"Anything I could find.Background stuff.Financial records.Employment history."I clicked to the next document."Did you know he got a DUI two years ago?"
Now her eyes went wide.“Wait, what?How did you get this information?"
"I hired a private investigator."
"A private investigator?"Her voice climbed higher."Are you serious right now?"
"Yes, very serious.You’re in a custody battle.We need ammunition."
"Ammunition."Her eyes fluttered shut and she pressed a hand to her forehead."This isn't a war, Nash."
"It became one the second he said that shit to you at that event.You need to be prepared to fight.I’m getting you ready."
She crossed her arms, and she was quiet for a long time as she studied the screen."Is there anything else you’ve been doing?"
Something in her tone made me pause."What do you mean?"
"Besides hiring a private investigator, I mean."
I swiveled to face her."A few things.I called Heather to send the first letter to Preston’s attorney.And I've had my PR team start working on some press coverage."
"Press coverage?"A surprised laugh escaped her."What’s next, appearing on an episode of Dateline?"
"We’re controlling the narrative."
"Controlling everything, more like."Her voice was low but it landed like a punch.
"I'm protecting you and Mia.That's what this is."
Clara’s nostrils flared.She was upset.I just didn’t understandwhy."You’re turning this into an episode ofLaw & Orderhere.We don’t need to take things to level-ten insanity."
I stood, frustration building."Do I have to remind you that Preston filed an emergency custody petition accusing you of being an unfit mother?He's trying to take Mia away from you.And you want me to just...what?Play nice?"
"I want you to handle this like it's my daughter's life, not a business deal!"Her voice cracked."Every piece of dirt you dig up, every story you leak—that's all going to come out somewhere.Whether in court, in front of a judge…” She took a deep breath.“Or in front of Mia someday when she's old enough to Google her own name."
That last one landed with a thud, but I couldn’t stop to think about it."So what's your alternative?We just hope Preston gives up?"
"We do exactly what we did.We show he's been absent.That he hasn't paid child support since she was born.That he's not fit to have primary custody.But I don't want to turn this into a media circus where Mia's entire life becomes fodder for public consumption."
"Don’t be naive.It’s hardly a media circus.But itiswhat you do when you play to win."
"Nash, I—" She drew a sharp breath, pausing before she spoke."You're thinking like a businessman.This isn't some deal to close.This is my baby girl, and I don't want her growing up knowing her father was publicly annihilated because her mother married someone with enough money to make it happen."
The words hit like a slap."You think this is about money?"
"Isn't it?You're throwing money at private investigators and PR teams and lawyers.You're using all your resources to bury him because that's what you do.That's how you solve problems."She wiped at her eyes."But I didn't ask you to wage war on Preston.I asked you to help me protect Mia."
"Iamprotecting her," I said.“I don’t understand why you don’t see that.”
"Your protection is going to destroy her father.And maybe I’m the idiot here, but I still want there to be a path for them to reconcile.I want him to wake up and choose her someday and be able to show up, in his way.But if you turn this into the nastiest custody battle in Manhattan…what then?”
"He started it," I said coldly."He initiated the custody battle.He came after you.After us."
Silence stretched between us.
"I thought you'd want me to handle this," I said finally.
"I wanted you to support me.Not take over."Her voice was quieter now, exhausted."There's a difference.But you didn’t even ask, did you?You just did it the same way you do everything.Bossy."
