𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐴𝑢𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑦 𝐺𝑟𝑎𝒉𝑎𝑚( 𝐻𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝐴𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝐴𝑙𝑙?)

A Mothers Resolve

Toronto, Canada
12:15 pm

The air inside Aubrey and Adrianne's home was thick with tension as they prepared to file the next set of legal documents against Sophie. The decision to pursue full custody weighed heavily on Aubrey, but the safety of his son had to come first.

Adrianne sat at the kitchen table, her laptop open as she compiled the incident reports from the school and previous police interactions. Aubrey stood nearby, his phone pressed to his ear as he spoke with their lawyer.

"Look, I need this expedited," Aubrey said, his voice sharp but controlled. "She showed up at his school. She's crossed every line imaginable. I can't wait for this to drag through the courts for months."

Adrianne glanced at him, her expression softening. She knew how much this was eating away at him. Despite everything, Sophie was still the mother of his child, and taking this step was a last resort.

After a few more minutes, Aubrey ended the call and set his phone on the counter with a sigh. "The lawyer will file for an emergency hearing first thing tomorrow. He thinks the judge will grant it, given Sophie's recent behavior."

Adrianne nodded, reaching out to squeeze his hand. "It's the right thing to do. Adonis deserves stability, and right now, Sophie can't give him that."

Aubrey sat down beside her, his shoulders slumping. "I just... I never wanted it to come to this. I wanted her to be in his life, Adrianne. I wanted her to be better."

Adrianne's heart ached for him, but she stayed firm. "She still can be better, Aubrey. But it's not your job to fix her. Right now, your only job is to protect Adonis."
_____

Across Town
Sophie's Apartment
2:30 pm

Sophie paced back and forth in her living room, her mind racing. She had spent the past two days obsessing over her confrontation at the school. Part of her regretted the outburst, but another part—the darker, louder part—felt justified.

Her phone buzzed on the coffee table, and she snatched it up. The number was unfamiliar, but she answered anyway.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Carter, this is Detective Harris with the Los Angeles Police Department. I'm calling to inform you that a formal complaint has been filed against you regarding the incident at Westwood Elementary. You are in violation of your restraining order, and we need you to come in for questioning."

Sophie's grip tightened on the phone, her breathing shallow. "I'm not doing this over the phone," she snapped. "If someone has a problem with me, they can tell me to my face."

"Ms. Carter, I strongly advise you to cooperate. Refusal to comply will only escalate the situation."

Sophie hung up without responding, throwing the phone onto the couch. Her hands trembled as she stared at the wall, her bad angel materializing once again.

"See what they're doing to you?" the angel sneered, leaning against the doorframe. "They're trying to push you out of his life completely. You're his mother, Sophie. Are you really going to let them win?"

Sophie shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "No. I won't let them."

The angel grinned, circling her like a predator. "Good. Then it's time to stop playing nice. If they want a fight, give them one they'll never forget."
______

The Custody Hearing
Two Weeks Later
1:00pm

The courtroom was quiet, the tension palpable as both sides prepared to present their case. Aubrey sat at the plaintiff's table with his lawyer, his expression calm but resolute. Adrianne sat behind him in the gallery, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.

Sophie entered the courtroom moments later, her lawyer in tow. Her appearance was disheveled—dark circles under her eyes, her hair pulled into a messy bun. She glanced around the room, her gaze landing on Aubrey. Her expression twisted into a mix of anger and betrayal.

The judge entered, and the hearing began. Aubrey's lawyer laid out the series of events leading up to the emergency hearing: Sophie's erratic behavior, her violation of the restraining order, and her escalating attempts to insert herself into Adonis' life in unsafe and inappropriate ways.

Sophie's lawyer countered, arguing that Sophie was a mother who simply wanted to see her son and that her actions stemmed from a place of love, not malice.

When it was Sophie's turn to speak, she stood and addressed the judge, her voice trembling. "Your Honor, I know I've made mistakes. I know I haven't always handled things the right way. But I love my son. He's the only thing in my life that matters, and I would do anything for him. Please... don't take him away from me."

The courtroom fell silent, the weight of her words hanging in the air.
_______

Later That Evening

2:09 pm

The judge ruled in favor of Aubrey, granting him full custody of Adonis and suspending Sophie's visitation rights indefinitely. Sophie was ordered to attend therapy and parenting classes if she wanted any hope of regaining supervised visits in the future.

As Aubrey and Adrianne left the courthouse, Adrianne glanced at him, her heart heavy despite their legal victory. "How are you feeling?" she asked softly.

Aubrey exhaled, his gaze distant. "Relieved. Sad. Angry. I don't know... a mix of everything, I guess."

"You did the right thing," Adrianne said, squeezing his hand. "For Adonis."

Aubrey nodded, but his mind lingered on Sophie's face as she had pleaded with the judge. Despite everything, a part of him still hoped she would find a way to heal—for her sake and for their son.

But for now, all he could do was move forward and protect the family he had worked so hard to build.
________

Will Sophie ever come to her senses for Adonis or will her thirst for  eliminating Adrianne continue to cloud her judgement?

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