Daniel approved of him immediately.
Ryan did not.
When he realized Eli remained in my life, his messages sharpened.
I see the neighbor is still involved. Interesting.
Priya replied on my behalf:
Mr. Dawson is a witness in this matter and a private citizen. Further insinuations unsupported by evidence will be documented as harassment.
Ryan stopped writing Eli’s name after that.
But at the first temporary custody hearing, his attorney tried another route.
The courtroom smelled like old paper and winter coats. I sat beside Priya, still sore, still leaking milk through pads I had forgotten to change, still so tired that the judge’s voice seemed to come from underwater.
Ryan sat across the aisle in a navy suit.
He looked excellent.
That was one of the unfair things about men like Ryan. Cruelty did not make them look less polished. Sleep deprivation did not show on their faces because they were not the ones waking every ninety minutes to feed a newborn.
