Aryyah sat in the waiting room of Morrison & Associates, a family law firm that had been highly recommended by her business attorney, and she tried to control the anxiety churning in her stomach; the office was decorated in neutral tones, expensive but understated, with abstract art on the walls that probably cost more than the sleekest car in town. She clutched her purse in her lap, her knuckles white, and tried not to think about what she was about to set in motion.

"Mrs. Petersons?" A ...