Arlene's POV
"No," I tell her firmly. "They're mine."
Mrs. Lorenzo places a crisp white file on my desk with deliberate precision. "This can go one of two ways, sweetheart. You can work with me. I won't be as harsh as Warner would be. I've raised six children, and he's my eldest. We can establish a system that allows us access to my grandchildren, and we move forward peacefully." She pauses, her dark eyes never leaving mine. "Or I will remove them from your custody, and trust me when I say I excel at my profession. I've been safeguarding children since I was twenty-seven."
Her voice carries the weight of absolute certainty. "I don't want to pursue that route, Arlene. Not against you, and certainly not against them. But if they carry my son's blood, you're going to require our support. You may be wealthy and influential, but you're still new to this world. Everything you've built can vanish overnight, leaving you with nothing but us."
