Chapter 3

The rumors about our custody battle started bleeding into charity galas and private club lounges, passed around in hushed whispers.

"She walked away from all that money?"

"She’s insane."

"Just watch. She’s playing a long game."

My best friend, Nora, drove back from out of state, blocking the entrance to my apartment building with her beat-up Honda Civic.

"Claire, what the hell are you doing?" Her eyes were red. "He’s the one who cheated! You don't leave a single cent on the table with a guy like that. Do you know how much a drawn-out litigation costs? Do you know how much it takes to raise a child?"

I squeezed her hands. "I have a plan, Nora."

At the first hearing in the New York State Supreme Court's matrimonial part, Ethan’s lawyers came out swinging.

They submitted my hospital schedules. The emergency surgeries. The night shifts. They pointed out that I only owned a small pre-marital apartment and had less than fifteen thousand dollars in liquid savings.

Ethan, meanwhile, sat on a family fortune in the billions.

They presented a spreadsheet arguing that while my income as a reproductive endocrinologist was high, it wasn't enough to single-handedly cover Leo’s future private school tuition, childcare, and medical expenses. They even tried to subpoena records from a brief stint of therapy I had in college for academic stress, though my lawyer successfully blocked it.

During the recess, Vanessa clung to Ethan’s arm and stopped me in the hallway.

"Dr. Hart. Are you really going to try and raise Leo on your own? That tuition is going to be a lot uglier than you think."

I looked past her, straight at Ethan. "I'm only here for my son."

Ethan’s voice was ice. "One year of his lifestyle will cost you a decade of your salary."

"That's my problem to solve." I didn't back down, stepping around them.

But Ethan’s team didn't stop.

Before the second hearing, my lawyer walked into my office looking grim. "They dug up the public records from that medical dispute three years ago."

I froze. I had done everything right during that resuscitation. The patient hadn't made it, but the medical board's investigation had completely cleared me of any wrongdoing.

"They also got a hostile affidavit," my lawyer said. "The family members who caused the scene back then are willing to testify that you were incompetent."

My fingers tightened around the file.

I wasn't scared. I was disgusted. Ethan didn't just want to win. He wanted to destroy my professional reputation. He wanted to prove to a judge that I was unfit to be a mother.

At the third hearing, I stood up.

"I am willing to accept the property settlement," I told the court. "I won't contest the marital assets, and I waive immediate enforcement of child support."

A low murmur rippled through the gallery. The judge looked up, and the bailiff called for order.

My lawyer immediately submitted our comprehensive plan: Stable housing. Childcare arrangements. Medical insurance. And a meticulously documented history of my role as Leo’s primary caregiver for his entire life.

The judge ruled in my favor. I was awarded primary physical custody. Ethan was granted visitation. As for child support, Ethan’s legal obligation remained on the books, but I reserved the right to seek it later.

As we walked out of the courthouse, Vanessa smiled at me. "It's going to be a tough life, Dr. Hart. If you ever get desperate, you know our number."

I ignored her and looked at Ethan. "Leo will be fine."

Ethan didn't say a word. He just stared at me, his expression complicated, like he was looking at a stranger he couldn't figure out.

Nora drove us away in her Honda Civic. In the backseat, Leo clutched his toy and looked up at me. "Mommy, where are we going?"

"We're going home." I kissed his forehead.

In the rearview mirror, Ethan's black Rolls-Royce Phantom grew smaller and smaller. He and Vanessa stood by the car, eventually blurring into two dark specks.

Nora was crying as she drove. "You're really just walking away? You left half your closet. Any one of those bags is worth twenty grand..."

I looked down at the small suitcase by my feet. It held a few outfits and my medical license.

"This is enough." I looked out the window. "Sometimes you have to drop the things everyone else values just to keep the one thing you actually want."

She sniffled. "I just hope you don't regret this."

I wouldn't. Because what I took with me was the only confirmed heir to the Sterling empire.