Chapter 63 – Removing him

KIRA.

“OK, Mark, I will tell you everything that happened between me and Gabriel,” I said, acknowledging that if I wanted this to work, I would have to be totally honest with him.

“Of course, Kira. You can trust me. Tell me all about it!” he said, giving me the exact confidence I needed.

“Well, it all started when I first met Gabriel. He was my direct manager, and I was immediately wary of him because of his reputation as a womanizer. But over time, I fell for him.” I started gulping a few times, thinking of how stupid I was.

“I see. And what happened next?”

“One day, Gabriel made advances on me, and I resisted at first. But eventually, I gave in, and we started a relationship. It was intense, and we even went on Hollow Peak for Christmas five years ago, where Maddie was conceived. But that you already know. It was then that my decline begun”

“I know, no need to remember that time again. One question is bothering me. I could tell you loved him, Kira. Why did you decide to leave Gabriel?” Mark asked.

“I realized Gabriel was unchanged, and he didn’t truly love me. When I left him, I found out I was pregnant with his child. Gabriel wouldn't be interested in his daughter, so I didn't tell him.

“I see. That’s a lot to take in. Have you talked to Gabriel about Maddie since then?”

“No, I haven’t. He had seen her on various occasions. One day Maddie got lost after Granny’s funeral and it was Gabriel who found her. I guess it was from that day he suspected something. So now I’m worried that he might try to claim custody now that he knows about her”

And then a few silent awkward moments elapsed while Mark was so quiet and pensive. I was a wreck. Almost three hours had passed, and I felt we had nothing conclusive. I was tapping my foot as I waited for him to finish reviewing some papers.

“What’s going on, Mark?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Mark looked up from the papers, his expression serious.

“I’m doing everything I can to help you get custody of your daughter, Kira. But we need to be prepared for anything that Gabriel’s lawyer might throw at us. That’s why I need to know more about your relationship with him.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, my brows furrowing in confusion.

“I mean I need to know if there’s anything in your past with Gabriel that could be used against you in court,” Mark explained, leaning back in his chair. “Anything that might make it seem like you’re an unfit mother.”

My eyes widened in shock.

“But I’m a good mother! I take care of my daughter, I provide for her, I love her...”

“I know you do, Kira,” Mark interrupted me gently. “But we can’t take any chances. Gabriel’s lawyer is going to do everything he can to make his client look like the better parent. And unfortunately, sometimes the truth doesn’t matter in these cases.”

I suddenly felt a lump form in my throat as I realized the gravity of the situation.

“So what do we do?”

“We start by finding out as much as we can about Gabriel’s past,” Mark said, his eyes gleaming with determination. “If there’s anything we can use to show that he’s an unfit father, we’ll use it. It’s not ideal, but it’s the reality of the situation.”

I nodded slowly, my mind racing.

“Okay. What do you need from me?”

“I need you to be completely honest with me, Kira,” Mark said, leaning forward. “Tell me everything you can remember about your relationship with Gabriel. Anything that might help us build a case against him.”

I took a deep breath and recounted the details of her relationship with Gabriel, hoping that it would be enough to give him the edge in the custody battle for my daughter.

“I don’t even know where to start. Do you have any suggestions on how I can do that?” I asked.

“Absolutely. We need to establish that Gabriel is an unfit parent, and to do that, we need to show that he’s been neglectful or abusive in some way. Can you think of anything like that?” he said and my blood froze in my veins. We would never win. Gabriel was never violent. I couldn’t fabricate lies about him.

“Well, he was never physically abusive, but he did have a temper. He would get angry over small things, like if I didn’t answer his calls right away.” I recalled.

“That’s good to know. Do you remember any specific incidents that we can use to show his temper?” Mark insisted.

“I remember one time when we were at a restaurant, and the waiter brought him the wrong dish. He got really upset and started yelling at the waiter. It was really embarrassing.” I remembered the incident like it was yesterday.

“Okay, that’s something we can use. Do you remember anything else?” he pushed again.

“Well, I remember Gabriel was always very controlling. He would always want to know where I was and who I was with. And he would get angry if I didn’t tell him.”

“That’s definitely something we can use in court. Anything else?”

“I don’t think it is there. I mean, despite appearances, Gabriel is a thoughtful and intelligent man. Never physically or verbally abusive.”

“Yeah, except with me when he first met me. Surely that will weigh in court and not in his favor,” Mark said touching the corner of his mouth, exactly where Gabriel had hit him years ago.

I couldn’t help but worry about Gabriel’s quick temper and how it would impact his custody case for Maddie. As much as I loved him, I knew that his hot-headedness could easily work against him in court. I could already see the judge’s disapproving gaze as Gabriel struggled to control his anger.

And what about Maddie? Would she fear him? Would she feel safe in his care? I couldn’t bear the thought of her being caught in the middle of all this, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Gabriel’s past actions, like attacking Mark, would come back to haunt him.

I knew that having Mark as my lawyer would give me an advantage, but I couldn’t help feeling uneasy about it. After all, Gabriel had attacked him years ago, and now I was relying on him to help us win custody of Maddie. It just didn’t seem right.

I knew Gabriel loved Maddie with all his heart, but I also knew that his temper could be his downfall. I just hoped that he could keep it under control and show the court that he was a responsible and loving father, despite his past mistakes. As for Maddie, I just wanted her to be happy and safe, no matter what the outcome of the custody case was.

“Why am I feeling some second thoughts in you Kira?” Mark asked right after he recalled the attack, seeing that my mood changed.

“Mark, it’s not that…” I mumbled, but the words got stuck in my throat.

“Look Kira, I understand Gabriel is the father of your daughter Maddie, but we need to be realistic here. His attack on me years ago was wrong and it will seriously hurt his chances in the custody trial.” Mark explained again the only weapon we had against Gabriel.

Although I commanded my conscience that it was the only way I wouldn’t lose Maddie, I didn’t want to hurt Gabriel so badly. Maddie had grown fond of him, and I was afraid of her reaction when she heard this.

“I know, Mark. I agree with you. Gabriel shouldn’t have done what he did to you, and I’m sorry for what happened.”

“Thank you, Kira. I appreciate that. I just want to make sure we have the best possible case for Maddie’s custody. And if that means dragging Gabriel down, then we will do it. Without second thoughts”

“I understand that, Mark. But you have to believe me when I say that Gabriel is not a dangerous man. He just made a mistake. I know I should not say this in court, and I know that maybe this is the only solid evidence against him.”

“I’m not saying he’s an evil man, Kira. But what he did was serious, and the judge will take it into consideration in court. That is the way things will be done. I am a man of the law and I will present the facts. And the fact is Gabriel has a temper and it will not do him good,” Mark concluded.

“I know, Mark. And that’s why I’m willing to work with you on this. I don’t want to lose custody of Maddie, and I know that what Gabriel did will hurt his chances.”

“That’s good to hear, Kira. We need to make sure we have a strong case, and unfortunately, Gabriel’s actions will be a part of that.”

“I understand, Mark. I just hope that we can all move past this and do what’s best for Maddie.” I said.

“I agree. Maddie’s well-being is our top priority, and we need to make sure that she has a safe and stable environment to grow up in. Even if it meant removing Gabriel from that environment for good.”