Chapter 2 - Grant Came to Take His Daughter Back—Then He Learned Why Claire Had Never Told Him She Was PregnantThe custody battle began Monday.
Grant's lawyers filed immediately.
They claimed I had concealed the pregnancy.
They argued I had deprived him of his parental rights.
They suggested Dominic was influencing me.
They used every word money could buy.
I was terrified.
But Dominic wasn't.
He sat beside me during every meeting.
He never spoke over me.
He never told me what to do.
Instead, he asked,
“What do you want?”
I answered honestly.
“I want Rose safe.”
“Anything else?”
“I want her to know her father.”
He nodded.
“Then we'll make sure she does.”
The custody hearing became public.
The media discovered Rose.
Then discovered my divorce.
Then found the old headlines about infertility.
I became a target.
Grant became a victim in the public story.
The internet decided I had hidden the child for money.
No one knew the truth.
Dominic did.
The night before the hearing, he found me crying.
“I can't do this.”
“You can.”
“What if they take her?”
“They won't.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you are her mother.”
“That isn't enough.”
He looked at me.
“It should be.”
I shook my head.
“Not in his world.”
Dominic sat beside me.
“Then we'll build a better one.”
The hearing lasted six hours.
The judge wanted evidence.
We had it.
Phone records.
Emails.
Medical records.
The attempts I had made to contact Grant.
His assistant's statements.
Most importantly, a letter from my doctor confirming I had nearly died during delivery.
Grant read it.
He looked sick.
Afterward, he approached me.
“Why didn't you tell me about the complications?”
I looked at him.
“You didn't ask.”
“I should have.”
“Yes.”
He looked down.
“I'm sorry.”
It was the first real apology he'd ever given me.
But apologies don't erase history.
They only prove someone finally understands it.
That evening, Grant came to see Rose.
He sat beside the bassinet.
He didn't touch her.
He simply watched.
I stood in the doorway.
“You can hold her.”
He looked up.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He lifted her.
His hands shook.
Rose opened her eyes.
Gray.
Bright.
She stared at him.
Grant cried.
“She knows me.”
“No.”
He smiled through tears.
“She does.”
“She knows warmth.”
He looked at me.
“And I wasn't warm?”
I didn't answer.
He looked back at our daughter.
“I'll be better.”
I believed that he wanted to.
I just didn't know whether he could.
Then Sienna arrived.
She stood in the doorway.
“Grant.”
He looked up.
“We need to go.”
He frowned.
“Not now.”
“Yes.”
“Not now.”
Sienna's face hardened.
She looked at me.
“This is ridiculous.”
Grant stood.
“Enough.”
She stared.
“You're choosing her?”
“No.”
He looked at Rose.
“I'm choosing my daughter.”
Sienna left.
The next morning, Grant canceled the wedding.
The tabloids exploded.
Sienna gave an interview.
She claimed I had manipulated him.
Then she claimed Dominic was dangerous.
Then she disappeared from public life.
Grant remained.
He began visiting Rose twice a week.
He learned how to change diapers.
He learned which lullaby worked.
He bought too many toys.
He was terrible at swaddling.
I laughed the first time he tried.
“What?”
“You made her look like a burrito.”
“She seems happy.”
“She can't move.”
He smiled.
“I'll improve.”
For several weeks, things became almost normal.
Until Grant asked me to meet him alone.
“I need to tell you something.”
“What?”
“My father.”
I froze.
“What about him?”
“He knew about the pregnancy.”
I stared.
“What?”
“He found out before I did.”
“How?”
“My assistant told him.”
My stomach dropped.
“Diane.”
He nodded.
“Your assistant knew I was pregnant.”
“Yes.”
“She lied to me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Grant looked at me.
“Because my father told her to.”
I felt sick.
“Why?”
Grant took a breath.
“Because he didn't want me to marry you.”
“Because of the baby?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“Because your father left something behind.”
I frowned.
“What?”
Grant lowered his voice.
“A company.”
I stared.
“My father died with debt.”
“That's what you were told.”
The room went silent.
Grant continued.
“He owned controlling shares in a technology company.”
“Why didn't I know?”
“Because the ownership was hidden.”
“By whom?”
“My father.”
My stomach twisted.
“What does your father have to do with my pregnancy?”
May you like
Grant looked at me.
“Everything.”
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