me.”
My old reflex surfaced.
Protect him.
Soften the truth.
Give him reassurance.
I let it pass.
“I miss who I thought you were.”
His expression changed.
For the first time since Christmas, he appeared genuinely hurt.
“That’s cruel.”
“No.”
I remembered the nights I’d waited for him.
“It’s accurate.”
His attorney entered before he could reply.
For two hours, we discussed property, parenting, access, and temporary arrangements.
Cole grew visibly angry whenever financial figures appeared.
He wasn’t losing my inheritance.
He’d never legally owned it.
He was confronting a
