So I don't know if he's avoiding me or just being himself.
I don't know if it meant anything or if it was just... a moment. A mistake. Something we'll both pretend never happened.
After breakfast, I find Maria in the laundry room. She's sorting darks from lights, humming something in Italian under her breath.
"The guest linens need changing in the east wing," I tell her, checking the tablet Giulia left me. "And Vittoria wants her dry cleaning picked up by noon."
"Sì, sì." Maria waves a dismissive hand. "I know Miss Vittoria's schedule better than she does."
My phone buzzes in my pocket.
I pull it out expecting a text from my mother—we haven't spoken since she sold me out to Jack—but it's a call. From a number I recognize.
My lawyer.
"Excuse me," I murmur to Maria, stepping into the hallway.
"Ms. Thomas?" Patricia Chen's voice is careful. The way she sounds when delivering bad news.
My stomach drops.
"What happened?"
"Jack filed for sole custody this morning. His lawyer submitted the motion at nine."
The words don't make sense. They rattle around my skull like loose change, refusing to form meaning.
"I'm sorry—what?"
"sole custody of Lily. His filing claims you've demonstrated unstable behavior and are currently employed by individuals with alleged criminal connections."
I laugh. It sounds unhinged even to my own ears.
"He—" I press my free hand against the wall, needing something solid. I informed her about the situation because what choice did I have? But I can't believe that this is really happening. He stole a hundred thousand dollars from me. He put a loan in my name with the Russian mob. And he's calling me unstable?
"I understand your frustration?—"
"No." My voice cracks. "No, you don't understand. He moved to New York with his mistress. He hasn't paid a single cent of child support in eight months. And now he wants to take my daughter?"
Silence on the other end.
"Ms. Thomas, I need you to stay calm."
"Stay calm?" I'm not calm. I'm the opposite of calm. I'm a bomb with the timer hitting zero.
"We have options," Patricia says firmly. "His criminal exposure with the loan fraud could work in our favor. If we can prove financial abuse?—"
"Prove it to who? He's charming. He's so charming. Everyone believes him. My own mother believes him over me."
"The court looks at patterns, Ms. Thomas. Documentation. Evidence."
Evidence.
I have evidence. The Sartoris have evidence. Nico said they tracked every payment Jack intercepted.
But using that means admitting I work for the mafia. Means proving Jack's accusations right.
Unstable. Works for dangerous people.
