Chapter 6
The pain was sharp and sudden.
I grabbed my belly, my breath catching.
Uncle Robert saw my face.
"Tessa? What's wrong?"
"The baby," I gasped. "She's coming."
Chaos erupted.
People were shouting.
Someone called 911.
Uncle Robert gently guided me to a chair.
"Everything is going to be okay, Tessa. The ambulance is on its way."
The pain came again, stronger this time.
I breathed through it, just like the birthing classes had taught me.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
My daughter was coming three weeks early.
The stress.
The drama.
The confrontation.
It had all been too much.
But she was strong.
I knew she was.
The ambulance arrived quickly.
The paramedics checked me.
"You're in active labor," one of them said. "We need to get you to the hospital right now."
They loaded me into the ambulance.
Uncle Robert rode with me.
He held my hand through the contractions.
"You're doing great, Tessa. She's almost here."
As we rode to the hospital, my mind was racing.
So much had happened.
So much had changed.
And now my daughter was about to enter the world.
I hoped she would never have to go through what I'd been through.
I hoped she would grow up knowing she was loved.
Knowing she was safe.
Knowing she was strong.
We arrived at St. Jude's Medical Center.
The same hospital where Margot had pushed me.
But this time, everything was different.
The staff was kind.
Caring.
They rushed me to the labor and delivery room.
The doctors and nurses were amazing.
They took care of me.
They made sure I was comfortable.
They told me I was doing great.
Uncle Robert stayed by my side the whole time.
He held my hand.
He encouraged me.
He told me how proud he was of me.
The labor was long and hard.
Sixteen hours.
But I was strong.
I was determined.
And finally, at 3:17 in the morning, I heard it.
The most beautiful sound I'd ever heard.
My daughter's cry.
"She's here!" the doctor said. "It's a healthy baby girl!"
They placed her on my chest.
She was tiny.
Perfect.
Beautiful.
She had my eyes.
And Bennett's nose.
But she was mine.
All mine.
I held her, tears streaming down my face.
"Hello, my sweet girl," I whispered. "I'm your mommy. And I love you more than anything in the world."
Uncle Robert stood beside me, crying too.
"She's beautiful, Tessa. Just like her mother."
I named her Hope.
Hope Eleanor Halloway.
Because she represented everything I had now.
Hope for the future.
Hope for a better life.
Hope that things could always get better.
The next few days were a blur of happiness.
Nurses came in to check on us.
Doctors told us Hope was perfect.
Friends and family sent flowers and gifts.
The news of her birth spread quickly.
"Tessa Halloway welcomes baby girl after dramatic confrontation with husband's mistress"
The public sent messages of support.
Thousands of them.
Telling me I was brave.
Telling me I was strong.
Telling me Hope was lucky to have me as a mother.
It was overwhelming.
In the best way possible.
But there was one person who didn't send a message of support.
Bennett.
He was in prison, awaiting trial.
But he still had lawyers.
And they filed a motion immediately.
They wanted Bennett to have access to Hope.
They wanted paternity tests.
They wanted visitation rights.
They wanted custody.
My lawyers were furious.
"He has no right to see that baby," my lawyer said. "He's in prison for God's sake. He's a criminal. He's dangerous."
But the law was complicated.
Bennett was still the father.
And he still had rights.
The judge ordered a paternity test.
And he ordered that Bennett be allowed to see Hope.
In the prison.
Under supervision.
I was horrified.
"I don't want him anywhere near her," I told my lawyers. "He's dangerous. He's a criminal. He'll try to use her against me."
"I know, Tessa," my lawyer said gently. "But we have to follow the court's orders. For now. But we'll fight this. We'll make sure he never gets custody. And we'll limit his visitation as much as possible."
I held Hope close to my chest.
She was sleeping peacefully.
She had no idea what was happening.
No idea that her father was a monster.
No idea that he would try to use her to hurt me.
"I won't let him hurt you," I whispered to her. "Never. I'll protect you. Always."
A week later, I had to take Hope to the prison.
To meet her father.
Uncle Robert came with me.
My lawyers came with me.
Security was everywhere.
We were led into a small visiting room.
Bennett was brought in.
He was wearing an orange prison jumpsuit.
His hair was messy.
He looked tired.
Defeated.
But when he saw Hope, his face softened.
He sat down across from us.
He looked at me.
Then at Hope.
"She's beautiful," he said quietly.
I didn't say anything.
I just held Hope tighter.
"Can I... can I hold her?" he asked.
I hesitated.
The guard nodded.
It was allowed.
Reluctantly, I handed Hope to him.
He held her carefully.
Tears came to his eyes.
"Hi, baby," he whispered. "I'm your daddy."
Hope stirred.
She opened her eyes.
She looked at him.
And then she started crying.
Loudly.
Bennett tried to soothe her.
But she wouldn't stop.
She knew.
Somehow, she knew he wasn't safe.
I took her back immediately.
She quieted in my arms.
Bennett watched us, his face full of sadness.
"Tessa, I know I've made mistakes. Terrible mistakes. But I want to be a father to her. I want to be part of her life. I'll change. I'll do better. I promise."
I looked at him coldly.
"You had your chance, Bennett. You threw it away. You chose Margot. You chose money and power over your own family. And now you have to live with the consequences."
He stared at me.
The sadness in his eyes disappeared.
Replaced by cold anger.
"You think you've won, Tessa? You think you can keep my daughter from me? I'll fight you. I'll fight you for the rest of my life. I'll get out of prison someday. And when I do, I'll take her from you. You'll see."
I stood up.
"Goodbye, Bennett."
I walked out of the visiting room.
Uncle Robert and the lawyers followed.
Bennett's threats echoed in my head.
He wasn't going to give up.
He was going to keep fighting.
He was going to try to hurt me through Hope.
But I wasn't the same woman I'd been a few months earlier.
I was stronger now.
I was a mother.
And I would do anything to protect my daughter.
That night, I was back at the penthouse.
Hope was sleeping in her crib.
I was watching the news.
There was a story about Bennett's upcoming trial.
The reporter was talking about the evidence against him.
The embezzlement.
The money laundering.
The cartel connections.
And then the reporter said something that made me freeze.
"Sources tell us that Bennett Finch's defense team is planning to argue that Mr. Finch was not the mastermind behind the criminal operation. They claim he was manipulated by others. And they plan to introduce new evidence that will change everything the public thinks they know about this case."
I stared at the TV.
What new evidence?
What were they planning?
My phone rang.
It was my lead lawyer.
Her voice was urgent.
"Tessa, you need to sit down. We just got the defense's witness list. And there's a name on it that's going to shock you."
"Who?" I asked, my heart racing.
"Your mother, Tessa. Bennett is calling your mother as a witness."
I froze.
My mother?
What did she have to do with any of this?
May you like
And then the lawyer said something that made my blood run cold.
"They're claiming your mother helped arrange the marriage. That she knew Bennett's plans. And that she was paid to make sure you married him."
