Page 72 of Broken Chains

"When you first brought this to my attention you told me that you had left your daughter with your parents and that Oliver had lied and kidnapped her. You also said she was living in unsanitary conditions in a drug-infested trailer park. I'm not sure what sort of world you live in, but this looks far from that image you painted."

Melina looked down at her hands, angry. "I wasn't aware he had moved. I have no idea how he could possibly afford a place like this. He could barely afford to pitch in for a pack of diapers," she whined.

"May I address the kidnapping allegations?" Oliver asked through clenched teeth.

"I am certainly interested in hearing your side of the story," Katherine said.

Melina's face lost color. There was no way she didn't realize that the courts frowned upon liars. She was about to get caught in the very web she had spun.

Oliver dropped my hand and reached for the envelope Elizabeth held out to him. He quickly removed the contents and began.

"We had an agreement, or at least I thought we had. Melina worked nights and I worked days; that way, we didn't have to pay for childcare for the baby. I showed up one evening to find an empty house. Melina had moved without a word. I panicked and didn't know what to do. I went to her parents’ house to see if they had any information about where to find my daughter, and instead I found Eve in their care. They gave me this letter from Melina," he said, handing over the letter.

Melina was furious. "You kept that? Why?"

"Of course I kept it. I know the state sides with the biological mother in most cases. I kept everything I could in preparation for this day."

"What else do you have?" Katherine said. "Might as well lay all your cards out on the table now so I know what I'm dealing with."

"This is bullshit. I'm still her mother," Melina said.

"Actually, I'm her mother," I said, unable to resist.

Melina jumped to her feet and lunged across the table. I tried to tell myself not to fight back, but there was no way she was going to lay hands on me without facing my wrath.

Katherine didn't seem fazed in the least. She snapped her fingers and the next thing I knew Jake was jerking Melina back across the table and forcefully made her sit, while James put his hands on my shoulders, letting me know he was back there, too.

"Ladies, we'll get nowhere at this rate. I need you both to just calm down now."

Oliver

Chapter 24

I couldn't believe Melina was acting like this. It was embarrassing. If I didn't know any better I'd think she was jealous of Peyton, but that didn't make any sense because she was the one who left me in the first place. Not that it would have mattered. I knew in my heart that I would have left Melina the moment I met my true mate, anyway.

It didn't matter how much I would have fought it, trying to do right by Melina and Eve. I was meant to be with Peyton. There was no doubt about that. She was my one true mate.

I put my arm around Peyton, and she scooted closer to my side. I needed her to calm down. I understood where the aggression was coming from, but losing her temper now wasn't going to help anyone.

"Can we continue?" I finally said.

"Yes, please," Katherine said. "What happened when you were handed the note?"

"I knew Melina wasn't coming back. They showed me this document," I handed her the one where she had signed over full rights to her parents, only now there was an added note and two signatures redirecting those rights to me. I had insisted on it and in hindsight I was very thankful for it.

Katherine studied it. "Melina, is this your signature?"

She showed her the document. Melina hesitated but finally nodded.

"You know you could have just taken this down to the courthouse and filed for full uncontested custody with this and saved us all the headache of sorting through this," Katherine said.

"He can't do that. He wouldn't dare," Melina insisted.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see the smirk on Peyton's face and Melina shrunk a little more into her chair.

"Actually, we did just that," I said, producing the papers the judge had signed just the day before as a favor for Thomas.

"Don't forget the most important one," Peyton said. I knew she sounded more cocky than she felt.

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