Chapter 4
4
Day seven came and went. Daniel did nothing.
Laura officially filed the divorce petition and requested a TRO to freeze his assets.
That night, Daniel slammed the legal notice onto the table.
"Natalie, do you really have to do this?"
"What else am I supposed to do?" I asked calmly. "Wait until you give everything away and leave me and the baby with nothing?"
His eyes were bloodshot. "Five years, Nat. Our marriage—"
"You destroyed it."
I cut him off.
"Every time you chose her, you destroyed us."
"Every time you knew you were crossing a line and chose to stay silent, you destroyed us."
Once again, he had nothing to say.
That weekend, I went out to buy baby supplies.
When I got back, I heard laughter before I even opened the door.
I walked in to find my living room turned into a children's party. Balloons, streamers, presents, toys scattered everywhere. Kids were running wild.
Mason was riding on Daniel's shoulders, his face red with laughter.
Claire walked out of my kitchen wearing an apron. Her smile vanished the second she saw me.
"Natalie, I'm so sorry. It's Mason's birthday today, and you guys have so much space, so I just thought—"
Daniel quickly set Mason down, looking panicked. "Natalie, let me explain."
"Who gave you permission?"
My voice was ice.
The living room went dead silent. Every kid stopped and stared.
I looked at Daniel, enunciating every word. "I explicitly told you she is never allowed in this house."
"Everyone out. Now."
Claire's eyes welled up with tears. "I'm sorry, we're leaving. Mason, come here."
"Claire." Daniel grabbed her arm, then turned to me. "It's just a kid's birthday. Is this really necessary?"
I was so sick of that phrase.
"Get out," I said.
"Natalie!"
"Take everyone and get out. Or I'm calling the cops."
Suddenly, Mason shrieked. He put his head down and charged straight at me.
"Bad lady! Don't yell at my mommy!"
He was moving too fast. I couldn't step back in time.
He slammed into me. I lost my balance and fell backward, my lower back crashing hard against the edge of the dining table.
Pain exploded through my spine.
A second later, a tearing, agonizing cramp ripped through my abdomen.
I looked down. Bright red blood was already blooming across my light-colored pants.
"Blood!" someone screamed.
Daniel rushed forward to grab me, but I shoved him away.
I clenched my jaw, fighting through the agony. "Call 911... get an ambulance!"
In the ambulance, the pain came in blinding waves. I gripped the paramedic's hand.
"My baby... please, my baby..."
They rushed me into the ER.
When I finally woke up, the doctor was standing by the bed. My hand immediately flew to my stomach.
"The baby is still there. Heartbeat is stable."
I froze.
"But it was incredibly close," he said, clipping an ultrasound scan to the light board. "Partial placental abruption. The bleeding was heavier than we anticipated. We managed to stop the contractions. If you'd come in thirty minutes later, there would have been nothing we could do."
I stared at the scan, his words washing over me.
"You need to stay for three days of observation," he continued. "Strict bed rest after discharge. No heavy lifting, no stress. If you experience any abnormal bleeding, you come straight back."
I didn't cry.
I just rested my hand gently on my stomach.
It was so quiet in there. Terrifyingly quiet.
Daniel was standing by the door, his eyes red and swollen.
"Natalie, I'm so sorry..."
"Get out."
"I read the chart. You and the baby are okay. We can still—"
"Get out!"
He didn't move.
I grabbed the glass from the nightstand and smashed it at his feet.
It shattered into a hundred jagged pieces.
"Get the hell out!"
Daniel finally backed away and left.
I lay in the hospital bed, pressing my palm flat against my stomach. Through the gauze and IV lines, I waited for a long time.
And then, a tiny, faint flutter.
Then another.
He was still here.
Just this morning, I had laughed at those little kicks. Now I knew—from this day forward, I only had one person left to protect.
Just him.
Whatever soft, lingering tie I had left for Daniel snapped completely.
The next day, Laura walked into my room with a revised financial settlement.
"Daniel is refusing to sign," she said. "But he's not just dealing with a divorce anymore. The corporate audit, creditor pressure, asset dissipation claims, and future risks... it's all going to force his hand."
I flipped to the last page. The settlement was heavily skewed in my favor.
"What about custody?" I asked.
"Sole custody goes to you," Laura said, meeting my eyes. "He didn't contest it."
She paused. "He didn't even ask for visitation."
I closed the folder.
"Give it to him," I said.