“He’s a loser,” Quinn muttered. “Always has been. No court is giving that man custody of a houseplant.”
“Quinn,” Kayla warned.
“I’m not wrong.”
“You aren’t,” Reiss agreed, “but keep that framing off the record. The arrears are our strongest leverage. Plus the debt he left you with. Any judge will look at years of non-payment and total absence before they look at anything else.”
“What does he want?” Pat asked.
Quinn leaned forward. “Money. Every time he’s surfaced, it’s been about money.”
“Then we give it to him,” Lizanne said.
Rose turned to her.
“A settlement,” Lizanne continued. “Whatever number makes him disappear. It’s faster. It keeps us out of a courtroom.”
“No,” Rose said.
Lizanne held her gaze, but Rose didn’t flinch.
“No,” Rose repeated. “He left. He stayed gone for years. Now he sees an opportunity and wants a payout for leaving again? I’m not paying him for that. I’ll fight him in court. He isn’t getting anything else from me.”
The room went quiet. Craig loosened his tie.
“I have to put the reality on the table,” Craig said. “A public custody battle damages the show. Both shows. The production company has a massive investment. A protracted legal fight—especially one that brings the original contract and the loan into discovery—will make them very uncomfortable.”
Rose knew what he was referring to. The contract showing just how Rose got involved with all of this. How this was actually meant to be Lizanne’s wedding to Trina. And how their marriage was one for show. Until it became real. But who would believe them?
“The network’s comfort isn’t my priority,” Lizanne said.
“I know. I’m saying it’s a factor.” Craig looked at Rose. “I’m not telling you not to fight. I’m saying know the full cost.”
Pat looked up from her tablet. “Craig is right about the exposure. I’m less worried about the network than I am about the three of you. A public trial is brutal.”
Rose looked at the table. “If this goes to court, how long?”
“Twelve to eighteen months in LA County. Longer if there’s an appeal.”
Eighteen months. Rose let the number sit in the air.
“What’s the first step?” Rose asked.
“I want to respond to his lawyer aggressively,” Reiss said. “I’ll lay out the arrears, the absence, and the lack of contact. I want them to understand we will litigate this fully. He needs to know that his sudden interest in fatherhood—timed perfectly with a television debut—will not look good to a judge.”
“Do it,” Rose said.
“And if he wants to negotiate after that?” Lizanne asked.
“No negotiations. He goes away. That’s it.” Rose paused, tapping her finger on the table. “I wonder how he’s paying for all of this.”
“That is a good question,” Pat replied.
“One more thing,” Reiss added. “Keep this off the air. No references, no confessionals. Don’t give them an opening to claim you’re influencing public opinion.”
“Agreed,” Pat said.
Rose looked at the faces around her—Quinn’s tight jaw, Kayla’s steady presence, Pat, Craig, and the lawyer. Finally, she looked at Lizanne, whose arm was pressed against hers.
