“Yes, sweetheart.”
“Which home?”
The question hurt more than anything Daniel's attorneys had said.
I knelt in front of him.
“For now, we're staying at Aunt Claire's. We'll have our own place soon.”
His eyes moved toward the door.
“Dad said you don't want us anymore.”
I felt Noah's arms tighten around my neck.
I wanted to explain everything.
I wanted to tell them how their father had lied, how he had planned to remove me from their lives, and how much I had sacrificed to protect them.
But they were eight years old.
They weren't responsible for understanding our marriage.
“Your father and I disagree about some important things,” I said carefully. “But there is one thing you never have to wonder about.”
“What?”
“I will never stop being your mother. Nothing happening between Dad and me can change that.”
Eli searched my face.
“Even if we stay with him sometimes?”
“Even then.”
Noah pressed his forehead against mine.
“Can we still have pancakes on Saturday?”
I smiled through my tears.
“Absolutely.”
It was the first promise I had made that day without wondering whether someone would find a way to take it from me.
Three weeks later, the first major discovery hearing changed everything.
Daniel's attorneys had received the corporate records, the banking documents, and the original prenuptial agreement.
I had expected them to attack every page.
Instead, Cole entered the courtroom looking as though he hadn't slept.
Daniel sat beside him, staring at his phone.
Vanessa was absent.
That alone made me uneasy.
During our marriage, she had attended nearly every public event where Daniel expected to receive attention.
She had sat beside him during press interviews.
She had helped organize his charity appearances.
She had even written the speech he delivered when the company received a regional transportation award.
Now, when his reputation was threatened, she was nowhere to be seen.
Judge Mercer began by addressing the prenuptial agreement.
“Mr. Cole, your client has repeatedly characterized this agreement as establishing his exclusive ownership of Mercer Transit Systems.”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
“Does he maintain that position after reviewing the complete document?”
Cole hesitated.
Daniel leaned toward him.
“Of course we do.”
“Mr. Mercer-Hollis,” the judge said, “your attorney will answer.”
Cole adjusted his glasses.
“The agreement distinguishes separately owned property from marital property. We acknowledge that the original corporation was established before the marriage.”
“And?”
Cole turned a page.
“And that the schedule attached to the executed agreement identifies Mrs. Mercer as the holder of seventy-two percent of the company's outstanding shares.”
Daniel's head snapped toward him.
“Richard.”
The judge continued.
“The agreement also states that separately owned shares, including their subsequent appreciation, remain the property of the named shareholder unless a valid written transfer provides otherwise.”
“That is correct,” Cole admitted.
Daniel whispered something furious.
I could not hear the words.
But I remembered the day we signed that agreement.
His attorney had prepared it.
Daniel had been afraid my inheritance would become vulnerable if our marriage failed.
He told me we needed to protect the company from personal disputes.
I agreed.
