“Yes.”
“Even though you married your employee in less than a month?”
“Cate isn’t my employee anymore. She’s my wife.”
“Legally, yes. But Richard Castellano is going to argue that this marriage is a sham. That you panicked when Tonya showed up and convinced your nanny to marry you to make yourself look stable.”
“He can argue whatever he wants,” I said evenly. “It won’t change the facts.”
“Which are?”
“That I’m married to Cate. That we’re providing a stable, loving home for Megan. And that Tonya abandoned her daughter, then disappeared for three years before deciding she wanted to play mother again.”
Anthony’s mouth curved slightly. “Good. That’s the energy we need.” He set down his coffee cup. “But here’s what we’re up against: Richard Castellano is going to tear this marriage apart. He’s going to question every detail: how you met, when you started dating, why you got married so quickly. He’s going to interview your friends, your colleagues, anyone who might suggest this isn’t real.”
“Let him,” I said.
“He’s also going to focus on Cate.” Anthony’s gaze shifted to her. “Your background, your qualifications, your relationship with Megan. He’s going to try to paint you as an opportunist who saw a chance to marry a wealthy doctor and took it.”
I felt my jaw tighten, but Cate just nodded. “I understand.”
“Do you?” Anthony leaned forward. “Because this is going to get ugly. He’s going to dig into your past, your finances, and your personal life. He’s going to ask why a culinary student with a promising career in Boston suddenly became a nanny in Connecticut. He’s going to question your motives, your character, your fitness as a stepmother.”
“Then I’ll answer his questions,” Cate said, and there was steel in her voice I hadn’t heard before. “Because I have nothing to hide.”
Anthony studied her for a long moment, then smiled. “Good. That’s exactly what I needed to hear.” He turned back to me. “Here’s my assessment: the marriage is going to be scrutinized, but it’s not insurmountable. You’re both intelligent, articulate, and from what I can see, genuinely care about each other. That’s going to read in court.”
“What about Tonya’s case?” I asked.
“Weak. She abandoned Megan for three years, had no contact, and only filed for custody after remarrying. That’s not going to play well with a judge. But Richard Castellano is good enough to make it competitive.” He paused. “Which is why we need to be better.”
“What do you need from us?”
“Everything. I need to know every detail of your relationship with Tonya—how you met, why you divorced, what the custody arrangement was. I need to know about Megan’s medical history, her life at home with Cate, and her emotional state. I need character witnesses who can testify to your fitness as a father.” He looked at Cate. “And I need you two to sell this marriage. Convincingly.”
“We can do that,” I said.
“Can you?” Anthony’s gaze was sharp. “Because Richard Castellano is going to be looking for cracks. Any sign that this isn’t real, any hesitation, any inconsistency in your story, and he’ll exploit it.”
“We understand,” Cate said quietly.
Anthony nodded, then stood. “Alright. I’ll take the case.” He extended his hand to me. “But I need you to understand something, Dr. Lyon: I don’t lose. I’m going to do whatever it takes to win this case, and that means you need to trust me. Even when my methods seem... unconventional.”
I shook his hand. “Understood.”
He turned to Cate, and his expression softened again. “Mrs. Lyon, it was a pleasure meeting you. Thank you for the coffee and the scones.”
“You’re welcome.” She smiled. “I hope we’ll be seeing more of you.”
“You will. I’ll need to meet with both of you several more times before the hearing. And I’ll want to meet Megan as well, get a sense of her relationship with both of you.”
“Of course.”
I walked him to the door, and he paused on the threshold. “One more thing, Dr. Lyon.”
“Yes?”
“Your wife is remarkable.” His voice was low, meant only for me. “Smart, genuine, and clearly devoted to your daughter. Richard Castellano is going to try to tear her apart, but if she holds up the way I think she will, you’re going to win this case.”
