A Million Dreams by Dani Atkins

Author:Dani Atkins [Atkins, Dani]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781789546156
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Published: 2019-11-14T00:00:00+00:00

21

Beth

There was a subtle shift in atmosphere in the meeting room after the break. It would be an exaggeration to say things had warmed up, but there was a discernible climate change.

‘Let’s be honest here,’ Edward said, looking up from his papers and directing his comments to Izzy and Pete. ‘It’s in no one’s best interests for this case to go to court.’

‘I disagree,’ interjected their own lawyer, her eyes glittering at the challenge. ‘This case is too big and too important to be settled within these walls.’

Edward was shaking his head, pitting his years of experience and wisdom against the young female lawyer, who seemed more than ready for a courtroom battle. A little too ready, perhaps?

‘This case will become a media feeding frenzy. Your story will be splashed across the headlines of every single tabloid newspaper,’ warned Edward. ‘Take a moment to think how that will affect you as adults, and then multiply it by a hundred – because that’s how it will be for Noah.’ Izzy flinched as though the man who looked like Santa had suddenly produced a sabre. ‘Remember, the courts will be on Noah’s side. They will make their decision based purely on his best interests.’

‘It’s in his best interests to stay with his mother,’ Izzy declared, her voice impassioned.

‘Which mother?’ Liam asked quietly, drawing every eye in the room in his direction.

I saw the naked fear in Izzy and Pete’s eyes as they faced the possibility that a shared contact ruling might end up favouring my claim instead of theirs.

‘The law wants to ensure every child has access to their rightful heritage. They—’

‘Don’t you think Noah deserves to know where he comes from?’ I interrupted, unable to stay silent for another moment. I was going way off-piste here, speaking when I shouldn’t, and flagrantly ignoring the guidelines Edward and William had set out.

‘When he’s older, perhaps,’ conceded Pete. He glanced at his wife, who had jolted in her seat at this hypothetical suggestion. ‘Much older,’ he added hurriedly. ‘Like maybe when he’s eighteen or so.’

‘The courts will rule otherwise,’ said Edward solemnly, pulling us all back to his prepared script. As much as I imagined she wanted to, even Frankie Burrows didn’t dispute that one.

‘I’ve already missed the first eight years of his life,’ I said, my hands twisting together as I spoke. ‘But more than that, Noah has missed out too.’

Izzy instantly bristled at the implied criticism, and I knew I only had seconds to backpedal from the place my words had taken her.

‘He has a whole family he deserves to know about. He has cousins – one who’s almost the same age as him. Doesn’t he have a right to meet them, and his grandparents?’ Pete was slowly shaking his head, but Izzy looked up then, her eyes meeting mine. ‘And he should know about his father.’

Izzy reached instinctively for Pete’s hand and squeezed it comfortingly, but her eyes stayed on my face. I could tell that we had reached a

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.