CHAPTER 3
Patricia refused to accept defeat,
and she hired a private investigator,
paying him a large sum of money.
She wanted to find dirt on Emily,
hoping to take Lily back,
and punish her former daughter in law.
The investigator was a quiet man,
taking photos from a dark car,
and watching the small apartment.
Emily did not notice him at first,
going about her daily routine,
and focusing on her daughter.
She went to the grocery store,
buying fresh fruits and bread,
and carrying the bags home.
The investigator took pictures,
noting her every single move,
but he found nothing strange.
Emily was just a normal mother,
living a very normal life,
and caring for her little girl.
Patricia grew impatient with the news,
demanding more aggressive tactics,
and raising her sharp voice.
She wanted proof of instability,
hoping Emily would collapse again,
but Emily was only getting stronger.
Daniel went to his supervised visits,
sitting in a sterile gray room,
and staring at his daughter.
Lily played with her blocks,
keeping her distance from him,
and answering his questions quietly.
The supervisor took careful notes,
recording Daniel's cold behavior,
and his lack of genuine affection.
Daniel tried to manipulate the talks,
whispering things about Emily,
but the supervisor stopped him.
He was warned to follow the rules,
or the visit would end early,
and Daniel clenched his jaw.
He hated being told what to do,
feeling humiliated by the process,
and he blamed Emily for it all.
Emily waited in the parking lot,
sitting inside her sister's car,
and reading a thick novel.
When the visit was finally over,
Lily ran out to the car quickly,
and buckled her seatbelt tight.
She did not look back at Daniel,
who stood by the glass door,
watching them drive away slowly.
Patricia met Daniel for dinner,
complaining about the unfair judge,
and planning their next move.
She said they needed a new lawyer,
someone who was ruthless and mean,
and Daniel simply nodded his head.
He drank his expensive wine,
feeling a dark shadow inside him,
and plotting his revenge in silence.
Meanwhile Emily cooked pasta,
boiling the water on the stove,
and listening to soft music.
Lily danced in the living room,
twirling around in her socks,
and laughing at a funny joke.
Natalie came over with dessert,
bringing a sweet chocolate cake,
and they ate it on the floor.
The investigator watched the window,
seeing the family laughing together,
and he felt a pang of guilt.
He reported back to Patricia,
saying there was no bad behavior,
and Patricia fired him on the spot.
She decided to take matters into her hands,
driving her car to the neighborhood,
and waiting in the dark shadows.
She wanted to confront Emily alone,
hoping to scare her into submission,
and force her to give up custody.
But Emily was no longer the weak woman,
who had fainted in the courtroom,
and she had a new fire inside her.
She locked her doors every night,
keeping her phone close by,
and she was ready for anything.
The night was calm and quiet,
but a storm was slowly brewing,
and Emily could feel it coming.
She checked on Lily one last time,
tucking the purple blanket tight,
and walked into her own bedroom.
She knew Daniel and Patricia would try again,
May you like
but she would never back down,
and she would fight for her peace.
