Chapter 12: The Better Battlefield

The divorce was granted entirely on my terms.

The house was awarded to me, then immediately seized during Adrian’s asset freeze.

His company collapsed under investigation.

His mother was charged with fraud and forgery.

Celeste sold the diamond ring to pay legal bills, then sold stories to tabloids until Adrian sued her too.

He lost that as well.

Outside the courthouse, Adrian tried one final performance.

“Mara!” he shouted, pushing through reporters. “You can’t do this to me. We were family.”

I stopped.

The crowd went quiet.

I turned just enough for him to see the curve beneath my coat.

His eyes widened.

“You’re pregnant?”

“With twins.”

His mouth opened, but nothing came out.

“They’re mine,” I said calmly. “Legally. Biologically. Completely mine. The children you told me I was too broken to have.”

He looked past me toward General Thorn.

“You did this,” Adrian whispered.

The general’s faint smile barely showed.

“No,” he said. “You did. I only gave her a better battlefield.” Epilogue: Free in the Morning Light ⬇️