He turns to me, and I guess I expect to find relief on his face. Maybe joy even, but even I know that’s a stretch. What I see, though, is at least a sliver of the former. It should hearten me, shouldn’t it? But there’s something else in his eyes.

“Thank you, Jackson,” he says stonily.

Jackson nods. “I’ll take this to The Councilors today. You’ll still need to bring your wife in on her appointed date, but I believe this will be enough to clear her name.”

It’s over.

A sob escapes me, and I catch the edge of the desk to steady myself. It’s over. This one part at least.

Santiago nods tightly. “I need to talk to my wife,” he says, voice hoarse.

“Of course,” Jackson says and turns to Colette. He gestures to the door. That’s when I see it. The ring on his finger. The insignia with the two hammers on the hand of the man talking to Holton on the night of the gala. The name my brother wanted.

“Ivy,” Jackson says, and I shift my gaze up to his. “I hope the next time you and my wife see one another, it will be in happier circumstances.”

I nod nervously. “Thank you. Thank you both of you.”

Colette takes my hands and squeezes. “Your wedding veil is in the bag too,” she whispers when she hugs me. “See you soon.”

“Thank you so much, Colette. Really, thank you.”

“We’ll see ourselves out,” Jackson says.

I watch them go then turn to my husband to find him watching me with a strange expression on his face.

“Tell me about that night.”

“You’re going to listen?”

“Tell me.”

“After your friend came to talk to you, I walked around for a little bit, then went into the chapel. I wasn’t going to hang around your sister or mingle. That’s where I met Colette and offered to swap shoes with her. She’d taken hers off and had been walking around barefoot. They must have been so uncomfortable, especially considering the pregnancy. Anyway, we stayed there talking until the first gong went off. She had to rush back, but I didn’t want to, so I found a bathroom and hid there for a while. I knew I couldn’t hide out forever, though, especially after the second gong, but when I tried the door, it was locked. I mean, it locks on the inside, so it wasn’t so much locked as barricaded I guess. I don’t know. I called out, but no one heard me, and then someone screamed. I think it was Mercedes. I’m sure, in fact. And then I could open the door, and well, you were lying on the ground.” I feel myself waver, remembering that moment. Remembering him like that. “And then the man—”

“Judge.”