“Yes,” I whispered.
Vanessa’s face twisted.
The lawyer smiled.
“And how long have you been sleeping in the same house as him and his children?”
“That’s not—”
“Answer the question.”
“Six months.”
“How convenient.”
Adrian’s lawyer stood.
“Your Honor, this is irrelevant—”
“It’s absolutely relevant,” Vanessa’s lawyer said. “Because it shows that Miss Carter is not a caregiver. She’s a woman who inserted herself into this family for personal gain.”
“That’s a lie,” I said.
“Is it? You needed money. Adrian Vale has money. You needed a place to stay. He gave you one. And now you’re claiming to love him—”
“I do love him.” My voice broke. “I love him and I love those boys and I would die before I let anyone hurt them.”
The courtroom froze.
Vanessa’s eyes filled with tears.
“She’s turned them against me,” she whispered.
“No,” I said. “You did that yourself.”
The judge banged her gavel.
“That’s enough.”
But it wasn’t enough.
Because two days later, the ruling came down.
Vanessa was granted partial custody.
The boys would spend every other weekend with her.
And I was ordered to cease all caregiving duties pending a full review.
Adrian’s face went gray when he read the order.
The boys were devastated.
Evan locked himself in his room.
Caleb wouldn’t stop crying.
Noah stopped eating.
