Chapter 6 - THE PAPER SHE BROUGHT
Carmen walked toward me like the hospital parking lot belonged to her.
The attorney stayed half a step behind.
“Give me Camila,” Carmen said.
I almost smiled.
“No.”
“You’re emotional.”
“My daughter was locked outside.”
“And now you’re trying to kidnap her from her father.”
Daniel said, “Mom, stop.”
Carmen ignored him.
The attorney opened the leather folder.
“Mrs. Ruiz, my client has concerns regarding your fitness as a parent.”
I stared at him.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
He handed me a document.
It was a petition for emergency temporary custody.
My name appeared beside words like unstable, absent, work-obsessed, and emotionally volatile.
My travel schedule was listed.
So were dates from the past six months.
Dates only Daniel had.
I looked at him.
He couldn’t meet my eyes.
“You gave her this?”
“I didn’t know she was going to file.”
“But you gave her the information.”
“I was trying to calm her down.”
Carmen smiled.
“She’s never home. The child needs stability.”
Camila whimpered and clung tighter to my neck.
The attorney glanced at her cold hands and hesitated.
Carmen noticed.
“She’s fine.”
I looked at him.
“Did your client tell you where Camila spent the last forty minutes?”
He didn’t answer.
I opened Valeria’s video.
His expression changed.
Carmen lunged for my phone.
“Turn that off!”
The attorney stepped back.
Daniel whispered, “Mom.”
I kept the screen pointed at him.
“There are timestamps.”
He closed the folder.
“Mrs. Parker—”
“Ruiz,” I said.
He nodded. “Mrs. Ruiz, I was not informed of this.”
Carmen snapped, “She’s twisting it.”
I looked at him.
“There’s a hospital report. Social services has been notified.”
He stared at Carmen.
Something in his face shut down.
“I think you need different counsel.”
He walked away.
Carmen stood there shaking.
Then she pointed at me.
“You think you won?”
“No,” I said. “I think you finally lost control.”
Her face twisted.
“You have no idea what Daniel already signed.”
May you like
I turned to him.
And for the second time that night, my husband looked terrified.
