Mom, Don't Cry! Here comes a new Daddy! novel Chapter 54

Chapter 39-1

Chapter 39-1

(Sabrina’s POV)

The meeting with Ethan was awkward, no scratch that.

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It was beyond awkward, and mainly because he showed me evidence he didn’t have any hand in

my hiring.

I feel embarrassed. But only slightly.

Because now that I have that cleared out, I can go to work with a peace of mind, knowing I got my position through my own merit, and not through the underhanded means of a scheming CEO.

/ Two days pass in a blur and before I know it, it’s already Wednesday, the day of the court hearing.

I sit on the hard wooden bench outside Family Court Room 3, my hands twisted together in my lap so tightly my knuckles have gone white. The hallway is too bright, the fluorescent lights humming

overhead like angry bees.

Richard sits beside me, reviewing his notes for what must be the hundredth time. His leather briefcase is open on his lap, papers organized with the kind of precision that should make me feel

confident.

It doesn’t.

Because in less than ten minutes, I’m going to walk into that courtroom and fight for the right to keep my son.

I love him so much, I can go to hell and back for him. But the law doesn’t make its verdict based on emotions. It only goes by the evidence and I’m not confident I have enough proof of my worthiness as a mother on file to tip the odds in my favor.

Sophia appears with two cups of coffee, pressing one into my shaking hands. “Breathe, Sabrina. You’ve got this.”

“I don’t know, Soph. I don’t feel ready.” My voice comes out thin, reedy. “What if I say the wrong thing? What if the judge sees the videos from the cruise and decides I’m unfit to raise Jake? What

if-”

“Sabrina.” Richard closes his briefcase with a decisive snap. “We’ve been over this. You tell the truth. You answer their questions honestly. And you trust that the evidence speaks for itself.”

The evidence.

Emails showing Dustin took credit for my work. School records proving I attended every

WED

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~ Chapter 39-1

parent-teacher conference while he missed them all.

And of course, the witnesses.

It should be enough.

But should and is are two different things.

Footsteps echo down the hallway. I look up, and my breath catches.

Ethan.

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He’s wearing a dark suit that probably costs more than my rent, his expression carefully neutral as

he approaches. But his eyes-those dark, intense eyes-are focused entirely on me.

Is he insane?

“What are you doing here?” If Dustin sees him and decides to bring this up in court, won’t that

prove his claims true?

“When Jake chose me to be his new dad, he did it for a reason.” He stops a respectful distance

away,

hands in his pockets. “So I needed to be here to prove him right.”

Well, hell.

I don’t even understand his bond with Jake anymore. To say they’re strangers wouldn’t be right, as they joined hands to play me like a fool.

But to say they’re friends?

Now that would be too far fetched.

As far as I know, their first meeting happened on that cruise same as mine with Ethan’s. So the amount of time they’ve known each other is also about the same amount of time I’ve known

Ethan.

But maybe sharing a secret made their bond more special? Who knows. Because I, for one, am completely out of the loop here, and have been for quite a while now.

“I didn’t think-”

“Sabrina.” His voice is gentle, cutting through my words. “I want to be here. If that’s okay with you.”

Is it okay?

Hell no!

But looking at him now, remembering the dinner two nights ago where he finally told me he’s liked me for months because of the painting of Evelyn I recreated while Jake’s live feed had been on-l

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