I rushed up the stairs that led to the entrance of the mansion, hardly seeing anything, thanks to my rage. Max must’ve been expecting me, for he drew the door shut behind me the second I whizzed in.
I whirled around to face him, thrusting the papers into his face. “Do you mind explaining what the fucking hell this is?”
“Calm down, Elaine. Deep breaths,” he stated calmly.
“Don’t tell me to calm down!” I howled. “How long have you known him, Max? Four damn seconds and suddenly you think you’ve got what it takes to look after him for the rest of his life?”
He scoffed in irritation. “He’s safer with me, Elaine. You’re the one going to clubs, meeting strange men, and doing drugs.”
“I’m not doing drugs. I was drugged! It could happen to anyone.”
“That’s not a valid excuse either. Why on earth will you leave Finn at home to go spend time with spoilt random people at a club? You’re not in high school anymore, Elaine. You’re a mother. And you’ve got to act like one.”
I glared at him, my teeth clenched, eyes wet with furious tears.
“Do you have any idea how worried I was? I stayed by your side in that hospital, hoping and praying that you survived. Begging God to sustain your life, so I wouldn’t have to break the news to a five-year-old that his dear mother didn’t love him enough and that she died from drugs.”
“It was a mistake,” I whispered. “I’m human. You know that.”
“Don’t give me that terrible excuse, Elaine. Do you know what your problem is? You’re just too stubborn to admit that you’re wrong. You were simply at the wrong place and time,” he growled. “Who were the men you had drinks with?”
“They were all strangers apart from Sky.”
He scrunched up his face, eyes blank. “Who the fuck is Sky?”
“The one you had beaten up at Benson’s.”
His eyes widened. “You agreed to have drinks with that brute?”
“Of course not! Ivy forced me to because she had a big crush on Sky’s friend. I wanted to leave the minute they approached. She made me stay back and have drinks with them. I swear if I’d known they’d pull off something like this I wouldn’t have agreed to drink with them. You’ve got to believe me, Max. We all make mistakes. We all have our sour hours.”
His eyes grew cold. “I would never go to a fucked up club if I had a child at home and you know this.”
“Liar!” I exploded. “You’ve been out with friends, partying and having fun even after you knew about Finn. Don’t give me that crap, Max. You want me to sit home like a caged bird, looking after your son with your money while you go out there to whore yourself around with girls you consider better than me.”
“Assumptions aren’t good, Elaine. The only reason why I went to those clubs was because of my friends. We normally hang out in clubs even before I met you.”
“I don’t bloody care. There’s no difference between you and me. I was simply more unfortunate.”
“You could’ve avoided this if you’d listened to me. I have my reasons for asking you to stay home and watch after Finn. I knew you’d be preyed on. Now, your son will be taken from you and you won’t win.”
I teared up at the finality of his tone. God, I’d never seen someone so confident… someone whose ego scared me as much as him.
“You told me you loved me, Max. In the hospital. I heard it. I know you do,” I sniffled, poking a finger into his chest. “This isn’t a competition. You said so.”
He lowered his head in shame. “No, Elaine. It isn’t. It’ll never be. I love you.”
“Then call the court and have them throw this case out,” Tears streamed down my cheeks slowly. “He’s all that I have left. Don’t take him away from me.”
His eyes softened as he brought his hands up to cup my face, cleaning the tears with his thumbs. “You have me, Elaine. It’s only for a few weeks. Just until you recuperate.”
“These past few weeks have been rough on me. But I’ve got everything under control, I assure you. I’m the best mom for him,” my chest tightened. “Don’t take him away from me, Max. We can work this out.”
“It’s no longer within my power. I’m sorry.”
I shook off his hands from my face, frowning. “What?”
He set his jaw. “Finn is my son. I have to do what’s best for him. I have to protect him.”
“You’ve made up your mind then? To go ahead with this?”
“I have no choice. He’s my whole world as well.”
“No, Max. Don’t do this. I’ll never forgive you for as long as I live.”
Pain sliced through his features. “I love you, Elaine.”
“Then don’t take him away! Please. I beg you.”
