FULL CUSTODY OF HIS BABY

The elevator doors parted with a gentle chime. Alessia stood still for a heartbeat, staring at the polished marble floors of Wolfe Enterprises. She adjusted the hem of her fitted dress and stepped forward, heart pounding.

Her heels echoed against the tiles, each step a reminder that she wasn’t just the ex-wife of Roman Velez anymore. She was Alessia Wolfe now, by name, if not entirely in spirit. The lobby hushed.

Eyes turned, phones snapped up and the murmurs followed.

The headlines from this morning still sizzled online:

VELEZ EX-WIFE MARRIES WOLFE IN PRIVATE CEREMONY. PREGNANT WITH ANOTHER MAN'S CHILD.

SHOCKING TWIST: NEW MARRIAGE AFTER DIVORCE?

WOLFE, VELEZ'S RIVAL, CLAIMS EX-WIFE AS HIS OWN.

She kept walking, spine straight, chin high. She wouldn’t let them see her crack. She had a rough few days, the news and headlines and hash tags drained her. She didn't look at her phone, her email was filled with messages, threats and curses. She constantly prayed to cancel them.

"Slut." The word sliced through the air.

Alessia stopped, she heard it loud and clear.

Standing near the reception desk was a tall woman with too-red lips and a dress far too tight for the office. Tatiana Marsh. One of Zane’s old…..flings.

PR executive, known for venom disguised as charm. Everyone knew of Tatiana and how she and Zane were rumored to be a thing one too many times.

"From one billionaire to another, huh? It must be nice having men fight over your uterus. How easy is that?” Tatiana asked, folding her arms as she stared at Alessia.

There was a beat. Alessia stared, calm, icy but then turned away. This was a game of whack-a-mole. If she breaks one down, another will pop up.

Tatiana laughed. "Still silent? It must be nice not needing a resume when you have a womb. I mean, all you have to do is just sleep your way in.”

"You're fired."

The voice boomed from the other end of the room. Everyone froze, It was Zane.

He strode across the lobby in a sharp navy suit, jaw clenched, eyes locked on the scene like a predator zeroing in on its target.

The temperature in the room dropped ten degrees, and no one moved, his presence swallowed the air.

"Excuse me?" Tatiana stammered, voice faltering as she shrank under his glare.

"You just publicly insulted my wife. In front of staff. In front of witnesses." He stopped in front of them, voice low and lethal.

"Pack your things. And get out."

Tatiana’s eyes widened.

“She’s not even qualified for this job. You married your secretary.”

“You mean the woman with two degrees and five years of executive experience?” His voice didn’t rise, but it sliced sharper than a blade.

“Yes, I did, and I promoted her, which means you’re trespassing.”

He turned to security, who were already stepping forward like clockwork. “Escort her out.”

“No ... .wait…this is ridiculous…” Tatiana sputtered, but she was already being guided away, disbelief frozen on her face.

Alessia stood rooted to the marble floor, heart pounding. The entire lobby was still. People watched, whispered, but no one dared speak up.

Zane’s authority was untouchable, he owned the company after all.

When the glass doors closed behind Tatiana, Zane finally turned to Alessia.

“You okay?” His voice dropped an octave, gentler now, just for her.

Her throat tightened. “You didn’t have to do that.”

He looked at her. “Yes. I did.”

And then, before she could say anything else, he reached for her hand.

"They don't get to tear you down and pretend it's business as usual, not here. Not while I’m breathing."

Her fingers folded into his automatically, like muscle memory. Warmth spread from his touch, crawling up her arm, her neck, her spine. Her breath hitched.

“They’re going to talk,” she murmured.

“They already are,” he said. “Let them choke on it.”

She tried to laugh, but the sound came out shaky.

Her emotions are a mess and she is barely holding everything together.

Two days ago, it was the divorce and the pregnancy.

Yesterday it was the marriage, the headlines. And now this. Him.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “For dragging you into all of this.”

“You didn’t drag me,” he said, stepping closer. His gaze dropped to her lips. “I walked in, eyes open.”

The words melted between them, and suddenly the space separating their bodies felt like a thread pulled too tight.

His hand cupped her jaw, slow and reverent, like he was giving her a chance to stop him.

She didn’t. His lips touched hers, just a brush. But the world tilted, she knew it.

She gasped softly, leaned in without meaning to. He caught her waist, pulled her closer. And then it deepened.

It wasn’t a kiss made of passion. It wasn’t about lust or fire. It was gentler, deeper, like his heart was reaching out and trying to anchor hers. And it almost worked.

But then she pulled back, breathless, shaken, eyes wide.

“That was... the heat of the moment,” she said, voice trembling. “Emotions, chaos and hormones. That’s all.” She cleared her throat.

Zane didn’t argue, he didn’t even look hurt. But his voice was steady when he said,

“It wasn’t for me.”

She looked up.

His eyes were unreadable, but there was a flicker there, a vulnerability she hadn’t expected from him, like he needed this.

“I know this is messy,” he said. “But I didn’t marry you for revenge, Alessia. Not entirely.”

She blinked, stunned.

“I meant what I said on the balcony,” he continued. “If he wants to come for you, he’ll have to go through me. And I won't lose.”

She opened her mouth and closed it. She wanted to say something, anything but her heart was beating too loud, too fast.

Zane brushed a strand of hair from her cheek.

“Let’s go upstairs. You’ve got a full day ahead, Mrs. Wolfe.”

As he walked beside her to the elevators, she knew it was already too late, she was falling. Bit by bit.

Into the arms of the one man Roman could never become. Her knight in shining armor was real. And he wasn't the one who had broken her.

******

Across the city, Roman Velez stood behind his desk, staring out the floor-to-ceiling windows of Velez Corp.

"They filed the certificate yesterday," his lawyer said, placing a document on the desk.

Roman didn’t move.

"It’s real, the marriage. Wolfe and Alessia. We can’t contest it."

His fingers tightened on the edge of the desk.

"They waited until the divorce was official. Then he married her."

The lawyer said nothing.

Roman turned, eyes hard. "I want custody. Of the baby."

"Sir, with all due respect…”

"I want her back."

The lawyer cleared his throat.

“You would need to file quickly, and prove paternity, show intent to parent, but if she’s married to Wolfe..." Roman slammed the drawer shut.

"Do it anyway, file it tonight."

He turned back to the window, rain streaked the glass.

"She’s carrying my child. And I won’t let that child grow up calling another man father."

*******

Back at Wolfe Enterprises, Alessia sat across from Zane in the boardroom. Her new role as Strategy Director came with meetings, and eyes, and whispers.

But Zane treated her like she belonged. She made decisions, she took calls and she didn’t cry.

Until she stepped into the break room alone.

She picked up her phone. Messages flooded the screen.

> Are you really pregnant?

> Did you cheat on Roman?

> Wow. You move fast.

She closed her eyes and took a shaky breath.

Zane found her moments later. He said nothing. Just handed her a hot coffee and stood with her in silence.

*****

Roman didn’t sleep. At three in the morning, he signed the court papers.

From the Custody papers to paternity, emotional abuse and defamation.

He would tear down Wolfe with fire if he had to. He would drag Alessia into court and make her say his name under oath.

The baby was his, and the world would know.

The next morning, Alessia woke to the sound of Zane on the phone. She padded into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes.

"What’s wrong?" He didn’t answer at first. Just handed her a tablet.

The headline blinked in bold:

> ROMAN VELEZ FILES FOR FULL CUSTODY OF UNBORN CHILD

Her knees buckled, and she gripped the counter.

Zane caught her before she fell.

"He filed it at midnight.”