Chapter 8
The settlement talks fell apart two days later.
Daniel’s lawyer said they were prepared to go to trial.
I wasn’t surprised.
They thought they could wear me down.
They thought the pregnant woman would eventually give up.
They were wrong.
My lawyer called with the latest update.
“We have everything,” he said. “The loan. The fake DNA results. The PI letter Daniel wrote about Isla. The timeline of their affair. The attempts to access your assets. The package Helen left. The phone call from Isla. It’s all documented. We’re ready.”
I was ready too.
The trial date was set for three weeks after my due date.
I would have the baby first.
Then I would face them in court.
My father didn’t like the timing.
But he understood.
I needed to do this.
For me.
For my daughter.
For every woman who had ever been betrayed while vulnerable.
The next week passed in a blur of bed rest and legal documents.
I approved every filing.
Every motion.
Every piece of evidence.
I was tired.
But I was focused.
On the day before my due date, my father came over with news.
“Isla tried to contact one of the Langford executives,” he said. “She claimed she had information about the deal that could help them. They recorded the call and sent it to us.”
I closed my eyes.
Of course she had.
They were still trying.
Even now.
“What did she say?” I asked.
“She offered to sell them information about your family’s stake in exchange for money. She said she had inside access through Daniel.”
I felt something cold settle in my chest.
They had never stopped.
Not for a second.
“Add it to the case,” I said. “Everything. I want it all.”
My father nodded.
That night I went into labor.
It started slowly.
Then it came fast.
My father drove me to the hospital.
I held his hand the whole way.
In the delivery room, I thought about Daniel.
About Isla.
About everything they had taken.
And everything they hadn’t.
When my daughter was placed on my chest, I started crying.
She was perfect.
Ten fingers.
Ten toes.
A strong cry.
Dark hair like mine.
I held her close and whispered her name.
We had chosen it months ago.
Before everything fell apart.
Elena.
My Elena.
My father stood beside the bed, tears in his eyes.
“She’s beautiful,” he said.
I nodded.
“She’s everything.”
The nurses took her for checks.
I lay back and closed my eyes.
I had done it.
I had brought her into the world.
Safe.
Healthy.
Loved.
Daniel and Isla hadn’t taken this from me.
They couldn’t.
The next morning I held Elena while my father sat beside me.
He looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the world.
“She’s going to be okay,” he said. “You both are.”
I believed him.
Because I was going to make sure of it.
That afternoon my lawyer called.
“Daniel and Isla’s lawyers reached out again,” he said. “They want to settle before the trial. Full admission of the scheme. They’ll accept supervised visitation only. No assets. No money. In exchange, you drop the fraud charges.”
I looked at Elena sleeping in my arms.
Then I answered.
“No. They don’t get to walk away clean. They planned this. They executed it. They tried to steal from my daughter before she was even born. They face the consequences. All of them.”
My lawyer didn’t argue.
He knew my answer.
After the call I held Elena closer.
She stirred but didn’t wake.
I kissed her forehead.
“They’re not going to hurt you,” I whispered. “Not ever. Mommy is going to make sure of that.”
My father watched us from the chair.
He didn’t say anything.
He didn’t need to.
We both knew what was coming.
The trial.
The fight.
The final battle.
But for now, I had my daughter.
And she had me.
And that was enough.
For today.
Tomorrow we would fight again.
May you like
But today, we rested.
Together.
