Adeline POV
The last face I wanted to see is sitting across from me in my lawyer's office.
"I want joint custody. 50/50." Axel demands staring at me with nothing but hatred in his eyes.
My jaw drops and I have to take a minute to contain my anger.
"Um, absolutely not. Remember how you physically pushed me down in a hotel lobby while I was pregnant with the child?" I scoff.
"Allegedly," Axel's lawyer cuts in.
I shoot him a glare, "okay that's enough from you. He did it, he pushed me. It's not allegedly."
My lawyer clears his throat and raises his eyebrows at me while Kasen tries to hold in a laugh.
"Mr. and Mrs. King will offer supervised visitation, twice a month for one year. After the year, they are open to discuss more visitation. If you don't accept that, be prepared to go to court," our lawyer says point-blank.
I look at Kasen worriedly, I know Axel won't take kindly to our offer.
"Are you fucking out of your minds?" He shouts before his lawyer warns him to calm down.
Axel and I are in a tense stare down, both of us clenching our jaws and crossing our arms in front of our chests.
Thank god for the giant oak table inbetween us or I would've definitely grabbed him by his throat by now.
"Fine. You wanna do this the hard way Adeline, then fine. Let's go to court." Axel shoots at me.
"Are you fucking kidding me, Axel?! I JUST gave birth to a premature baby. Both the baby and I are still healing, we are in no condition to go to court."
Our lawyer holds his hand up as a gesture for us to stop talking. "Mrs. King is absolutely right. She is in no way, shape, or form able for a court process right now. Mr. Kadence, I would suggest you think about their offer and we meet again for mediation in a month or so."
"No, I'll see your ass in court Adeline." Axel says before stomping out of the room.
Once he's out of sight, I drop my head into my hands and groan. Kasen's big hands rub my neck, trying to comfort me.
Our lawyer turns to us. "What if you were to offer supervised visitation on every Saturday of the month?"
I roll my eyes, "I mean, reasonable people would think that would be fair, but obviously we are dealing with a selfish, egotistical, fuck face, psychopath."
Kasen laughs out loud at my vulgarity, "babe, you are a fierce momma bear...Axel should be way too scared to challenge you."
I shoot a look at him, "of course I'm a fierce momma bear. Those are my cubs, and he's trying to fuck with them. Everyone knows what happens when a momma bear's cubs are fucked with...just watch any National Geographic show.."
Both Kasen and the lawyer laugh.
"Ugh, David, what do you think?" I ask our lawyer.
"Well, first I can talk to the judge and try to get him to give you some more time to heal from the birth. Second, I'll get the footage from the hotel lobby of him pushing you. Make sure to send me any threatening email, text, voicemail...anything. We will use the tabloids and his reputation to prove he is unfit to be a father."
I nod my head and grab Kasen's outreached hand.
Kasen thanks David, and we both leave his office.
Once we are outside on the crowded D.C. streets, I let out a huge sigh.
"How are you holding yourself together so well, Kasen?"
He shrugs, "I'm not...but I'm trying to be strong for you. I spend every single moment worried about what will happen, but I also don't want to add to your stress."
"Have I ever told you what a perfect husband you are?" I smile and reach up to kiss him.
*One Week Later
"Hello?" I answer my ringing phone while holding Kane, trying to feed him.
"Hey Adeline, it's David...I'm afraid I have some bad news."
"Hold on David," I say before handing over Kane to Lydia and putting the phone on speaker so Kasen and I can both hear him.
"Okay David, it's Kasen and me. What's going on?"
"The judge has set our trial date. For next week....we have one week to prepare."