Chapter 4 - Drawing The Battle Lines
Sarah Vance’s office was sleek, modern, and intimidating.
She was a woman in her late forties with sharp eyes and no patience for small talk.
I sat across from her, holding Maisie in my lap.
Maisie was busy playing with a set of wooden blocks on the desk.
Sarah looked at the faint bruise remaining on my daughter's cheek.
Her jaw tightened.
“I’ve seen the footage,” Sarah said, skipping the pleasantries.
“It is highly damaging for them.”
“But we need to act first before they try to spin the narrative.”
“Spin it how?” I asked.
“Your husband’s family has money,” Sarah stated flatly.
“Margaret Hale is well-known in the country club circuit.”
“They will try to paint you as the aggressor.”
“They will focus on the fact that you slapped Evan.”
“They will say you are violent and unfit.”
A cold dread washed over me.
“But she hit my child,” I argued.
“And you defended her,” Sarah nodded.
“Any judge will see a mother protecting her cub.”
“But we are not leaving this to chance.”
“We are filing for an emergency restraining order against Margaret today.”
“And we are filing for sole physical custody for you.”
“Will Evan fight me?” I asked.
Sarah leaned back in her chair.
“Men like Evan don’t fight because they love their children.”
“They fight because their mothers tell them they are losing.”
“We need to prepare for a dirty war.”
I looked down at Maisie.
She held up a blue block and smiled at me.
“I’m ready,” I said.
Sarah pushed a stack of papers across the desk.
“Sign these. Then we take them to the courthouse.”
As I signed my name, my phone buzzed again.
It was an email from Evan.
Since I blocked his number, he found another way.
“You’re making a huge mistake. Mom is willing to forgive you if we go to counseling. Don't tear our family apart.”
I showed the screen to Sarah.
She scoffed.
“Document everything,” she said.
“Every email, every text, every voicemail.”
“They are building our case for us.”
May you like
I walked out of that office feeling something I hadn’t felt in years.
Power.
