Chapter 6 - The Woman Who Thought She Owned Us
The custody fight became public.
Reporters gathered outside Little Nests.
Parents worried.
Some withdrew their children.
Elena was devastated.
Alex stepped in.
“I'll handle the press.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because every time you protect me, people think I'm weak.”
He looked at her.
“I don't.”
“I know.”
“Then what do you want?”
“To stand beside me.”
He nodded.
“Okay.”
They held a press conference together.
Elena spoke first.
“I built Little Nests because I believe children deserve safe places to grow.”
Alex stood beside her.
“I'm here because I failed my family once.”
Reporters shouted questions.
“Are the children yours?”
“Yes.”
“Did Elena hide them?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Alex answered.
“Because I left her.”
The room quieted.
“I believed a lie.”
He told them what he had learned.
His family had concealed medical information.
They had manipulated records.
They had controlled fertility documents.
He didn't accuse Elena.
He took responsibility.
Then Elena spoke.
“I should have told Alex about the pregnancy.”
“I didn't.”
“But fear isn't the same as malice.”
They finished.
The public response surprised everyone.
Parents supported Elena.
Former employees shared stories.
Little Nests enrollment returned.
Beatrice lost influence.
But she had another move.
She revealed the existence of Leo.
She claimed he was not Elena's child.
That was true.
But Beatrice presented it as evidence of deception.
Rosa became furious.
Leo became scared.
“I don't want to go away.”
Alex knelt.
“You're not.”
“What if the judge says?”
“Then we fight.”
Elena put her hand on Alex's shoulder.
Together.
The case grew more complicated.
Then the DNA clinic found the missing samples.
Someone had hidden them in an offsite archive.
The final results proved:
Emma: Alex and Elena.
The triplets: Alex, but not Elena.
Leo: Alex, but not Elena.
Five children connected to Alex.
Only Emma was genetically connected to Elena.
Everyone was stunned.
Elena cried when she learned.
Alex held her.
“They're all yours.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Biology says—”
“I don't care.”
She looked at him.
“They call you Mom.”
“That means more than DNA.”
He kissed her forehead.
That night, Beatrice appeared at their door.
“I want to talk.”
Alex refused.
She looked at Elena.
“You don't understand.”
Elena answered:
“I understand you very well.”
Beatrice's expression changed.
“The children were never meant to be yours.”
Elena's voice became calm.
“But they are.”
Beatrice turned to Alex.
“You think love fixes everything?”
“No.”
“Then why stay?”
“Because this is my family.”
Beatrice laughed.
“You'll lose everything.”
Alex nodded.
“If everything requires abandoning them, then I don't want it.”
Beatrice stared.
It was the first time she realized she had lost him.
But she wasn't finished.
She left behind an envelope.
Inside was a copy of an old financial agreement.
If Alex refused the Vance family succession terms, his inheritance would be transferred to a charitable trust.
Alex smiled.
“Let it go.”
Elena looked at him.
“You're giving up billions?”
“Yes.”
“Just like that?”
“I've already lost more valuable things.”
“What?”
He looked at her.
“You.”
She stared.
“And now I'm not willing to lose you again.”
They didn't know that Beatrice had one more secret.
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She knew who Leo's biological mother was.
And that woman was still alive.
