The day of the formal custody evaluation arrived under a gray, overcast Lagos sky that threatened rain. The court-appointed evaluator, an experienced and notoriously unimpressive child psychologist named Dr. Eleanor Vance, arrived at Christian’s estate at ten in the morning. Her job was to observe Leo in his current environment, interview both parents, and submit a definitive recommendation to the high court judge.
Zeth was permitted to attend the initial segment of the evaluation under strict court supervision, accompanied by his lead attorney. When he arrived, he was completely stripped of his corporate entourage. He looked smaller without the boardroom behind him, dressed in a standard charcoal suit, his expression an uneasy mix of defensive pride and latent hostility.
Christian met t
