Updated Oct 22, 2025 • ~11 min read
Three days before trial, Paige stopped sleeping entirely.
Not insomnia—she’d dealt with that for months. This was different. This was lying awake staring at the ceiling, mind racing through every possible scenario, every way the trial could go wrong.
What if the jury didn’t believe her?
What if Marcus’s lawyers made her look like a liar?
What if she froze on the stand?
What if, what if, what if.
By the second sleepless night, Vincent noticed.
“You need rest,” he said gently, watching her pace the bedroom at two a.m. “You’re going to burn out before you even get to court.”
“I can’t turn my brain off.”
“Then let me help.” He stood, taking her hand. “Come with me.”
He led her to the master bathroom—massive, with a soaking tub that could fit two people. He started running water, adding bath salts, lighting candles.
“Vincent, I don’t have time for—”
“You have time for this.” His voice was firm. “Get undressed. Get in the tub. Let me take care of you.”
Something in his tone made her comply. She stripped mechanically, sank into the hot water. Her body started to relax even as her mind continued to race.
Vincent knelt beside the tub, rolled up his sleeves, and began washing her hair. Gentle, methodical, grounding.
“Talk to me,” he said softly. “What’s the worst-case scenario going through your head right now?”
“All of them. Every possible way this goes wrong.”
“Name one. The scariest one.”
Paige closed her eyes, letting his hands work shampoo through her hair. “That I get on the stand and freeze. That I can’t speak. That I just… break down and prove everyone right about me being too damaged to be credible.”
“Okay. And if that happens?”
“Marcus walks free. Gets away with everything. Hurts someone else. And it’s my fault for not being strong enough.”
Vincent rinsed her hair, his touch soothing. “First, if Marcus hurts someone else, that’s on him. Not you. You’re not responsible for his choices.” He moved to wash her shoulders, her arms. “Second, you won’t freeze. I’ve watched you prep. You know your story inside and out. When the moment comes, the truth will come out.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because you’re the bravest person I know. Because you’ve already faced the hardest part—deciding to testify at all. The rest is just details.”
“Just details.” Paige laughed weakly. “Like having Marcus’s lawyer call me a liar in front of everyone.”
“Like getting to tell your truth where it counts. In a court of law. On the record. Forever.” Vincent’s hands moved to her back, working out knots of tension. “Paige, win or lose, you’re doing something incredible. You’re standing up to your abuser. That’s heroic.”
“Doesn’t feel heroic. Feels terrifying.”
“It can be both.” He continued washing her, the intimacy of it non-sexual but deeply vulnerable. “What else are you afraid of?”
The question cracked something open in Paige’s chest.
“That you’ll resent me,” she whispered. “That when this is over and your family name is destroyed and Marcus is in prison because of us, you’ll look at me and wish you’d never met me.”
Vincent’s hands stilled. Then he moved around to face her, kneeling by the side of the tub so they were eye-level.
“Listen to me very carefully. I will never resent you. Never. You didn’t destroy my family—they destroyed themselves. You didn’t make Marcus a monster—he chose that. All you did was survive and tell the truth. And I love you for it.”
Tears spilled down Paige’s cheeks, mixing with bathwater. “I’m so scared, Vincent. Of the trial, of losing you, of everything.”
“I know.” He wiped her tears with his thumb. “But you don’t have to be scared alone. I’m right here. Every moment. Every question. Every time you doubt yourself, I’ll remind you who you are.”
“Who am I?”
“You’re Paige Carter. Survivor. Fighter. The woman who brought down an empire built on lies.” He smiled. “And you’re mine. If you’ll have me.”
Paige pulled him closer, getting his shirt wet. “Always.”
They stayed like that until the water started to cool. Then Vincent wrapped her in towels, carried her to bed, and held her until she finally, finally fell asleep.
But sleep brought nightmares.
