Chapter 174

Chapter 174
Lily's POV

The morning after Megan's call, I woke up in the rocking chair with a crick in my neck and William stirring in his crib. I hadn't really slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Eleanor's cold face or heard Ryan's voice promising protection that felt more like a cage.

I picked up William and settled into the chair to nurse him. His warm weight against my chest was the only thing that felt real right now. Everything else—the divorce I'd demanded, the lawyers Megan promised to find, the monitoring I knew was happening even in this room—felt like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from.

My phone buzzed. Megan.

"I found someone," she said without preamble. "Andrea Miller. She handles family law in Denver, specializes in custody cases. She can do a video call this afternoon at three. Can you make that work?"

I looked at William, at the clock. Three o'clock. Six hours from now. Six hours to hold myself together and pretend everything was normal.

"Yes," I said. "I'll make it work."

"Good. Lily, listen to me. Don't tell Ryan about this call. Don't tell anyone. Andrea needs to hear your side first, without anyone pressuring you or listening in."

I thought about the cameras I'd noticed in the hallways, the way Alfred always seemed to appear when I left my room. "Okay."

After we hung up, I sat there holding William, counting down the hours. At some point I managed to get dressed and eat something that Harrison brought up. I avoided the main house, avoided anywhere I might run into Eleanor or Ryan. I couldn't face either of them yet. Not until I knew what my options were.

At 2:55, I locked my door and opened my laptop. My hands were shaking as I clicked the video link Megan had sent.

The screen flickered to life. A woman in her early forties appeared, her dark hair pulled back, glasses perched on her nose. She looked professional. Competent. The kind of person who wouldn't be impressed by the Carter name or intimidated by their money.

"Mrs. Carter," she said. "I'm Andrea Miller. Megan told me you're in a difficult situation. Before we start, I need to make something clear—this consultation doesn't establish an attorney-client relationship. I'm giving you general legal information, not advice specific to your case. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good. Tell me what's happening."

I took a breath and started talking. About the hidden marriage. About William's birth six weeks ago. About Eleanor's demand that I leave him here. About the divorce I'd asked for yesterday, and my fear that Ryan would fight me for custody.

Andrea listened without interrupting, occasionally making notes. When I finished, she took off her glasses and looked at me with an expression that made my stomach drop.

"Mrs. Carter, I'm going to be very direct with you. What you're describing is going to be an uphill battle."

My throat went tight. "What do you mean?"

"In custody cases, courts look at what's called 'the best interests of the child.' That includes financial stability, living environment, emotional support, and resources available to the child." She paused. "You have a job and an apartment in Denver. That's good—it shows you have some independence. But your husband is the CEO of Carter Industrial. His annual income is probably fifty to a hundred times yours. He has multiple properties, including a family estate with professional medical staff and security. You have a one-bedroom rental."

"But William is still nursing," I said, hearing the desperation in my voice. "Doesn't that matter?"

"It matters, yes. Courts generally prefer to keep nursing infants with their mothers. But it's not absolute. If your husband can show that he can provide better care—nannies, medical support, a stable home environment—and if he can argue that you're working full-time and don't have adequate childcare..." She trailed off, letting me fill in the rest.

I felt like I was falling. "So you're saying even though I'm his mother, even though I've been taking care of him since he was born, I could lose him?"

"I'm saying this will be a very difficult fight," Andrea said carefully. "Your husband has resources. He has a legal team. He has family support. You have a job and an apartment, but in terms of raw resources, the gap is significant. Your biggest advantage right now—the nursing relationship—has a time limit. Once William is weaned, that advantage diminishes considerably."

I covered my mouth with my hand, trying not to cry. This couldn't be happening. I'd left Ryan to escape the cage, to give William a chance at a normal life, and now I was being told that might not be enough.

"What do I do?" I whispered.

Andrea's expression softened slightly. "If you're serious about pursuing custody, here's what I recommend. First, improve your living situation. If you can move to a two-bedroom apartment, that's better. Second, establish a support system. Family, friends, professional childcare—anyone who can testify that you have help even while working. Third, document everything. Every interaction with your husband and his family, especially anything that could be seen as controlling or threatening. But fourth—" she leaned forward, her voice firm "—do not, under any circumstances, take the child and leave without proper legal process. That could be construed as parental kidnapping, and it would destroy your case."

"I understand."

"Mrs. Carter, I need you to hear me clearly. Your husband will likely hire the best custody attorneys money can buy. They will argue that William deserves the best possible life, and they'll paint a picture where 'best' means the Carter estate, the Carter resources, the Carter family support system. They'll say that even if you love him, you can't provide the same level of care. And in family court, unfortunately, emotional arguments don't always win against economic ones."

I stared at the screen, feeling hollow. "So what you're saying is... I'm going to lose."

"I'm saying you need to be realistic about your chances," Andrea said. "But Mrs. Carter, I also need to ask you something. Why do you want to leave? Is it just about the controlling behavior, or is there something else?"

I thought about the cameras, the guards, the way Eleanor had looked at me when she said William was "the Carter heir" before he was my son. I thought about Ryan's face when he'd told me about the business enemies, the way he'd used my fear to justify keeping me locked up here.

"I want him to have a normal childhood," I said finally. "I don't want him growing up thinking it's normal to control people, or to use money to solve problems, or to put the family name above everything else. I want him to know he's loved for who he is, not what he represents."