Chapter 29 My Son

Chapter 29 My Son


Chapter 29 — Susan’s POV

The Call That Changed Everything

The room was quiet.

Too quiet.

My baby slept beside me, wrapped in white cloth, breathing softly. Every small sound he made pulled my heart tight. I watched his chest rise and fall, again and again, as if I was afraid it would stop if I looked away.

This tiny life was mine.

Mine.

And yet… not really.

That truth sat heavy inside my chest.

I remembered Lucien’s words.

His calm voice.

His cold certainty.

The child belongs to the Blackwood name.

You can leave after three years.

Three years.

As if motherhood had an expiry date.

As if my arms were just a temporary place to keep what he owned.

My fingers tightened around the edge of the bed.

I realized something slowly, painfully clear.

Lucien would never protect me.

He would never choose me.

He would only protect what belongs to him.

And one day, when the time came, he would take my child away from me without blinking.

That fear was worse than hunger.

Worse than loneliness.

Worse than humiliation.

I looked at my baby again.

“No,” I whispered. “I won’t let that happen.”

My heart was pounding as I reached for my phone.

My hands shook.

I had never done something like this before. I had never fought back. I had never asked for help outside these walls.

But this wasn’t about pride anymore.

This was about survival.

I searched quietly, carefully. I didn’t want anyone to hear. I didn’t want anyone to know.

When I finally found the number, I stared at it for a long time.

My thumb hovered over the screen.

What if it’s useless?

What if it makes things worse?

What if Lucien finds out?

Then my baby stirred, his tiny fingers curling.

That was enough.

I pressed call.

It rang once.

Twice.

“Good afternoon,” a calm voice answered. “This is Barrister Cole speaking.”

I swallowed hard. My voice came out small.

“Good afternoon… sir. My name is Susan.”

There was a pause. “How may I help you, Mrs. Susan?”

I closed my eyes.

“I… I need a lawyer.”

His tone changed slightly. More serious. More focused.

“Alright. What is the matter?”

I took a deep breath. My chest felt tight, like all the words were fighting to come out at once.

“I don’t want to give my child to my ex-husband,” I said slowly. “I want custody of my baby.”

There was silence on the line.

Then he asked carefully, “May I ask who the father is?”

My heart dropped.

“Lucien Blackwood.”

The silence this time was longer.

I could almost hear him thinking.

“Mrs. Susan,” he finally said, slowly, “do you understand what you are saying?”

“Yes,” I replied. My voice shook, but I meant it. “I understand.”

“The Blackwood family,” he continued, “is one of the most powerful families in this country. They have influence in law, business, and politics. Taking custody from them will not be easy.”

I pressed my free hand against my chest.

“I know,” I whispered.

“Are you sure you want to try?” he asked. “Once this starts, it will not stop easily.”

I looked down at my baby again.

His face was peaceful. Innocent. He didn’t know the world he was born into. He didn’t know people were already planning his future without asking me.

Tears filled my eyes.

“I really want to,” I said quietly. “Please.”

He sighed softly.

“Why?” he asked. “Why do you want full custody?”

I closed my eyes.

“Because,” I said, my voice breaking, “they don’t see me as his mother. They see me as a container. Something temporary.”

I swallowed.

“They talk about taking him away from me like it’s normal. Like I don’t matter. Like my pain doesn’t count.”

The words poured out now.

“I was divorced before I gave birth. I was ignored while pregnant. I was controlled. Threatened. And now they say I can leave… but not with my child.”

There was silence again.

This time, it felt different.

Softer.

“Has anyone threatened you directly?” the lawyer asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“Do you have witnesses?”

“I overheard conversations,” I replied. “And the staff… they know.”

“Do you feel safe where you are now?” he asked.

I hesitated.

“Physically… yes,” I said. “Emotionally… no.”

He exhaled slowly.

“Mrs. Susan,” he said, “this will be a difficult battle. They will fight hard. They will try to break you. They will question your stability, your strength, your worth.”

My hands trembled.

“I know,” I said.

“And still,” he continued, “you want to proceed?”

I looked at my baby.

I kissed his forehead gently.

“Yes,” I said firmly. “I don’t want to leave my child to him and his girlfriend. I want my baby. I want to raise my child myself.”

There was a pause.

Then he said something that made my breath catch.

“Alright.”

My heart skipped.

“I will take your case,” he said. “But you must be brave. And you must be careful. Do not let them know yet.”

Tears rolled down my cheeks.

“Thank you,” I whispered. “Thank you so much.”

“This will take time,” he warned. “But it is possible.”

Possible.

That word felt like light breaking through a crack.

When the call ended, I placed the phone down slowly.

My body felt weak. Drained.

But something inside me felt different.

Stronger.

I wasn’t free yet.

I wasn’t safe yet.

But for the first time…

I wasn’t helpless.

I lay beside my baby and held him close.

“I promise you,” I whispered. “I will fight. Even if I have to do it quietly. Even if I have to do it alone.”

Outside, the house was still.

Inside, something had begun.