Chapter 2 - Custody

Agitated, she let her gaze wander to the Youth office employee and Monsieur Fabre, while she were still holding her toddler in the arms.

It had only taken a minute. A moment that would change everything.

But she was sure, even if the future seemed uncertain. She would not change her mind because it felt right.

That's why she would go that way. She wanted to see him smile, wanted him to be happy. Even if it meant abandoning yourself somewhere. She did not want to change her mind.

Her whole body trembled, and her stupid heart echoed in her as loud as a whole orchestra.

It stunned her, her own determination scared her. Lily was always the first one to run away from any kind of responsibility. But this time she could not run, she stopped. She was not sure why she was not running as far as she could.

But she wanted to stop for the first time. No, she even wanted to break new ground with him. She could not leave him alone.

Lily was so sure as never before.

Then she closed her eyes.

Felt the weight of the child in her arms.

She tried to suppress the tremor in her.

The fear and uncertainty.

She tried to bury everything in herself. Every single spark that smelled of desperation, she tried to choke it.

Before she opened her eyes again and stared at the people in the room.

"What ... what are the next steps?" She whispered in a shaky voice.

Monsieur Fabre, with a flowing hand movement, pushed the spectacle frame back up on his nose, before looking at the young girl with all the kindness he possessed.

He could still remember the day when the young Madame Elodie de Bourbon, against the will of her husband, insisted that the young Mademoiselle de Clermont should get custody of her son, if the unthinkable would eventually happen.

He smiled that wonderful smile that made his whole face wrinkle. Before he started talking.

"Mademoiselle de Clermont, from the legal point of view, Monsieur de Bourbon has cleared all obstacles for you. All you have to do is sign a few papers, and then you can call the young Master your son. "

Lily nodded briefly and struggled hard with her tears. A dull feeling had spread in her chest. A feeling that Elodie had foreseen it all somehow.

"Yes, that would be nice." She whispered sadly, before she stood up with the young Adrien in her arms.

"Shall we arrange the adoption?" The lawyer asked her. But Lily could not say a word, so she smiled hesitantly before following Monsieur Fabre.

It had taken several hours to get through the paperwork and everything that belonged to it.

Monsieur Fabre was now her lawyer and financial adviser.

Lily was now rich again. Elodie had taken care of that in her will.

And Adrien was her son. Quite officially.

But she was certain that the de Bourbon family, and of course her own family, would not remain silent as soon as they learned of the disaster.

It was a game about time that Elodie and Fabien played with the de Bourbon family. Their death would be kept secret for the next 24 hours.

They had given Lily just enough time to keep Adrien safe from his greedy relatives.