And they said
“There goes the last great American dynasty”
“Who knows if she never showed up, what could’ve been”
“There goes the most shameless woman this town has ever seen”
“She had a marvelous time ruinin’ everything”

---

August 2007

A strange calm settled over Elizabeth as she sat outside the courtroom, staring at the wood-paneled doubled doors.

Ric was calling her to the stand, and she knew what her ex-husband wanted from her. Testimony that would put Jason in jail for the rest of his life for murdering Lorenzo Alcazar. And she knew that if Ric didn’t like her story, he’d attack her credibility. Diane had prepped her for that, but the lawyer hadn’t known what exactly Ric might use against her.

“Whatever you do,” Diane had told her with that pinched look on her face, “don’t lie. I can clean up anything on cross, but if you lie, it will make everything worse.”

And boy, didn’t Elizabeth know that was true? Lying had never solved a single problem, only getting her through life moment to moment.

Ric would ask about Jake. He had known paternity was an issue — and it wasn’t a stretch to guess that Lucky didn’t know any of it had happened. He would ask about her relationship with Jason.

He would ask about Jake.

And Elizabeth would have a choice.

“Elizabeth Spencer?”

A bailiff stood in the open doorway, gesturing. Elizabeth rose to her feet.

Showtime.

She kept her eyes straight ahead, refusing to look at anyone in the courtroom save for the clerk that swore her in—

Do you promise to tell the truth—

She stared at a piece of the tiled floor, saw Ric’s shoes as they drew closer to her.

“What is your profession?”

Now she lifted her gaze, locking eyes with her traitorous, sociopathic ex-husband who had never brought her anything but misery. Who would always take every opportunity to hurt Jason.

“I’m a nurse at General Hospital.” She clenched her hands in her lap, didn’t look at Jason.

“How long have you known Jason Morgan?”

“Objection,” Diane said, almost lazily. “Lacks foundation.”

“Sustained.”

Ric’s mouth tightened. “Do you know Jason Morgan.”

“Yes.”

“How long?”

“Maybe ten years. A little less.” Keep your answers short. Answer only what you’ve been asked.

“And what is the nature of that relationship?”

Elizabeth tipped her head to the side. “When?”

Ric straightened, narrowed his eyes. “It’s not a trick question, Mrs. Spencer. What is the nature of your relationship with Jason Morgan?”

“Ten years is a long time. I want to be sure I understand your question and answer truthfully.”

A muscle in his cheek twitched, and she wondered if he was silently counting to ten.

“The nature of your relationship today,” Ric said. “What is it today?”

“Oh. Friends.”  And that was entirely true, Elizabeth thought. Having feelings and thoughts didn’t change status. Actions did.

That hadn’t been what he’d been expecting, and she watched him hesitate, gather himself. “All right. Have you always been friends?”

“No.”

“Mrs. Spencer, I think you know what I’m asking you, and you’re refusing to do so—”

“Objection. Argumentative. Speculative. Lacks foundation. All of the above.” Diane flashed Ric a smile when the district attorney threw her a dirty look.

“Sustained. On all accounts. If you have a question, Mr. Lansing, I suggest you ask it.”

“All right. Let’s try this. Did you overhear a conversation between Jason Morgan and the victim, Lorenzo Alcazar, shortly before Mr. Alcazar disappeared?”

“I saw them having a conversation. I didn’t hear what was said.”

“Not even a single word?” Ric wanted to know, his tone dubious. “You didn’t hear anything?”

“I didn’t hear what was said,” Elizabeth repeated.

“Have you ever been to Mr. Morgan’s home? The penthouse on Harborview Drive,” Ric added before she avoided the question.

“Yes.”

“Have you spent the night?”

“Yes.”

Ric leaned against the prosecution table, folded his arms. “Have you ever had sex with Mr. Morgan?”

Her cheeks flooded with heat, but she didn’t look at Lucky in the audience or Jason at his table. “Yes.”

“When?”

“Last August.”

“Last August,” Ric repeated. He cocked his head. “Were you married at the time?”

“Yes.”

“Did your husband know about that?”

“Before right now? No.”

“Objection, Your Honor.” Diane rose. “As scandalous and fascinating as I’m sure we are all in my defendant’s sex life, I fail to see the relevance.”

“Credibility, Your Honor,” Ric said before the judge could argue. “Mrs. Spencer has a reason to protect Jason Morgan. A very good one. And I’d like permission to explore why she’d lie on the stand here today.”

“Tight rope, Mr. Lansing,” the judge remarked. “Overruled.”

“August 2006. That would be a year ago. Your youngest son. When was he born?”

“May 4.” Elizabeth’s lips twitched. As devastating as this was to her life, she felt outside of all of that. It was just her now, dueling with Ric, fighting the same fight they’d had since they met. Just how far would she go to protect Jason Morgan?

All the way to the ends of the Earth.

“May 4,” Ric murmured. “That’s nine months, isn’t? Or a little over?”

“Your math is correct.”

“Tell me, Mrs. Spencer, who is the biological father of young — ” He made a show of checking his notes, though he would have memorized it long ago. “Jacob Martin.” He emphasized the beginning initials of Jake’s name. “Your husband or Mr. Morgan?”

And here it was. The moment where she could protect her life or tell the truth.

If she lied, there was a chance Ric knew the answer to that. And the jury would never believe the rest of her testimony.

And if she told the truth, her world would explode, and she’d never be able to take it back.

In the end, it was an easy choice. A choice she should have made months ago.

“Mr. Morgan.”

Ric’s face fell and the courtroom exploded in whispers and conversations. Now, Elizabeth looked out in the galley, at the red face of Lucky as he jerked to his feet and stalked out of the room. She bit her lip, regretting that she hadn’t done more to protect him from the truth but—

She looked now at Jason for the first time, at the stunned expression etched into his features, his mouth slightly parted.  He’d never expected her to tell the truth —

“Order! Order!” The judge banged the  gavel. “Mr. Lansing—”

“You’re telling me that Jason Morgan is the biological father of your son,” Ric bit out, striding forward. “Does he  know that?”

“Objection, Your Honor. Are we done with this yet?” Diane demanded.

“Mr. Lansing—”

“No further questions,” Ric retorted, sending Elizabeth a scathing glare. “I hope you’re happy with what you’ve done.”

She lifted her chin. “Are you?” she asked coolly. He clenched his fists. “I told the truth, Ric. You should try it sometime.” She flicked her eyes to the judge. “Am I done?”

“Uh—” The judge cleared his throat, looked over at Diane. “Ms. Miller?”

“I have no questions for this witness.” Diane smirked. “Unless Mr. Lansing wants to recall her—”

“I’m finished with her,” Ric interrupted, offering one last fulminating glance before sitting at the table.

“Mrs. Spencer, you’re dismissed.”

Elizabeth nodded, rose to her feet, looking at Jason one more time, mouthing I’m sorry as she passed. He just smiled faintly, nodding. It’s all right, his eyes told her. They’d figure everything out later.

Outside, the cameras were flashing — reporters had rushed outside ahead of her — questions were being thrown at her, Lucky was glaring at her from across the hallway.

It was time for everything that came next.

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