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Battle Lines Drawn

Penulis: Rejoice Ezeh
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-11-28 14:44:21

Emma's POV

The meeting was scheduled for three PM.

Neutral location. Margaret's lawyer's office. Mahogany desk. Expensive art. Power plays everywhere.

Margaret arrived exactly on time. Dressed like she was going to court already. Perfect suit. Perfect makeup. Perfect mask.

She looked at me. Then at Jake. Then at our clasped hands.

"This is unnecessary," she said, sitting down. "My lawyer advised against meeting before court."

"We wanted to talk face to face," Jake said. "Before this gets uglier."

"It cannot get uglier than it already is. You are choosing this woman over your own mother."

"I am choosing my family. Emma is my family. Alex is my family. You are the one forcing us to choose."

Margaret turned to me. "I am doing this for Alex. You are both too damaged to raise him properly. The stalker. The trauma. The instability. That child deserves better."

Something shifted in me.

I had spent eight years afraid of this woman. Eight years running. Eight years letting her control my life
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