Deeproot

Battle for custody

Gratina is sited with her lawyer, she looks the worst at the moment, she had canceled her massage session after the call, and immediately called her lawyer, what she was scared for was finally coming to play, she had called Hunter to get her lawyer immediately and also he was on his way to her house.

Mr. Alan sat in front of her with his brief paper works, he handed a paper to her while holding his, she looks up at Sage who was standing beside her, Mr. Alan has been her father’s lawyer who also gets involved in hers, and he has worked for her father since she was born, only to get that they were best friends in school

Gratina took the paper from him, her hands shaking as she scanned the contents. Sage placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, offering a silent strength. Gratina felt a wave of gratitude towards her.

"Don't worry, Gratina," Mr. Alan said, his voice filled with conviction. "We'll get through this together. We won't let Harold hurt you or Riley." His words were a balm to her soul, and she nodded, feeling a glimmer of hope.

"Since you have sole custody of Riley, it's up to you to decide if you want Harold involved in her life," the lawyer explains.

"However, if he pursues a paternity suit, it may be in your best interest to allow him a relationship with his daughter, considering he was unaware of her existence until now."

Gratina's eyes narrowed, her grip on the paper tightening. "But I still have the final say, right?"

The lawyer nodded, packing up his documents. "Yes, you do. I recommend getting him to sign this paper first, then we can proceed to the next step."

Gratina's smile was laced with sadness as she shakes the lawyer's hand.

"No one is taking my child away from me. He has no right."

As Sage saw the lawyer to the door, she returned with Hunter.

"What did I miss?" settling into a chair beside her.

Gratina's weary face told a thousand stories. "Just the usual drama. Did you send the mail to Zenithium Inc.?"

"Yes, we sent it out immediately, and they've scheduled a meeting for tomorrow," Sage replied.

Gratina's eyes fluttered closed, her body craving rest.

"Perfect. Please request a meeting with the CEO, not a representative, and arrange for security for I and my daughter, My daughter's safety is my top priority."

As she turned to ascend the stairs, Hunter added, "Gratina, there's something else, we looked into his profile since he said he was an old friend and noticed one thing, Mr Harold is married and his wife is a danger.” Gratina’s eyes snapped open, her mind reeling.

"What does he want from me and my family after being married again?" She held onto the banister, lifting herself to her room.

…

She rose from her seat, her hand extending to shake the manager, a smile spreading across her face. His eyes gleamed with excitement, his teeth flashing in a wide grin. But her mind was elsewhere, her heart racing with anticipation. She had made up her mind to partner with them, the convincing speeches no longer necessary. Her thoughts were consumed by the upcoming meeting, her mind rehearsing the confrontation, planning how to strip him of his composure.

A knock at the door broke the spell, and the three men left the office, their faces alight with joy. She envied their carefree life, wishing she could shed her burdens like they seemed to have done.

Hunter walks in, she had thought it was Harold, he drops a file in front of her.

“This are the paper work for this contract and also, please you should sign it, the shares our company is to take is so high and have never been presented from any company plus we know how much we’re”

“I get it Hunter, Please let him in, in the next fifteen minutes”

“Yes ma’am” he nods as he leaves the office.

This moment was the only time she could take all the pain he had caused her, she wouldn’t let him ruin her again, and she will make sure to take everything into her hands that the law won’t be able to do anything.

She stood tall, her eyes locked on Harold as he entered the room. Hunter nodded and left, leaving them alone.

Harold walks to a sit, she stands up, goes to where he is, as she stretches out her hand, and as he shakes it, she grasped his hand tightly.

“I have been waiting for this all my life”

The knife in her left hand glinted in the light, and with a swift motion, she stabbed him in the neck, abdomen, and heart. The knife remained lodged in his chest as he clutched his body in agony, blood pouring out from every corner.

But in a shocking twist, Harold's pained expression turned into a smile. He grasped her hand, pulled out the knife, and stabbed her back.

Gratina gets up immediately, looks around her office as she checks her phone, she had slept in eight minutes, the thought of the dream making her wonder, did she badly want him off the world that she killed him both in her sleep, she rushes to her room inside, it was a beautiful one but not too big, the bed liked comfy but smaller, she washes her face and then heads out, she touches some makeup to it as she arranges her cloth making it not to seem as though she had slept.

She calls through the office phone, asking that they send him in.

Harold walks with his head high, his aura filling the place, she hated that about him, she hated the fact that he felt all powerful, it clicked in her head why she killed him, and she wanted him gone from this earth.

“Have a sit” she gestured to the sit.

“We’ve reviewed your request about the partnership and I will like to hear from you Mr. Harold and also certain standards and conditions have been made to benefit the both” she passes some papers to him.

“Right there you will notice that we stated, that my Business will be in charge of the..”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?”

Gratina froze, her mind reeling with regrets of ever loving this man to that point, he was the devil himself, and he was a selfish bastard who only wants the best for himself.

“My daughter is none of your business and will never be!”

“Our daughter”

All she wanted to do was shut his mouth, her hands were already shaking, her eyes dimmed with anger, she brings out a paper from her bag, hands it to him.

“You have to sign this first”

He hands a paper to her too

“All of the papers will be reviewed signed and sent in two r days but on this” he points to the paper he handed to her “You will be forced to let me see her, and also to move into my place if you don’t follow this “

She stands up as he smirks at her, and that was it, that was the clue she was waiting for, she walks towards him, rolls his chair as she bent hovering over him with her deadly stare.

“Watch me”