Chapter 8
Brenna filed in family court.
The decision cost her privacy immediately.
She requested an emergency order preventing Sybil from making any decisions involving Tobin’s residence, school, medical care, or access.
She also requested that the court recognize the independent paternity process and preserve all documents connected to the disputed test.
Gavin supported the filing.
Then Brenna made the part he had not expected clear.
He would move out temporarily.
His face fell.
“Brenna.”
“No.”
“I’m cooperating.”
“You are now.”
He looked at her.
She continued.
“You knew for three weeks. You let your mother pack our son’s room. You let her introduce another child into his life as your son without telling me.”
“I know.”
“I need space where every conversation isn’t about whether I can trust the next sentence.”
Gavin nodded slowly.
It hurt him.
Good.
Not because Brenna wanted revenge.
Because consequences were supposed to hurt enough to mean something.
He rented an apartment ten minutes away.
Tobin remained with Brenna in the estate temporarily while the household was reorganized.
Sybil lost access entirely.
The Ashford family hated the court filing.
Several senior relatives accused Brenna of putting private family business into public systems.
Her response was simple.
“My child’s bedroom is not family business.”
One capo reminded her that outside scrutiny could attract attention to other Ashford matters.
Brenna looked at him.
“Then keep those matters away from my son.”
The family meeting ended quickly after that.
The court issued temporary restrictions.
No Sybil contact with Tobin.
No movement of his possessions.
No discussion of Owen with Tobin except through his parents and therapist.
No informal Ashford intervention.
The judge also ordered that neither Brenna nor Gavin use family influence to pressure Marissa.
Brenna agreed immediately.
That afternoon, the independent laboratory called Rachel.
The results were complete.
Rachel did not give them over the phone.
She asked Brenna and Gavin to come to her office the next morning.
Brenna hung up.
Gavin looked at her.
“Do you think he’s mine?”
Brenna answered honestly.
May you like
“I don’t know.”
For the first time in weeks, neither of them pretended certainty existed where it didn’t.
