Chapter 160
Stella gazed at him, her eyes steady. “If I could afford to support him, would you give him to me?”
Haynes shook his head sharply. “Not a chance.”
Stella met his gaze, her voice calm but firm. “What if I insist on having him?”
Haynes’s response was cold and unyielding. “Stella, you don’t stand a chance against me.”
“Yeah,” Stella replied with a hint of sarcasm, “Even if it went to court, I’m just a stay-at-home mom with no real income. There’s no way a judge would grant me custody.”
She held his gaze, her voice trembling with suppressed anger. “I gave up everything—my career, my independence to raise our child. And now the court says that makes me less of a parent? Because I chose diapers over deadlines? Because I don’t have a paycheck to prove my worth?” Her breath hitched. “Tell me, Haynes… do you even believe this child is still mine too?”
If she had any standing or connections, perhaps she’d have a chance at custody of Keen. But she was alone, without any support, and Deanna had never liked her.
After the divorce, Keen might as well have been a stranger to her. The boy who once clung to her skirts now kept his distance, avoiding her eyes whenever they met. Some days she wondered if he’d grown ashamed to call her “Mom” at all.
Of course, Stella wasn’t truly aiming to fight for Keen’s custody. She knew it was a losing battle. From the moment she decided to leave, she’d been ready to walk away with nothing.
The divorce papers she’d drafted were simple, allowing her to leave without a claim. If Haynes had just signed them, it would have been the end of it.
But he hadn’t, and Rachel had flaunted herself before her repeatedly. Even the most patient person would have their limits, and they were pushing hers. If they were going to be heartless, she wouldn’t hold back either.
Haynes was momentarily silent. Facing Stella’s relentless determination, a sense of unease stirred within him. It felt as if something was slipping beyond his control.
He spoke with a detached calm, “What if I refuse to divorce?”
Stella’s expression didn’t waver. “It’s better for both of us to part amicably, for Keen’s sake. I don’t want this to turn ugly. Haynes, you wouldn’t want the public to watch us tear each other apart, would you?”
Haynes knew that with Neville supporting her, she had the power to cause a
scene.
A scandal of this magnitude would send the company’s stock plummeting. Worse yet, the fallout could devastate Keen’s already fragile upbringing.
Haynes’ eyes were dark, unreadable. “Stella, have you considered what might happen if you anger me?”
“Nothing you can do matters,” Stella replied fearlessly. “I’m willing to walk away from my child. What else could you threaten me with?”
Haynes abruptly mentioned, “Antoney Watson and Abby Murphy, they’re your friends, right?”
Stella smiled faintly, retorting, “Antoney and Abby are strong, healthy adults. They can handle a bit of trouble. But Ms. Pearce… well, she’s got about five months left, doesn’t she?”
Stella seemed to remember something. “Oh yes, I recall Ms. Pearce’s last wish was to host a music event. I wonder if she’ll manage to pull it off.”
Haynes couldn’t miss the underlying threat in Stella’s words.
His eyes turned icy, “Stella, if you dare do anything to Rachel, I won’t let you get away with it.”
Stella glanced at the divorce papers. “Sign them, and you won’t have to worry about any of that.”