The first time Derek Halston struck his seven-month-pregnant wife with his belt, two hundred people watched.

By Thursday afternoon, the quiet corridors of the Cook County Family Courthouse were buzzing with media reporters, camera crews, and legal aides rushing back and forth.

Derek Halston sat at the defense table, flanked by a high-priced criminal defense attorney named Marcus Vance—no relation to the judge. Derek looked exhausted, his hair uncombed, his dark suit wrinkled from sleeping on a leather sofa in his shuttered office.

Across the aisle sat Claire.

She wore a simple navy maternity dress, her hair neatly styled, her expression composed and unyielding. Beside her sat Miriam Cole, one of the most formidable family law attorneys in the Midwest, flanked by two legal associates provided by Graham Vale.

Judge Evelyn Harrow entered the courtroom, her silver hair neat, her expression severe.

"We are here for emergency motion hearings in the matter of Halston versus Halston," Judge Harrow announced, adjusting her glasses. "Counsel for the petitioner, you may proceed."

Miriam Cole stood up, smoothing her blazer.

"Your Honor, we are moving for an immediate order of protection, temporary sole physical and legal custody of the unborn child upon delivery, and an asset freeze across all joint and corporate accounts held by the respondent, Derek Halston."

Marcus Vance leaped to his feet. "Objection, Your Honor! This is an overreach! My client admits there was a regrettable domestic dispute, but this is a private marital matter being sensationalized by aggressive media campaigns funded by outside parties!"

"Outside parties?" Judge Harrow raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Vance, your client struck a seven-month-pregnant woman with a leather belt in a ballroom containing two hundred witnesses and twenty active cell phone cameras. The only thing sensationalized here is your client’s lack of impulse control."

A murmur of muffled laughter rippled through the gallery.

Miriam pressed her advantage. She placed a heavy binder on the podium.

"Your Honor, we have entered into evidence forensic accounting audits revealing that over the past twelve months, Mr. Halston systematically transferred over four hundred thousand dollars of marital funds into offshore accounts and luxury expenditures for his mistress, Lauren Price, while Mrs. Halston was rationing prenatal vitamins and paying medical bills out of her own nursing salary."

Derek turned crimson. He leaned toward his lawyer, whispering frantically, "Object! That's confidential corporate restructuring!"

"Shut up, Derek," Marcus Vance muttered under his breath, realizing the case was an unmitigated disaster.

Judge Harrow flipped through the financial summaries, her expression darkening with every page.

"Mr. Halston," Judge Harrow said, her voice dropping into a chilling register. "You abused your wife, neglected your family financial obligations, and squandered marital assets on illicit affairs. In my courtroom, that does not constitute a 'regrettable domestic dispute.' That constitutes gross financial fraud and domestic endangerment."

She picked up her pen.

"I am granting all motions requested by the petitioner. Temporary sole custody is awarded to Mrs. Halston. A permanent restraining order of five hundred feet is enacted immediately. All joint accounts, properties, and corporate holdings are frozen pending final divorce proceedings. Furthermore, Mr. Halston, you are ordered to surrender your passport to the court clerk by 5:00 p.m. today."

BANG!