“Wait…” Judge Reyes said. His voice had dropped, losing its professional detachment.
He squinted, looking from me to the file, and back to me.
“You’re… Ethan Carter, aren’t you?”
A ripple of confusion went through the room. My mother frowned, whispering something to Mark.
“No, Your Honor,” Diana spoke up, her voice shrill. “His name is Ethan Ashford. He’s our son.”
Judge Reyes ignored her completely. He didn’t even blink. He kept his gaze locked on mine.
“You were in my courtroom four years ago,” Reyes said slowly. “Not as a defendant.” He tapped his temple, memory dawning on him. “It was the OmniCorp embezzlement case.”
