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Chapter 18: Poisoned Lullabies

Author: Sire Bliss
last update Last Updated: 2025-10-26 16:07:38

The first few days were deceptively peaceful.

I stayed in the nursery mostly, feeding Ethan, changing him, learning the rhythm of his cries. Clara hovered like a protective guard dog, intercepting anyone who tried to enter without permission.

Adrian visited twice. Both times for less than fifteen minutes. Both times he held Ethan like the baby might shatter, then made excuses about conference calls.

I told myself I didn’t care. Told myself we were better off without him anyway.

Then day four happened.

I woke up at 2 AM to feed Ethan, stumbling to the nursery in the dark. But when I pushed open the door, the lamp was already on.

Vivian sat in my glider chair, holding my son.

“What are you doing?” My voice came out sharp. Panicked.

She looked up, not startled at all. Like she’d been expecting me.

“He was crying. I heard him from down the hall. I didn’t want him to wake the whole house.”

“So you just came in and took him? Without asking?”

“You were sleeping. I was helping.” She stood, br
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  • I’m Back, Mr. CEO    Chapter 33: The Escape (Continued)

    So I quickly texted Lucas**Me:** *I appreciate the offer, Lucas. Really. But I can’t accept it.*The three dots appeared, then disappeared. Then appeared again.**Lucas:** *Can I ask why?***Me:** *Because if I stay in New York, I’ll always be Adrian Moore’s ex-wife. The woman who lost custody. The failure. I need to leave. Start completely over somewhere no one knows my story.***Lucas:** *Where will you go?***Me:** *I don’t know yet. But far from here. Far from them.***Lucas:** *I understand. The offer stands if you change your mind. Good luck, Serena.***Me:** *Thank you. For everything.*I set down the phone and looked at Clara, who’d been watching silently.“You’re leaving New York?”“I have to. I can’t stay here. Can’t walk down streets where I might run into them. Can’t see the Moore building every day. Can’t exist in a city where everyone knows I lost my son.”“Where will you go?”“Europe, maybe. Paris. I always wanted to study fashion in Paris but Adrian said it was imprac

  • I’m Back, Mr. CEO    Chapter 32: The Escape

    But I was already walking away. Out the door. Into Clara’s car. Leaving my son behind in that house with those people.Clara drove in silence until we were blocks away. Then she pulled over and I fell apart completely.“He didn’t know me,” I sobbed. “My own son didn’t know me.”“He’s too young to understand—”“He called her mama. He reached for her. He pulled away from me.” I couldn’t breathe through the crying. “I’m losing him. I’ve already lost him.”“No. You haven’t. He’s just confused right now. Give it time—”“I don’t have time! Every day I’m gone is another day Vivian gets to poison him against me. Another day he forgets. Another day I become nothing.”Clara pulled me into a hug. Let me cry on her shoulder until there were no tears left.“What am I going to do?” I whispered when I could finally speak.“We’re going to go back to my apartment. You’re going to rest. And tomorrow, we’re going to figure out what comes next.”“What comes next is supervised visits where my son doesn’t

  • I’m Back, Mr. CEO    Chapter 31: The Goodbye He’ll Never Remember

    I had one hour.One hour to pack my things from the Moore mansion before Adrian returned with Ethan from their afternoon at the park. One hour to erase myself from the house that had never been a home.Clara drove me there in silence. What was there to say? I’d lost everything. Signed it all away. My son would grow up calling another woman mama while I became a stranger who visited twice a week under supervision.The mansion loomed ahead, grand and cold. How many times had I walked through those doors thinking I belonged here? Thinking I was building a life?All lies.Mrs. Harmon opened the door, her expression carefully neutral. “Mrs. Moore. I heard about the court decision. I’m so sorry.”Was she? Or was she relieved that her reports had helped take my son from me?“I’m just here to get my things.”“Of course. I’ll give you privacy.”She disappeared, and I stood in the foyer alone. The house was quiet. Empty. Like it had been waiting for this moment. Waiting for me to finally leave.

  • I’m Back, Mr. CEO    Chapter 30: The Final Signature

    **Two weeks later**The psychiatric evaluation came back clean.No postpartum depression. No psychosis. No mental illness whatsoever. Just a woman under extreme stress responding rationally to an irrational situation.I’d thought it would save me. Thought the judge would see the truth and give Ethan back.I was wrong.“The evaluation is positive,” Judge Walters said from her bench. “However, Mrs. Moore, during your supervised visits, the monitors have reported concerning behavior.”My stomach dropped. “What behavior?”“Excessive crying in front of the child. Difficulty separating at the end of visits. And according to reports from Mr. Moore’s household, Ethan has adjusted well to his new living situation. He’s thriving.”Thriving. My son was thriving without me.“He cries for me,” I said desperately. “The visitation supervisor said he cries when I leave—”“Children cry during transitions. That’s normal. But according to testimony, he settles quickly once you’re gone and is happy and e

  • I’m Back, Mr. CEO    Chapter 29: They Won

    “She threatened to file a restraining order against me for trying to help with Ethan’s care. She’s prevented my daughter Emma from having any relationship with her half-brother, which hurts Emma deeply. And she’s made several concerning statements about taking Ethan and disappearing where Adrian could never find them.”My mouth fell open. “I never said that!”“Mrs. Moore, you’re not on the stand,” Judge Walters said sharply.“But she’s lying! I never threatened to kidnap my own child!”“Mrs. Moore, if you cannot control yourself, I’ll have you removed from this courtroom.”I sat back down, shaking. Rebecca’s hand gripped my arm in warning.Adrian’s attorney continued. “Do you believe Mrs. Moore poses a danger to Ethan?”“Not a physical danger, no. But an emotional one, yes. He needs socialization. He needs to be around other children and family members. He needs a stable environment. And right now, Mrs. Moore is preventing all of that because of her paranoia about me.”“Thank you, Ms.

  • I’m Back, Mr. CEO    Chapter 28: The Signature That Ended Everything

    The family court was nothing like I’d imagined.Not grand or imposing. Just a plain room with fluorescent lights and uncomfortable chairs. A judge’s bench. Two tables for opposing counsel. And behind me, a gallery with maybe ten seats where Clara sat, the only person on my side.Behind Adrian sat Margaret, Vivian, and three lawyers in expensive suits.The emergency custody hearing had been yesterday. The judge had denied Adrian’s petition, stating there was no immediate danger to Ethan and that custody would be determined in the full divorce proceedings.I’d won that round. Barely.Today was different. Today was the preliminary divorce hearing where temporary custody and living arrangements would be decided until the final decree.Rebecca sat beside me, her briefcase full of documentation. A year’s worth of evidence. Witness statements. Photos. Records of Adrian’s absences and Vivian’s interference.“Remember,” she whispered as we waited for the judge. “Stay calm. Don’t react to anyth

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