My mother-in-law pointed at me in open court and said, “She’s faking it.” My husband sat beside his attorney, smirked, and told the judge I pulled this kind of thing whenever I didn’t get my way.

Daniel froze, his hand hovering in mid-air as Aaron stepped up to the booth, his broad frame completely blocking the light.

"Step away from Mrs. Vance, sir," the lead officer commanded, pulling out a set of steel handcuffs.

Daniel scrambled backward against the vinyl booth seat, his face draining of all color. "What is this?! What are you doing?! We were just having a conversation!"

"A conversation where you explicitly confessed to extortion, hiding marital assets in offshore cryptocurrency accounts, and grand larceny," Sarah Carter’s sharp voice rang out as she walked in behind the officers, holding a tablet playing a crystal-clear live audio recording of Daniel’s voice.

"...I’ve already moved the remaining $100,000 into offshore crypto accounts. You will get zero..." Daniel’s recorded voice boomed from the tablet speakers for the entire cafe to hear.

Daniel’s mouth opened and closed like a dying fish. "That... that’s illegal wiretapping!"

"One-party consent state, Mr. Vance," Sarah smiled grimly. "And attempting to extort a witness to drop criminal charges against your co-conspirator mother is a Class 3 felony."

The police officer grabbed Daniel by his arm, pulling him out of the booth and forcing him face-first against the wooden table.

CLICK-CLACK.

The cold steel cuffs snapped tightly around Daniel’s wrists.

"Daniel Vance, you are under arrest for witness intimidation, felony extortion, and grand theft," the officer read him his rights as cafe patrons pulled out their phones to record the spectacle.

"Clara! Tell them to stop!" Daniel screamed, his voice cracking into a high-pitched, pathetic pitch as he was marched toward the door. "Clara! I’m Lily's father! You can't do this to me!"

I stood by the counter, holding my cup of tea, watching my abusive ex-husband dragged out into the pouring rain.

"I’m not doing this to you, Daniel," I said softly as he passed me. "You did this to yourself."