She was on the witness stand, but when she opened her mouth to speak, no sound came out. Marcus laughed from the defense table. The jury pointed. Vincent turned away in disgust.
She woke gasping, Vincent immediately awake beside her.
“Another nightmare?”
“I can’t do this. Vincent, I can’t.” The panic was rising, choking her. “I’m going to get up there and I’m going to fail and Marcus is going to win and—”
“Stop.” Vincent turned on the bedside lamp, forcing her to look at him. “Breathe. Just breathe.”
“I can’t—”
“Yes, you can. With me. In for four, hold for four, out for four.” He demonstrated, and Paige tried to follow. Her breathing was ragged but slowly, slowly, it evened out.
“Better?” he asked.
“A little.” Paige looked at the clock. Three a.m. “I’m sorry. I keep waking you up.”
“Don’t apologize. This is what I’m here for.” Vincent pulled her against his chest. “Do you want to talk about the nightmare?”
“It’s always the same. I’m on the stand and I can’t speak. Or I speak and no one believes me. Or Marcus gets acquitted and he’s free and—” Her voice broke. “God, I’m such a mess.”
“You’re human. Facing your abuser in court is traumatic. Being afraid is normal.”
“But I can’t afford to be normal. I need to be strong. Perfect. Unshakeable.” Paige pulled away, wrapping her arms around herself. “The jury’s going to be watching me for any sign that I’m lying. If I cry too much, I’m manipulative. If I don’t cry enough, I’m cold. If I show emotion, I’m unstable. If I don’t, I’m a sociopath. There’s no winning.”
“Then stop trying to win that game. Just be yourself. Raw, honest, imperfect.” Vincent tilted her face toward him. “The jury doesn’t need you to be perfect. They need you to be real.”
“What if real isn’t enough?”
“Then we deal with it. But Paige, I’ve seen the evidence. The medical records, the police reports, the other victims coming forward. The truth is on our side. Your testimony is just the final piece.”
“Or the piece that destroys everything if I mess it up.”
Vincent was quiet for a moment. Then: “Do you remember what you told me that night at the beach? When I offered to run away?”
“I said I wanted to face him. Wanted to win.”
“You said you wanted him in prison where he couldn’t hurt anyone else. That’s still true, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then focus on that. Not on being perfect. Not on what the jury thinks of you. Focus on making sure Marcus Hartley never hurts another woman. That’s what this is about.”
Paige nodded slowly. “You’re right. I just… I keep losing sight of it.”
“That’s what I’m here for. To remind you.” He kissed her forehead. “Now, we have two choices. We can lie here worrying for the next three hours, or I can do something to actually tire you out so you can sleep.”
Despite everything, Paige smiled. “What did you have in mind?”
Vincent’s answering smile was wicked. “Let me show you.”
He made love to her slowly, thoroughly, until her mind finally quieted and there was nothing but sensation and connection and the feeling of being cherished.
Afterward, boneless and exhausted in the best way, Paige finally slept without nightmares.
She woke at eight to find Vincent already up, making breakfast. The smell of coffee and pancakes filled the house.
“Morning,” he said when she appeared in the kitchen. “Thought you could use comfort food.”
“You’re too good to me.”
“Impossible. I’m exactly good enough for you.” He plated pancakes. “Also, Jennifer called. She wants to do one final prep session this afternoon. Go over your testimony one last time.”
The anxiety returned immediately. “Okay.”
“Hey.” Vincent came around the counter, taking her hands. “Two more days. Just two more days of prep. Then it’s real. Then you get to say your piece and make sure justice happens.”
“Two more days,” Paige echoed. It felt like both forever and not nearly enough time.
The final prep session that afternoon was brutal.
Jennifer played Marcus’s lawyer, hitting Paige with every horrible question she could think of.
“Isn’t it true that you continued the relationship with Marcus even after he allegedly hit you?”
“Yes, but—”
“Yes or no, Ms. Carter.”
“Yes.”
