Page 56 of Ellie 3

I’d always had to be to survive my life, and I was glad my life had been rough, so I had the battle armor ready for times like this.

Alexis was always ready for battle too and she even came prepared, announcing she had a tail put on Renee’s husband. She handed that all off to Jackie who didn’t do fieldwork anymore because of her own messy divorce and custody hearings. That had all been settled, but her ex-husband was always hovering watching for one little slip-up after he’d been embarrassed.

And we’d gotten a sexist, asshole judge in serious trouble.

With all of the help and needing to answer questions, Renee stopped drinking and realized this was what needed to happen to protect their kids. She was still wounded… Until Jackie found a smoking gun for that “perfect father” image Renee’s mate said would make things difficult for her.

Namely that he’d been taking their kids to daycare three times a week and Renee hadn’tknown. She’d heard them talk about playtime and this person or that, but her husband had said it was a playgroup or a class he wastherefor with the children.

He wasn’t. It was a full and licensed daycare that requiredphysicalsand medical appointments to be admitted. Her children had gone to see other doctors and she hadn’t fucking known.

Gone was the wounded woman who was betrayed, and instead the momma bear emerged ready to bring down thehammer. I watched her completely change, pulling out her phone and letting out a slow breath.

“Hey Dad, it’s Renee,” she said quietly. “I need a favor and for you to document everything without asking me too many questions. I’m still in shock, but I have help now, and—we have to protect the kids.”

“Anything, girlie boo,” the man on the other line said instantly. “You just tell us who hurt you and we’ll handle him.”

Renee looked around at us. “You don’t need to get your hands dirty, Dad. We’re going to do it legally so it sticks.” She let out another slow breath. “My mate has been cheating on me and is threatening to take the kids—never let me see them if I divorce him. I was considering letting him win because I can’t lose them and it was killing me, but now I know he’s not the dad he’s said.”

The man snorted. “I could have told you that, Renee. Bastard hasn’t called hereoncesince they came to stay. Your mom’s called him a few times with the kids on the line and he’s rushed them off. They keep asking what they’ve done that he’s mad and doesn’t want to spend time with them. I think there’s something more going on. I was going to call but then South America.”

That was a while ago now. I could hear the regret in his voice. He was a good dad who hadn’t wanted to be the one to hurt his daughter.

What would it be like to have a dad like that?I shook myself out of my thoughts, focused on the now.

“Let me talk to him,” Jackie said. “There is a way to document everything—the courts look for certain things. I have experience beyond my own divorce.”

Renee nodded and introduced her before handing the phone over. I was shocked at what she asked for and thought phone records might be over the top… But it would show their father hadn’t called Renee’s parents the whole time they were staying there.

And it had been months now. Wow.

Okay, this was really a battle now.

Much better than Renee having to stay with a horrible man like that for her kids.

16

Ha-joon

Ellie came back pretty late from Renee’s and looked older somehow. Not physically, but… I knew what I meant.

“How bad?” I asked, knowing we could put our issue on pause for a moment.

“Bad,” she rasped, wiping under her eyes. Knowing Ellie, she stayed strong in front of her friend but broke down once she was alone. “He was taking the kids to day care behind her back so he could be with his side chick. Renee is livid. Didn’t get to meet the teachers and staff before—they’ve been going for months.”

“And she missed it,” I sighed.

“And she missed it. She would be the first to tell a patient they can’t see everything or it wasn’t their fault, but—I’ve never seen her so—she destroyed rooms of her house.”

“Like tossed it around or destroyed it?” I hedged.

“Both.” Ellie snorted as she rubbed her hands over her face. “There is no putting that dining room set back together. Magic can only do so much.” She gave me a tortured look. “It was the wedding present he bought her after they got the house and the first place they had sex when they moved in.”

I winced. Ouch. Yeah…Ouch. “It’s not her fault. Cheating is about the other person’s issues. Always.”

She studied me a moment, clearly understanding that was something I’d had to come to terms with. She nodded and gave me a kiss on the cheek as she set down the rest of her stuff.

“I’m sorry I let myself in but—”

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