With papers fumbling, attorneys whispering, and tension pulsing through the air like electricity, the courtroom was a theater of silent mayhem.
Michael was a picture of restraint as he sat rigidly in the plaintiff's chair. However, the storm beneath was revealed by his clenched fists on the table. Henry nodded steadily beside him, reassuring him with a whisper that only Michael could hear.
Lorna, across the room, averted her eyes from Michael's. The courtroom wasn't cold, but her fingers were. Beside her, Lucas sat rigid and stony, his jaw clenched. That morning, he had hardly spoken to her.
The court was called to order by the clerk.
So it started.
Michael's lawyer was brutal.
He dialed medical professionals. therapists. educators. All of them attested to the fact that Jason Madden was a gifted and sensitive youngster, and that Lucas Madden, the father named on his birth certificate, had always been there. However, no one was able to dispute the DNA results that were now in evidence.
The judge took a close look at the envelope.
Officially, it was. Jason's biological father was Michael Hudson.
The room echoed with whispers.
Michael sat motionless, but his eyes wavered with pain, relief, and validation. Although it was a minor triumph, he had been waiting for it for years.
Then the more difficult part arrived.
It was Lorna who stood up.
Despite being a formality, the oath felt like a mark on her spirit.
At first, Michael avoided looking at her. However, his eyes locked with hers as the questions started.
The lawyer asked, "Mrs. Madden, when did you first think Jason might not be Lucas's son?"
Lorna took a swallow. "I discovered that I was pregnant shortly after Micheal left for Europe.Lucas and I got married a few months after that"
"Have you ever tried to get in touch with Mr. Hudson?"
Her voice broke. "No."
"Why?"
She paused. "Because I felt afraid." I reasoned that perhaps he had moved on. In addition, I didn't want to reopen historical wounds.
Michael winced.
"Is your marriage to Mr. Madden stable, in your opinion?"
Although Lucas shifted uneasily, Lorna responded, "It's had its challenges."
The attorney made a vulture-like circle. "Therefore, you knowingly permitted another man to raise your son, lied about his paternity, and denied Mr. Hudson the knowledge that he had a child, as you have admitted. all the while continuing to be in a potentially unstable marriage."
Lorna's breathing became labored. "This is not how I intended it to go."
However, the harm was already done.
Then Michael's turn came.
He was at ease. Composed. Sadly truthful.
His voice was steady as he said, "I missed five years of his life." "Not because I made the decision. Because I was not told the truth. I'm not just here to fight for custody anymore. I'm here because I think my son deserves to be raised by someone who won't lie to keep themselves comfortable and to know who he truly is."
His words were more painful to Lorna than any charge.
since they weren't said maliciously. They came from the heart.
"If the court gives him full custody… what will you do?" Lucas asked her that evening while they were alone in their house.
Lorna remained silent.
In her heart, she wasn't sure who she was fighting for anymore,Jason?
Or the future she had never dared to dream of.