Adrianna
I sit at my desk,staring at the letter like it’s a live grenade.
It looks grimy—cheap envelope, smudged ink—even though I can tell it’s from a real attorney’s office.
Thick paper.Official headers.Perfect formatting.
But the name on the letterhead makes bile rise in my throat.
Giovanni Russo.
Or more accurately, his attorney, who apparently thought it appropriate to send this nightmare in the middle of a goddamn Wednesday morning like it’s a pizza coupon.
It’s a letter of intent to sue for temporary custody of Bella.
Temporary custody.
Temporary.
Like she’s a fucking library book he wants to borrow.
The grounds?
That he and his wife—WIFE??—can providea more stable, financially secure household for the minor child, Bella Bosco.”
What.
The.
Actual.
FUCK.
My vision blurs.
My heartbeat slams against my ribs.
My throat feels too tight to swallow.
Bella isn’t a bargaining chip.
She isn’t property.
She isn’t a pawn this criminal bastard gets to claim after eleven years of being nonexistent.
Borderline hysterical doesn’t begin to cover it.
My brain starts throwing questions at me like flaming arrows.
Does he think being married means he can steal her?
Where the hell did he even come from?
How does he know who Bella is?
Did he hire someone to follow us?
Does the law actually allow this?
