part 7
PART 7
Natalie tried to save herself first.
That surprised no one.
By the next morning, her attorney contacted Audrey’s attorney and claimed Natalie had not known the coat belonged to Audrey.
She had not known the twins were premature.
She had not known Dominic had drained marital accounts.
She had not known divorce papers would be served in a neonatal recovery suite.
Audrey listened from the hospital bed while her attorney summarized the statement.
Then she looked at the babies.
“Does she mention calling them runts?”
The attorney paused.
“No.”
“Then she knows enough.”
Natalie was not innocent.
She had sent messages to Dominic for months.
After she gives birth, she’ll be too weak to fight.
Make sure she signs before the old man gets involved.
I want the coat.
She won’t need it where she’s going.
The last message made Audrey stare at the wall for a long time.
Where she’s going.
Dominic had not only planned divorce.
He had planned erasure.
Maybe not death.
Maybe not physical harm.
But social, financial, maternal disappearance.
A woman abandoned with premature twins and no money could be made to look unstable.
Unfit.
Desperate.
Walter understood that before Audrey said it.
“He was building a custody argument.”
Audrey’s blood went cold.
The attorney nodded.
“The language in the divorce packet supports that.”
“Medical complications.”
“Financial dependence.”
“Emotional volatility.”
“Neonatal care burden.”
Audrey looked at her sons and daughter.
No.
Not burden.
Never burden.
She turned to Walter.
“I want emergency custody protections.”
“Already filed,” he said.
“I want Dominic barred from the neonatal unit.”
“Done.”
“I want Natalie kept away from my children.”
“Done.”
“I want every doctor who heard him say it to submit a statement.”
The attorney nodded.
“Already requested.”
Audrey looked down at Henry’s tiny face.
He yawned.
So small.
So unaware that adults had already tried to turn him into leverage.
Grace stirred against her chest.
Audrey held them closer.
Dominic had thought she was weak because her body was recovering.
He did not understand mothers.
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Sometimes the body can barely stand, and the will becomes a locked door.
Read the full story 👉 Dominic’s divorce papers were designed to make Audrey look unstable and take control of the twins.
