As they settled in, Rio placed a reassuring hand Kylee’s back before taking a seat beside her. Layla opened a folder and glanced at the notes she'd already compiled. “He took your son without consent?” she asked.
Kylee nodded. “Jake, my husband, stormed out with our son after a fight. He left our daughters with me, but he didn’t say where he was going. He won’t answer my calls, and he told my five-year-old some awful things before leaving.”
Layla's brow furrowed. “That's not just inappropriate. Depending on the details, it could be considered parental kidnapping. Do you have joint custody established in writing?”
Kylee shook her head. “No. We never expected to separate. Everything was informal.”
“Then we need to act fast,” Layla said. “I’ll file an emergency custody order today. Once we have a judge, we’ll push for atemporary custody hearing to bring Jake Jr. home to you. We’ll also request supervised visits until this is sorted out.”
Kylee blinked rapidly, trying not to cry. “Thank you.”
Layla softened. “You’re doing the right thing. He doesn’t get to weaponize your child just because he’s angry.”
Kylee turned to Rio, who gave her hand a squeeze and smiled at her. “We’ve got you, Idaho.”
Layla smirked at the nickname, flipping her laptop open. “Alright. Let’s get started. “Layla’s fingers hovered over her keyboard. “Okay. To prepare your case thoroughly, I need a clear timeline. Let’s start with what caused the fight that led to him leaving with Jake Jr.”
Kylee took a shaky breath. “It started… a while ago. I caught Jake cheating on me. With his receptionist. Rachel.”
Layla blinked slowly. “You caught them?”
“I walked in on them at the clinic. He told me he was working late… I tried to surprise him with coffee. I opened the door and” her voice cracked, “they didn’t even stop. They just stared at me.”
Rio’s jaw tightened. His hand balled into a fist on his knee, but he kept quiet.
Layla nodded gently, not interrupting. “And what happened after that?”
“He didn’t deny it. He just… tried to make it go away. Bought me backstage tickets to Rio’s concert, told me I deserved a night out. I went. I met Rio.”
Layla glanced at him, then back at Kylee. “And the relationship with Rio… began then?”
Kylee blushed slightly. “It wasn’t planned. It just… happened. We spent a weekend together. When I got home, the pictures were all over the internet. Paparazzi caught us. Jake saw them. That’s when he lost it.”
Layla typed furiously, absorbing every word. “And that’s when he left with your son?”
“He came to our son’s football game and caused a scene. Started screaming at me in front of everyone. Then when we got home… it got worse. There was yelling, insults. He said horrible things. Told the kids I was a whore. Said my girls will grow up to be whores like me then he packed up Jake Jr. and just… left.”
Layla looked up from her notes, face firm. “That’s not just morally wrong, it's legally unacceptable. Telling a child that his mother is a ‘whore’ constitutes parental alienation. Courts take that very seriously.”
Kylee looked down, twisting the ring on her finger. “He told me if I was pregnant, he’d kill me.”
Layla’s fingers froze over the keys. “Did he say that exactly?”
“Yes.”
“That’s a threat. I can request a protective order for you and the children. Especially if there’s emotional abuse involved.”
Rio leaned forward. “He’s unstable. That’s why I called you. She needs protection and full custody.”
Layla nodded firmly. “Then that’s what we’re going to fight for. We’ll file for temporary emergency custody of Jake Jr. and request a no-contact order until a full evaluation is done.”
Kylee’s voice was barely a whisper. “Can we really get him back?”
Layla gave a small, reassuring smile. “We’re going to try everything we can. You’re not alone in this anymore, Kylee. I promise you.”
Kylee sat back in the leather chair, worry etched into every feature. “Jake Jr. has another game today,” she said quietly, almost to herself. “Should I go? I don’t even know if they’ll show up.”
Layla leaned forward, her voice calm but firm. “Yes. Go to the game. If they’re there, don’t engage, don’t cause a scene. Just observe. If you see Jake Jr. with your husband, call the police right away. I’ll be filing the emergency custody paperwork within the hour. As long as Jake hasn’t gone completely off-grid, we’ll be able to move fast.”
