Chapter 2
CHAPTER 2 — The Counterattack
David answered on the first ring,
his voice sharp and alert.
"Michael,
what is happening?" he asked.
"Ashley is here," I said,
never taking my eyes off her.
"She has forged custody papers,
and she brought lawyers."
I heard David typing furiously on his keyboard,
the clicking sounds echoing through the phone.
"Stall her," David ordered,
"the police are already on their way,
but they are coming for her,
not for the babies."
I lowered the phone,
feeling a surge of fierce hope.
"You think you have won,
Ashley," I said,
crossing my arms over my chest.
"But you made one massive mistake."
Her smile faltered for a fraction of a second,
but she quickly recovered.
"I don't make mistakes," she sneered,
glancing at her expensive watch.
"You have five minutes,
Michael,
before I make the call."
I took a step forward,
forcing her lawyers to step back.
"My private investigator found everything," I told her,
watching the color drain from her face.
"The fake hotel photos,
the paid witnesses,
the shell accounts controlled by your brother,
and the security footage of the necklace."
Ashley swallowed hard,
her confident posture cracking slightly.
"You are bluffing," she whispered,
her eyes darting around the parking lot.
"I sent the documents to the district attorney an hour ago," I continued,
my voice growing louder and stronger.
"You are going to prison for fraud,
for embezzlement,
and for forging legal documents."
The two lawyers exchanged a panicked look,
suddenly realizing they were in danger.
"Ms. Bennett," the first lawyer said,
"is this true?"
"Shut up," Ashley snapped,
her composure completely falling apart.
"He is lying,
he just wants to keep that trashy woman."
She pointed a shaking finger at Emily,
who was still crying silently behind me.
"That woman is the mother of my children," I roared,
my voice echoing across the empty lot.
"And she has more dignity in her torn clothes,
than you have in your entire miserable life."
Suddenly,
the sound of sirens pierced the quiet evening,
growing louder by the second.
Red and blue lights flashed in the distance,
illuminating the dusty Georgia road.
Ashley turned around,
pure panic washing over her pale face.
"No," she gasped,
taking a step toward her SUV.
"This wasn't supposed to happen."
"Get back here," one of the lawyers shouted,
but Ashley was already running.
She ripped open the car door,
jumping into the driver's seat.
Before she could even start the engine,
three police cruisers swarmed the parking lot,
blocking every possible exit.
Officers jumped out of their vehicles,
their hands resting on their weapons.
"Ashley Bennett," an officer shouted,
"step out of the vehicle,
with your hands where we can see them."
I turned away from the chaos,
rushing back to Emily's side.
She was shaking violently,
clutching the twins as if her life depended on it.
"It is over," I whispered,
wrapping my arms around all three of them.
"I promise you,
May you like
Emily,
she will never hurt us again."