“And isn’t it true that you sent him loving text messages after these alleged incidents?”
“I was trying to keep the peace—”
“Yes or no.”
“Yes.”
“And isn’t it true that you accepted one million dollars from Vincent Hartley to change your testimony?”
“I didn’t change my testimony, I withdrew it—”
“After being paid one million dollars. Yes or no.”
“Yes.”
Jennifer stopped, switching back to herself. “That’s how it’s going to go. They’ll twist everything. Make every answer sound damning. You need to stay calm, stay consistent, and when I redirect, you’ll get to explain the context.”
“What if the jury only remembers the yes answers?”
“Then we hope the medical evidence and other witnesses are enough.” Jennifer’s voice softened. “But Paige, I believe you. The judge believes you. The truth is powerful. Don’t underestimate it.”
After the session, Paige felt raw and exposed. Vincent took her home, ordered her favorite Thai food, and put on a mindless comedy.
“No more prep,” he said firmly. “No more worrying. Tonight, we just exist. Tomorrow we can stress. But tonight, we’re just two people who love each other watching bad TV and eating too much pad thai.”
So they did. They laughed at stupid jokes. They ate until they were uncomfortably full. They fell asleep on the couch tangled together.
And for a few hours, Paige forgot about the trial looming like a guillotine.
But the next morning—one day before trial—reality crashed back.
Her phone rang early. Unknown number. She almost didn’t answer, but something made her.
“Hello?”
“Paige Carter?” A woman’s voice, unfamiliar.
“Who is this?”
“My name is Rebecca Stone. I was one of Marcus’s victims. One of the ones his family paid off.” The woman’s voice shook. “I saw your interview. I wanted to call and tell you… you’re doing the right thing. I was too scared to testify, but watching you be brave made me wish I had been.”
Paige’s throat tightened. “Thank you. That means everything.”
“He’s a monster. And he’s gotten away with it for so long because people like me stayed quiet. But you’re not staying quiet. You’re fighting.” Rebecca paused. “I’ll be in that courtroom tomorrow. I can’t testify, but I’ll be there. Watching. Supporting you. You’re not alone.”
After they hung up, Paige told Vincent about the call.
“See?” he said. “You’re not just fighting for yourself. You’re fighting for all of them. For every woman Marcus hurt. For every woman he would have hurt if you didn’t stop him.”
“No pressure,” Paige said weakly.
“No. Not pressure. Purpose.” Vincent pulled her close. “You’re going to walk into that courtroom tomorrow and you’re going to tell the truth. And whatever happens after, you’ll know you did everything you could.”
“And then Montana?”
“And then Montana. I’m already looking at cabins. Found one with a lake view, completely isolated. We can disappear for a month. Maybe longer.”
“Sounds perfect.”
“It will be.” He kissed her. “One more day. We can do one more day.”
That night, Paige took another bath. This time Vincent joined her, both of them sitting in companionable silence as candles flickered.
“I’m terrified,” Paige admitted.
“I know.”
“But I’m also ready. Does that make sense?”
“Perfect sense.” Vincent laced his fingers through hers. “You’re going to be amazing tomorrow. And no matter what happens, I love you. That doesn’t change.”
“I love you too. Even though this is the most insane relationship in history.”
“Especially because of that.” He smiled. “We’re going to get through this. Together.”
“Together,” Paige echoed.
They went to bed early, both trying to sleep, both lying awake listening to each other breathe.
At some point in the dark hours before dawn, Paige finally spoke.
“Vincent?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you. For everything. For believing me. For fighting for me. For loving me when I didn’t think I deserved to be loved.”
“You always deserved it. I just got lucky enough to be the one to show you.”
Paige turned to face him in the darkness. “Whatever happens tomorrow—”
“We survive it. Together.”
“Together.”
They held each other until sunrise, until the alarm went off, until it was time to face the day that would change everything.
Trial day had arrived.
And Paige Carter was as ready as she’d ever be.
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