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Natasha was suing me for full custody of Hailey. She was claiming that I was an unfit father, her main argument that my relationship with Molly was a bad influence on our daughter. She was demanding that Hailey be removed from my care immediately and placed with her full-time.
I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. It was like that day nine years ago when she left and had me served with divorce. That was classic Natasha. A coward hiding behind distance and lawyers. All I could do was stare at the words on the page, feeling like the ground had opened up beneath me and swallowed me whole.
This couldn't be happening. Not now, not after everything we'd been through. I had just gotten my life back on track, had just found the happiness I'd been seeking out for so long.
And now, with a single piece of paper, Natasha was threatening to take it all away.
I stumbled back into the house, the papers clutched in my hand. I needed to call Molly, needed to tell her what was happening. But first, I needed a moment to myself, to try and wrap my head around this nightmare.
I sank down onto the couch, my head in my hands. I couldn't lose Hailey. I couldn't let Natasha win. But I knew she would stop at nothing to get what she wanted, knew that she would drag my name through the mud and paint me as a monster if it meant getting her way.
I had to fight this. I had to prove that I was a good father. I had to show the court that Natasha was the one who was unfit, the one who had abandoned her child and left her to be raised by me.
I knew it wouldn't be easy. Natasha had money, connections, and a ruthless streak a mile wide. She would stop at nothing to destroy me, to take away the only thing that mattered to me in this world.
I closed my eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath. I couldn't let her win. I couldn't let her take Hailey away from me.
I would fight this with every ounce of strength I had. I would do whatever it took to keep my daughter safe, to keep our family together.
Despite my resolve, the weight of the world crushed down on my shoulders, and I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning, that the worst was yet to come.
I couldn't focus on anything after receiving those papers. My mind was a tempest of anger, fear, and confusion. Remembering that we had an in-service today, relieved my anxiety about facing my students. I made a quick call to the school office and let them know that I would not be in today. I had more pressing matters to attend to.
I pulled myself together long enough to hide what was happening from Hailey and dropped her office at school, pretending I was taking the day off to help Amy.
With a heavy heart and a sense of dread, I drove to the office of a local lawyer who specialized in family law. I had never imagined I would find myself in this situation, fighting for the right to keep my own daughter, but here I was.
The lawyer, Nathaniel Grubb, a middle-aged man with kind eyes and a reassuring demeanor, listened patiently as I explained the situation, my voice shaking with emotion. When I finished, he leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful.
"Mr. Kingsbury," he began, his tone gentle but firm. "The first thing you need to do is avoid any contact with Natasha. Don't engage with her. Don’t respond to her threats or demands. Let me handle all communication from here on out."
I nodded, my jaw clenched tight. The thought of not being able to confront Natasha, to demand an explanation for her cruelty, was almost too much to bear.
"And Hailey?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "What about her?"
The lawyer sighed, his eyes full of sympathy. "For now, I think it's best if you don't let Natasha see her. We need to establish a formal custody agreement through the court, and until then, it's important to maintain the status quo. Hailey should remain in your care. I will get the paperwork started."
I left the lawyer's office feeling even more lost and angry than before. The idea of keeping Hailey away from her mother, no matter how much I despised Natasha, felt wrong. She was still Hailey's mother, and I had always believed that a child needed both parents in their life.
But as I drove home, my mind racing with all the ways Natasha could hurt us, I knew the lawyer was right. I had to protect Hailey, had to keep her safe from the chaos and heartbreak that Natasha seemed determined to inflict upon us.
By the time I pulled into the driveway, I was seething with rage. How dare Natasha do this to us, to Hailey? How dare she try to take away the only stability and love our daughter had ever known?
Before I could stop myself, I was pulling out my phone and dialing Natasha's number. I knew it was a mistake, knew that I should listen to the lawyer's advice and stay away, but I couldn't help myself. I needed to make her understand the pain she was causing.
To my surprise, she answered on the first ring. "Jake," she said, her voice smooth as silk. "I was wondering when you'd call."
"What the hell are you doing, Natasha?" I growled, my free hand clenched into a fist at my side. "How could you do this to Hailey?"
She laughed, the sound cold and cruel. "Oh, Jake. Always so dramatic. I'm not doing anything to Hailey. I'm just looking out for her best interests."
"Her best interests?" I sputtered, my voice rising with each word. "You abandoned her, Natasha. You left her with me and never looked back. And now, after all these years, you think you can just waltz back into her life and take her away from me?"
There was a long pause, and for a moment, I thought she had hung up. When she spoke again, her voice softer now, almost pleading.
"Jake, listen. I don't want to fight with you. I don't want to hurt Hailey, but I need your help."
I frowned, my anger momentarily replaced by confusion. "What are you talking about?"