“It’ll only be for a while. You have my word,” he brushed past me now and pulled the door open. “Now you have to leave. I have a lot of work to do.”
I shook my head as tears rolled down my cheeks. “Max, please. Don’t do this to me.”
“Leave now, Elaine,” he shoved me lightly towards the door. “We’ll see each other in court tomorrow. Make sure you come early enough. We’ve got nothing more to discuss here.”
“Mark my words, Max. I’ll never forgive you for as long as I live,” I said finally, turning to walk out of the door with my heart shattered into a million pieces in my chest.
–
“All rise,” the court clerk’s hoarse voice booms in the large hall. As we all rose up from our seats, it felt like I was having a very bad dream.
It was a small courtroom in Manhattan. Cora stood beside me with her hands wrapped around my shoulder, quietly offering her invaluable support. At the other side of the room, Max was flanked by his uncle, Samson.
It was a closed court hearing, which meant we weren’t allowed to have legal representation. The big case was slated to take place in a few weeks, and I was gearing up for that one. I wasn’t going to back down without a fight. Finn was my son first, before his.
And if I lost, I planned to run away. I couldn’t imagine a life without my little prince beside me. I couldn’t envision the trauma I’d pass through.
No. I wouldn’t give him up for anything in the world.
I glanced over, briefly at the man that’d once meant the whole world to me. The man I was now fighting with. He stood with his hands folded firmly across his chest, his eyes firmly fixed on something on the desk in front of him. I could feel his unease. Since we’d arrived, he couldn’t even bring himself to look at me.
Words would not be enough to express how guilty he felt. And I hated him. I hated him for stooping so low to resort to this madness.
For five years, I took care of his son. For five fucking years, I traded my dreams to be a model mother and this was what he was repaying me with? By going against me to own what was meant for the both of us completely?
The door whirled open, and the bulky judge came into view, his white transparent glasses perched high atop his stubby nose. He cleared his throat, taking a field view of the entire courtroom before plopping down heavily on his seat. At last Max’s eyes found mine, and I flipped him the bird, before taking my seat as well.
As the judge began reading the papers in front of him, my heart began to race, tears spilling down my cheeks in torrents. He glanced up at me, then Max, before pushing the papers away. “Yes, Mr. Sturm. Is there any tangible reason why you’re applying for the permanent custody of your son?”
“Yes, Sir,” Max stood up, staring at me briefly. “His mother has always complained about funds. The circumstances surrounding his birth are complicated, and I only got to know about his existence a few weeks ago. She’s been the one taking care of him for five years. She’s sacrificed her dreams for him. I want custody because he’s my son as well and I have a part to play in his life. I want to take the burden off her.”
“He’s her son as well,” the judge croaked, adjusting his wig. “Did she ever complain that taking care of him was a hassle?”
“No, your Honour. But she’s doing a lot to clothe and feed both of them, which should be my primary responsibility. I’ve told her to give up working and look after him full-time, while I provide whatever she needs but she refuses. Her daily schedule is hectic, and interferes with the child’s welfare.”
“Your Honour, that’s a lie,” I shot up angrily. “I’ve worked with that schedule for five years. Five damn years, and I still take care of him just fine. Mr. Max Sturm is simply being unreasonable and selfish. He’s only known about our boy for three weeks and now he thinks he has what it takes to look after him his whole life.”
“Keyword, Elaine. I know what it takes to look after him,” Max growled back, matching my heated glare.
“The both of you should grow up,” the judge demanded, rapping his gravel on the desk lightly. I clenched my fists to calm my anger as I waited with bated breath for his judgment.
“Mr. Sturm, permanent custody will not be granted, because the child won’t fare well without his mother. She’s a bigger part of his life, much more than you are, so here’s what I recommend. You both will share joint custody of your son while sorting out your disagreements with each other. As budding parents, unity is a necessity,” he banged the gravel. “Court adjourned.”
I closed my eyes in relief as the judge quietly left. God. It’d gone better than I’d expected. Cora pulled me into a bear hug, patting my hair softly.
“We won,” she muttered happily. “In your face, Max fucking Sturm!”