“This is not a confrontation. This is an opportunity to resolve matters respectfully. Given tonight’s events, the courts may see public confusion around Lily’s upbringing. It’s better to cooperate now than fight later.”
I stared at him, disbelief spreading through me like wildfire.
“You’re siding with a man who abandoned his child?”
Bradley shrugged faintly.
“My job is not to pick sides. My job is to prevent chaos.”
Behind me, Lily’s tablet pinged. The viewer count jumped again. Three thousand. Three thousand five hundred. Four thousand. I could almost feel the weight of those unseen eyes.
Maria whispered that this was insane. Laura sank deeper into the sofa like she could hide from all of it. My mom kept repeating that this was a misunderstanding. My dad looked ready to lunge at Bradley for even mentioning legal custody.
I stepped forward until I stood face to face with Bradley.
“I’m not signing anything. Ever. Lily is safe. She’s loved. And no one, especially not a man who abandoned her, gets to walk in because he suddenly sees an opportunity.”
Bradley opened his folder. Then he said something that made every bone in my body turn to ice.