Chapter 16 - MY MISTAKE COMES BACK IN WRITING
The recording from my meeting with Leander resurfaced.
This time in Seraphine’s sentencing memo.
Her lawyer argued:
Kerensa had already contemplated moving out and was financially independent, reducing claimed coercion.
They quoted:
“If moving out is what it takes to get peace—”
Again.
Full context provided.
Judge read all.
Did it change assault facts?
No.
Did it affect damages narratives?
Slightly.
The court noted:
Kerensa’s willingness to consider relocation does not authorize forced eviction or physical contact.
Good.
But my choice to enter that meeting without fully aligning with Hadrian had created continuing mess.
I owned it.
Then my mother asked:
“Why did you go?”
“Because I thought I could fix his father.”
She laughed sadly.
“Never marry a project.”
“I didn’t.”
“Good.”
Then:
“Stop making his father one.”
There.
I had started spending too much mental energy analyzing whether Leander was redeemable.
Not my job.
Then Dr. Chen? We don't need therapist maybe couples therapist. Could mention counselor Nora. But enough.
Hadrian and I had one hard conversation.
“Do you blame me for your inheritance?”
He said:
“No.”
“Sure?”
Pause.
“I blame Dad.”
Then:
“And myself a little.”
“Why?”
“For waiting so long to build independence.”
Then:
“Do you blame me for throwing suitcase and giving them evidence?”
“No.”
“Should you?”
He smiled faintly.
“I blame you for throwing the box.”
Fair.
Then he said:
“Do you blame yourself for making me choose?”
I stared.
“No.”
Good.
“I did not make that choice structure.”
Exactly.
Then Leander sent an invitation.
Not to us.
To Hadrian.
Board retirement dinner in six months.
Too far future.
No need decide.
Then he asked for one prenatal update.
Through Hadrian.
We shared:
Mother and baby healthy.
Nothing else.
No due date detail.
No labor plan.
Boundary.
Then Seraphine’s sentencing.
She apologized.
“I treated Kerensa as temporary because I believed the Mercer family existed before her and would exist after her.”
There.
Honest.
Then:
“That did not make her removable.”
Good.
Sentence:
Probation.
Community service? Could be.
No-contact period through six weeks postpartum unless modified.
Anger-management/counseling.
Restitution already paid.
No incarceration due no prior record and minor injury? Reasonable. Maybe suspended days. Fine.
The judge warned:
“Pregnancy increases potential harm even when actual injury is limited.”
Good.
Then Hadrian’s diversion completion.
Case dismissed under program terms.
He finished restitution.
No conviction.
He did not celebrate.
We went to dinner.
Not family table.
Just us.
He said:
“Can we stop having lawsuits now?”
“Please.”
Then my phone rang.
Hospital.
Not labor.
Routine appointment reschedule.
I laughed too hard.
May you like
Stress had made every ring a crisis.
We needed ordinary life back before the baby arrived.
