The ranch office had never felt so small.
Maybe it wasn’t the size of the room that had changed — maybe it was the weight of what was about to happen. The massive wooden desk, inherited from my father, seemed heavy with history, but at that moment it held something different: neatly arranged folders, an open laptop, and a silence broken only by the distant sounds of horses in the paddock.
Alice sat beside me.
I could feel the warmth of her body even without touching her. Her presence kept me grounded, although I knew that, for her, this moment demanded far more strength. Ever since the lawyer confirmed the preparatory meeting for the conciliation hearing, I had been mentally preparing myself to step into a role I had never imagined occupying.
It wasn’t just about protecting her.
It wa
