Ethan sat in his office, staring at his computer screen when the email notification flashed in the corner. He opened it without much thought, but as he read the words on the screen, his blood began to boil.
The email was from Gia, Tania’s lawyer, informing him that following their divorce, Tania had filed in court for full custody of Grace, demanding alimony and child support for both Grace and her unborn child. She hadn’t even waited for things to settle. Ethan felt the fury rise in his chest, his fingers gripping the edge of his desk as he re-read the email.
“Alimony? Child support? Full custody?” he muttered to himself, disbelief coursing through him. How could Tania have the nerve to demand that, after everything she’d done? After all the lies and the deceit?
Ethan clenched his fists, his thoughts racing as he quickly forwarded the email to Victor, his lawyer, then grabbed his phone, dialing his number.
“Victor,” Ethan’s voice was tight with anger, “you need to see the email I just sent you.”
“I’ve already seen it,” Victor replied, his voice calm, yet professional. “Don’t worry about it, Ethan. We knew she wouldn’t make this easy.”
Ethan wasn’t in the mood for patience. “Easy? She’s trying to take Grace from me and make me pay for her unborn child? You know the one that I’m not even sure is mine? I can’t let her do this!”
Victor sighed. “I understand, but we’ll handle this in court. Tania’s doing this to stir the pot. She wants a reaction, and we can’t give it to her. She’s dragging this out because she’s losing control. You need to focus on keeping your head clear. I’ll deal with the legal side of things.”
Ethan sat back in his chair, running a hand through his dark hair. Victor was right. He had to keep his cool, even if every fiber of his being wanted to lash out. “What’s our next move then?”
“We counter her claims,” Victor responded. “We already have custody of Grace, and we gather evidence of her manipulation. You won’t be paying alimony for a sham marriage, and if she keeps pushing, we’ll make sure her lies are exposed.”
Ethan exhaled slowly, his rage simmering but more controlled now. “Alright,” he muttered, “just make sure we win this, Victor.”
“We will,” Victor assured him. “Now get some rest. We’ll need you sharp for this fight.”
After hanging up, Ethan leaned back in his chair, the tension slowly draining from his body. His mind, however, drifted to Ella. He hadn’t spoken to her since the accident, and he missed her, missed the boys. Despite the chaos Tania was creating, it was thoughts of Ella that brought him a strange sense of peace.
He wondered how she was doing what was going through her mind now. Did she even want to talk to him after everything? He didn’t know, but he knew one thing: he missed her.
Ethan leaned forward, his eyes hardening as he stared at the email from Gia. He read it again and again, committing each word to memory, each unfair demand fueling his resolve. Tania was out of her depth if she thought she could bully him into submission. He had already taken steps to protect what mattered most to him, knowing that this battle was inevitable.
Yes, she’d signed away custody of Grace without realizing it, a decision made in the heat of their last explosive argument. At that time, Tania had probably thought it was a trivial compromise, unaware that it would one day keep Grace safe from her influence. And now, her request for alimony was as laughable as it was pathetic. He had taken back his shares from her too, transferring everything into a trust under Grace’s name. Tania wouldn’t see a dime from him.
With these safeguards in place, Ethan finally allowed himself a flicker of a smile. She could try all she wanted to drain him, but she’d find herself empty-handed, a stark reminder of the consequences of her deceit. And as for the unborn child-Ethan clenched his jaw, recalling Tania’s lies, the layers of betrayal she had woven. He had no intention of supporting that child unless there was undeniable proof of his paternity. Even then, he would only offer what was fair, not the extravagant life Tania dreamed of securing through manipulation.
Victor’s voice echoed in his mind: “She’s losing control.” Tania was grasping at straws now, panicking as her carefully constructed facade crumbled. Ethan found solace in the knowledge that Victor was right. They had the evidence. They had her lies, her manipulations, her mistreatment of Grace all documented and ready for court. He had spent countless hours, energy, and resources gathering every single piece of evidence he could. He would expose Tania’s true nature, and when he did, she would have no place left to hide.
The thought of Tania’s face when the verdict came down brought a grim satisfaction. It was more than just anger at her betrayal; it was a fierce need to protect Grace from a future shadowed by Tania’s schemes. No child deserved to be a pawn, especially not his daughter. Tania’s shallow attempts to wield Grace as a weapon only steeled his determination further.
Ethan’s mind drifted again to Ella. Ella, who was probably the only person who could help him keep his sanity in all of this. He thought of her boys, Leo and Liam, and how they brought light to every room they entered. The simple memories like watching them play at the park or the way they looked at him with childlike awe softened the hard edges of his anger. He knew his battle with Tania could become public, and Ella, being tied to him in the eyes of many, would be dragged into it by association. He didn’t want that for her, but he also didn’t want to shut her out.
When he’d last spoken to her, their conversation had been fraught with everything left unsaid the pain, the regret, and the lingering feelings he wasn’t sure he could still act on. But he missed her. He missed the version of himself he saw reflected in her eyes, the man he was before all of this chaos, the man he could still be if only he could find a way out.
Maybe, once the storm passed, he could reach out to her again. He’d kept his distance out of respect for her wishes, especially since he’d brought so much turmoil into her life. But once this was over, he wondered if there could be a chance for them to start anew.
Leaning back in his chair, he thought of what Victor had said: “Get some rest.” He chuckled softly at the absurdity of it. How could he possibly rest when everything felt like it was on the line? But Victor was right; he needed his strength. This battle wasn’t just about winning a legal case. It was about securing a future for Grace, a future free from Tania’s influence and safe from the poisonous webs she wove.
Reaching for his phone, Ethan pulled up the album of photos he kept hidden snapshots of the few times he, Ella, and the twins had spent together. A picture of Leo and Liam, faces lit up with wide grins, reminded him of the purity and innocence that Tania could never corrupt. There was a photo of Ella, too, her face turned toward the sunset, her hair blowing in the breeze. She had a small, secret smile that only he’d managed to capture. It was a reminder of a world outside of court battles and betrayals, a world where love still held a glimmer of hope.
One day, he told himself, I’ll reach that world again.
For now, though, he was ready to see this through to the end. He closed the album, set his phone down, and exhaled deeply. The war wasn’t over yet, but he was going to win this fight if not for himself, then for Grace, for the twins and for Ella, and maybe, just maybe, for the future he still dreamed of building with them in it.