Page 30 of Truck Hard

“Mrs. Fisher?” James’s voice pulls me back. “What happened when Mr. Fisher discovered the money?”

I force myself to continue, even as tears blur my vision. “He beat me. Worse than ever before. He grabbed a knife. Cut me here,” I point to the scar on my chin, “and in other places. I remember... I remember Cam trying to pull him off me when he started choking me, but Charlie threw him across the room. And then everything went black.”

“All lies!” Charlie’s voice explodes through the courtroom. “You’re making this up! You’ve always been a liar—”

“Order!” Judge Matthews’s gavel crashes down. “Mr. Fisher, control yourself or you’ll be removed.”

But Charlie isn’t finished. He surges to his feet, chains rattling. “Tell them the truth! Tell them about your mental breakdown. Tell them how you—”

“Bailiff!” The judge’s voice cuts through the chaos. “Remove the defendant!”

Two officers move to restrain Charlie, but not before he gets in one last shot. “You can’t do this to me,” he spits. “Small town white trash—”

“Don’t talk about my mom like that!” Cam’s voice rings out, raw with pain and fury.

The room erupts into chaos. Charlie struggles against the bailiffs. Lawyers shout objections. Spectators murmur in shock. And through it all, I can’t take my eyes off my son—my beautiful, brave boy who’s trying so hard to protect me.

I’m so sorry.You deserved better than this.

“Your Honor.” James’s voice cuts through the noise. “I move for an immediate ruling on the custody petition and divorce. Mr. Fisher has clearly demonstrated—”

“Agreed.” Judge Matthews’s sharp gaze sweeps the courtroom. “We’ll reconvene in fifteen minutes.”

As everyone files out, I remain frozen on the witness stand. My legs feel too weak to support me. My hands won’t stop shaking. The weight of everything—the testimony, Charlie’s outburst, Cam’s pain—threatens to crush me.

Then familiar footsteps approach, and strong hands help me to my feet. Liam. Steady and solid when everything else crumbles.

“Come on,” he murmurs. “Let’s get some air.”

I let him guide me into the hallway, where Cam waits with tears streaming down his face. The moment he sees me, he launches himself into my arms.

“I’m sorry.” He sobs. “I shouldn’t have yelled. I just... I couldn’t let him...”

“Shh.” I stroke his hair, holding him close. “You have nothing to be sorry for. Nothing.”

Over Cam’s head, my eyes meet Liam’s. The anguish in his expression mirrors my own—pain for our son, rage at Charlie, regret for all the years we can’t get back.

But there’s something else there too. Something that looks like hope.

We stand there together, the three of us, while the courthouse buzzes around us. A family forged in fire and fear, finally finding our way back to each other.

And for the first time in thirteen years, I feel truly safe.

“Cam, honey?” My voice is soft as I touch his shoulder. “Could you give me a minute to talk to Liam?”

Cam’s eyes dart between us, lingering on Liam’s face. Recognition flashes in his expression—he knows exactly who this man is. The set of his jaw, the shape of his eyes, the stubborn tilt of his chin—they mirror Liam’s perfectly.

“I’ll be right over there,” Cam says, pointing to a bench near the water fountain. He squeezes my hand once before walking away, his shoulders straight despite everything that’s happened.

I turn to Liam, my heart hammering against my ribs. “Thank you for coming. I didn’t expect—” The words catch in my throat.

“I couldn’t stay away.” His voice is rough, hands shoved deep in his pockets. “Not this time.”

Despite the formality of the suit he’s wearing, the familiar scent of motor oil and leather washes over me as I step closer. “It means more than you know, having you here today.”

“Hannah.” He says my name like a prayer. “I should’ve been here years ago. Should’ve—”

“Don’t.” I touch his arm, feeling the muscle tense beneath my fingers. “We can’t change the past. But maybe...” I take a shaky breath. “Maybe we can focus on the present. Start there?”

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