Chapter 12 - Nathan Comes Back
Nathan returned that evening.
Security stopped him outside.
Leah could hear the argument from her room.
“She’s my wife.”
“She revoked visitation.”
“That’s my son.”
“Sir, lower your voice.”
Leah sat beside Owen’s bassinet.
Her hands remained steady.
Ten minutes later, Elena entered.
“Nathan is asking for five minutes.”
“No.”
“He says he wants to withdraw his support from Doreen’s petition.”
Leah looked up.
Simone was seated near the window.
She shook her head once.
Leah understood.
Nathan wanted access.
Still, something inside Leah needed to hear him.
“Door stays open.”
Elena nodded.
Nathan entered.
He looked worse than before.
His hair was disordered.
His eyes were red.
He stopped when he saw Owen.
Leah watched his face.
For all his failures, his emotion toward their son appeared real.
That almost made the betrayal worse.
“What do you want?”
Nathan swallowed.
“To fix this.”
“You can’t.”
“I told Mom I’m done.”
Leah said nothing.
“I never thought she would actually take Owen.”
“You signed the petition.”
“She told me it was a contingency.”
“A contingency for what?”
“If you had complications.”
“I did have complications.”
Nathan flinched.
“You know what I mean.”
“No.”
“I don’t anymore.”
He stepped closer.
Security immediately moved.
Nathan stopped.
“I’m going to tell the judge I withdraw everything.”
Leah studied him.
“Why?”
“Because this went too far.”
“It went too far when my signature was forged.”
“I didn’t forge it.”
“You knew.”
“I knew Mom had forms.”
“Did you know she planned to use Owen’s trust?”
Nathan looked down.
Leah’s voice hardened.
“Look at me.”
He did.
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
The word barely came out.
Leah felt strangely calm.
“And you still agreed.”
“I thought I could pay the money back.”
“What money?”
“My debts.”
“Owen’s money.”
Nathan covered his face briefly.
“I was desperate.”
Leah looked at the man she had married.
He seemed smaller now.
Not evil.
Not powerful.
Weak.
And sometimes weakness caused damage just as terrible as cruelty.
“Why did you tell them about my nightmare?”
Nathan’s eyes filled.
“Mom kept asking for examples.”
“So you gave her one.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you tell her I sat in the nursery at three in the morning?”
“I don’t know.”
“You do.”
Nathan’s voice cracked.
“Because every time I said no to her, she reminded me what would happen if my creditors found out.”
Leah stared at him.
“She threatened you.”
“She controlled the family accounts.”
“She controlled everything after Dad died.”
Leah almost laughed.
“And you thought the solution was giving her control of my son too.”
Nathan had no answer.
He reached into his jacket.
Security moved again.
“It’s just a flash drive.”
He placed it on the table.
“What is it?”
Leah asked.
Nathan looked toward the hallway.
“Emails.”
“Between who?”
“Mom and Dr. Rusk.”
Simone stood.
Nathan met Leah’s eyes.
“And there’s something else.”
“What?”
May you like
His voice lowered.
“You weren’t the first mother Doreen tried this with.”
