her arms around me without warning, her face pressed into my shoulder.

"We won," she said, her voice muffled. "You did it. You actually did it."

"We did it," I corrected, holding her tightly. "Your business plan, your credentials, your fight. I just translated it into legal language."

She pulled back, looking up at me with tears in her honey-brown eyes—happy tears, for once. "Thank you. For believing in me. For fighting for me. For seeing what I built and valuing it."