Chapter 9 - The Custody Threat
Adrian entered the suite under the watch of two federal officers.
He stopped several feet from Maya.
“I never wanted this to happen.”
Maya almost laughed.
“Which part?”
“The truth?”
“Your arrest?”
“Or your mother hitting me in front of three hundred people?”
“I should have stopped her.”
“Yes.”
“I was afraid.”
“So was I.”
Adrian looked toward Noah’s crib.
“I still love you.”
Maya followed his gaze.
“Do not use our son to reach me.”
“He is my child too.”
“He is not a bargaining tool.”
“I did not say he was.”
“You did not have to.”
Adrian’s expression hardened.
For the first time, Maya saw the man beneath the practiced gentleness.
“My family has rights.”
“Your family?”
“Our family.”
“There is no our family anymore.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“You cannot simply take my son and disappear into the Vaughn estate.”
“I have not mentioned disappearing.”
“My attorney says I can request emergency custody.”
Maya stared at him.
Only hours earlier, he had begged her to believe he loved her.
Now he was threatening to take her baby.
“You came here to warn me?”
“I came here to make sure you behave rationally.”
Vance moved from the far side of the room.
“That was an unfortunate choice of words.”
Adrian flinched.
Maya stood.
“You knew your mother had hidden my identity.”
“You helped access sealed files.”
“You placed fraudulent documents in front of me.”
“You watched her assault me while I held Noah.”
“And now you are threatening custody because you are afraid I will stop your merger.”
Adrian’s face tightened.
“This is not only about the merger.”
“Then sign away any claim to the Vaughn trust.”
Silence.
Maya nodded slowly.
“That is what I thought.”
Adrian looked toward the officers.
“I want my lawyer.”
“You should call him,” Maya replied.
“Tell him I am filing for divorce.”
He stared at her.
“Maya.”
“And tell him every conversation about Noah will happen through counsel.”
“You cannot shut me out.”
“You shut me out of my own life for six years.”
Adrian’s phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
It was Victoria.
He rejected the call.
A second later, Maya’s phone received an unknown message.
A photograph appeared.
It showed Noah sleeping in his crib the previous night.
The picture had been taken from inside their bedroom.
May you like
Beneath it was one sentence.
Give up the Vaughn shares, or the next photograph will be taken after he is gone.
