The antiseptic smell of the pediatric ward hung in the air, even though the worst of the crisis had passed. Sophie lay tucked against the pillows of her hospital bed, her tiny fists balled protectively around her stuffed bunny.
The monitors quietly beeped, steady now, no longer screaming warnings that had nearly ripped Cole's heart from his chest.
Cole hadn't slept much. He was in the reclining chair next to Sophie's bed, elbows on knees, head in hands. The exhaustion in his eyes was more than physical. It was the weight of love, of concern, of trying to keep too many plates spinning in the air while the universe was doing its level best to drop them all to the floor.
Alice sat on the other side of Sophie's bed, brushing the girl's hair in soft strokes. The touch of Cole's lips on hers the previous night still flashed through her mind, unbidden and unwelcome, or maybe far too welcome.
She told herself it was a weakness, of fear and relief mixing.
But in her heart, she knew it wasn't. It was real. It was them.
And yet, as she looked at Sophie's peaceful face, she could not ignore the glint of recognition that had shone in the child's eyes before they had closed again. Sophie had looked. She knew.
And yet she had said nothing.
The silence was more than anything Alice could bear.
The door burst open, shattering the fragile peace of the room.
"Cole!"
Eliana's sharp, indignant voice sliced through the air. She strode in, her designer suit far too elegant for a hospital ward. Her heels rang on the tile, a reflection of her fury.
Cole rose at once. "Eliana, what are you doing here again?"
"Am I? You are questioning me?" She laughed coldly, her eyes scraping over Sophie before fixing on Alice.
Our daughter was in the hospital, and I had to hear it from one of your colleagues rather than you. Do you have any idea how humiliating it is to walk in here and find…"
Her gaze pinged back and forth between Cole and Alice. "Her."
Alice rose slowly to her feet, her heart racing, but before she could speak, Cole's voice was low and threatening.
"Keep your voice down. Sophie's asleep.".
Eliana's lip twisted. "Resting? She was in respiratory distress! And you didn't find it important to call her mother?"
Alice's throat was parched. The blame wasn't on her, yet she felt its effect.
She was Sophie's "stand-in," and being there under Eliana's censure made her feel small, disposable, and very aware that she wasn't family.
Cole's face tightened. "You gave up the right to call yourself that when you walked out."
The ward was silent for a moment, holding its breath. Sophie stirred in her sleep, tossing against her pillows, but didn't wake up.
Eliana's chin went up. "We'll see about that."
Cole's eyes narrowed. "What's that meant to imply?" "Oh! The threats of custody?" "I got your letter of summons. So, save the threats."
Well, I stopped in to see my daughter" Eliana retorted coldly. "You clearly have no idea what's best for Sophie if you're permitting her to play house with this woman." She sent Alice a look that felt like a cut from glass.
Alice's gut twisted, shame and hurt roiling until she could barely breathe.
Cole moved forward, his bulk towering over Eliana's aggressive posture. "You will not take Sophie from me. Not now, not ever.
Alana sneered. "Well, suit yourself. And while you're busy playing whatever it is you're doing here, I look forward to seeing you in court, Cole. Today."
"Excuse, me?"
"Oh! You forgot. Clearly, you did not read the letter properly with your hands so full." "You'd better get a move on then"
And with that, she turned on her heel and stalked out, her heels firing like gunshots in the hallway.
Alice fell into the chair, her legs shaking. "Cole… what just happened?"
He rubbed his hand through his hair, pacing back and forth. "She's bluffing. She's trying to do this to scare me. But, what if the court date is today"
Cole, in a rush, pulled out his phone and he saw he had several missed calls from his lawyer.
"Oh! No!"
"What?" Alice queried all concerned.
"My Lawyer has been trying to reach me"
He quickly placed a call to him. As it turns out, his lawyer was already in the courthouse waiting for him. He asked him to push back his appearance by an hour to enable him to sort out Sophie's discharge.
"Cole," Alice said softly, "The court will ask questions. About Sophie's home life. About… us."
His eyes flicked to her, sharp and searching. "Then we'll answer them."
Her throat tightened. "We kissed, Cole. Sophie saw. Eliana suspects. If this goes to court, they'll see me as nothing more than your… your rebound. A fake wife faking."
Cole stopped pacing and got down on his knees in front of her, his voice low but passionate. "You're not make-believe to me. You never have been." "You know what, just for this moment in history, can you pretend like you're my woman?" "You can end it when all of this is over if you don't still want to be with me"
She wanted to believe him. God, she wanted to. But doubt's pain poked her between the ribs, reminding her she wasn't Sophie's mom, and no kiss could rewrite the past.
"Fine, okay"
In the late morning, the doctors said Sophie was stable enough to go home. The room was thick with air while Cole signed paperwork,
Alice gathered Sophie's things, and Sophie herself clutched her bunny.
"I don't want to go yet," Sophie whispered. "I like it when you both are close." Her big brown eyes knowingly darted back and forth between Alice and Cole but she didn't say anything more.
Cole leaned and kissed her forehead. "You'll be coming home with us. That's what matters."
Us.
The word echoed in Alice's ears like a promise and a curse at the same time.
As they were walking out of the hospital, Alice was served a letter of summons by a court messenger.
Excellent! This was getting real" Alice told herself.
When she thought her life would be a lot easier, it got more complicated.
----
The courthouse steps were buzzing with activity when they arrived. Alice felt like she'd been tossed into a tempest she wasn't prepared for.
Reporters lingered, cameras clicking the moment they spotted Cole. Naturally, they would; the billionaire surgeon in the middle of a custody dispute was headline gold.
Cole shielded Sophie with his arm as they hastened in. Alice stayed near, her hand brushing against Sophie's shoulder for reassurance, although she herself was shaking.
Inside the courtroom, the air was colder. Eliana was already seated with her attorney, calm and groomed as if she had rehearsed this moment.
And to Alice's shock, on the other bench was a woman she'd never seen, regal, silver-haired, with eyes sharp enough to slice through steel. No introduction was needed.
Alice knew in a moment.
Cole's mother.
The tension in Cole's shoulders doubled the moment his eyes landed on her.
"What is she doing here?" he muttered under his breath.
Alice's brows furrowed. "That's your mother?"
"Yes," he snapped quietly, his jaw locking. "And no, we're not close. Stay out of it."
But the way his mother's gaze lingered on Sophie with a hint of tenderness beneath her stern exterior made Alice's heart twist. There were layers here, wounds buried deep.
And now, in the middle of a custody battle, they were all going to open up and bleed.
Sophie mentioned her grandma and rushed to her. Exchanged greetings and returned to where Alice and Cole were.
The hearing began, voices rising and clashing across the courtroom like swords.
Eliana played the role of the injured mother, pushed aside, replaced. Cole stood firm, his arguments sharp, fueled by love and desperation.
And yet Alice in the middle of it all felt every single pair of eyes on her. Judge, lawyers, even Cole's mother. Was she a sham? A stand-in? Or was she the only one truly standing in the gap for Sophie when it mattered?
The judge leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "Dr. Cole, Ms. Gibson, this case is far from simple. But the child's welfare is my priority. I'll be requiring testimony not only from both parents, but from Ms. Blake as well."
Alice's stomach dropped.
She wasn't just a bystander anymore.
She was in this fight, whether she believed she belonged or not.
And when she gazed at Cole who met her gaze with something wild, fierce, and unalterably true. Alice knew that this was only the beginning.