Chapter 6 - PAMELA MOVED INTO THE HOUSE BUT NOT FOR ROMAN
The family court process began quietly.
Roman used no political pressure.
Pamela made that a condition.
“Not one judge.”
“I know.”
“No calls.”
“I know.”
“No favors.”
“I said I know.”
“Your face says otherwise.”
“My face is neutral.”
“It looks criminal.”
Donovan coughed to hide laughter.
Roman glared.
Temporary arrangement:
Pamela’s maternal rights immediately recognized pending final orders.
Roman retained temporary guardianship because he had been the children’s sole parent for more than a year.
Pamela received unrestricted parenting time.
That sounded absurd when she was already at the estate daily.
Then Mia became sick.
Fever.
Nothing serious.
Pamela stayed overnight.
Then another.
Then three nights.
Finally Roman said:
“Move in.”
Pamela stared.
“No.”
“For the children.”
“Still no.”
He looked confused.
“You're here every day.”
“Yes.”
“You sleep in the guest room four nights a week.”
“Yes.”
“So?”
“So I’m not becoming dependent on you because our children were stolen.”
Our.
Neither noticed the word at first.
Then both did.
Roman’s expression changed.
Pamela continued quickly:
“I’ll rent nearby.”
Roman almost objected.
Stopped.
“Fine.”
“Are you capable of saying fine without sounding offended?”
“No.”
She smiled.
Two weeks later, Pamela moved into a modest two-bedroom apartment ten minutes from the estate.
Roman hated the building.
Too few cameras.
He offered security.
Pamela accepted one exterior system and refused guards.
Compromise.
She quit Bella Rosa.
Paul fired her first when she missed shifts.
Then Roman bought the restaurant.
Pamela found out.
She stormed into his office.
“You bought Bella Rosa?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Paul annoyed me.”
“You bought an entire restaurant because my manager was rude?”
“It was undervalued.”
“Roman.”
He looked almost embarrassed.
“I may have also disliked him.”
“What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
“Roman.”
“I replaced management.”
Pamela closed her eyes.
“Did you fire Paul?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Roman blinked.
She pointed.
“But stop solving every emotion with acquisitions.”
He almost smiled.
“Noted.”
Pamela began therapy.
Grief did not evaporate because the children lived.
In some ways it became more complicated.
Fourteen lost months.
First smiles she missed.
First teeth.
The night Eli stopped breathing briefly from reflux and Roman rushed him to the hospital.
The first time Theo rolled.
Mia’s first laugh.
Roman had memories Pamela should have had.
At first, she resented him.
Then felt guilty for resentment.
Therapy gave her permission for both.
Roman attended parent sessions too.
He hated therapy.
Naturally.
One session asked him:
“What are you afraid of?”
“Nothing.”
Pamela laughed aloud.
The therapist waited.
Roman eventually said:
“That she’ll take them.”
Pamela stopped smiling.
There it was.
The thing he had never admitted.
Roman looked at her.
“I know you have the right.”
“Roman—”
“I wake up sometimes and think the nursery will be empty.”
Pamela understood that fear too well.
She reached for his hand.
“I’m not disappearing.”
“You cannot promise forever.”
“No.”
She squeezed his fingers.
“But I can promise we make decisions based on the children, not revenge.”
Roman nodded.
That became enough.
For now.
Meanwhile, Julian’s case expanded.
Then Donovan found something unexpected.
A transfer.
From Julian to Paul Granger.
Bella Rosa’s manager.
Pamela stared.
“Paul?”
Payment date:
Six months earlier.
Another two months ago.
Why would Julian pay Pamela’s manager?
Roman’s face hardened.
“Because somebody knew where you were.”
Pamela went cold.
Julian had not lost track of her after the hospital.
He had been watching.
May you like
Which meant Pamela’s job at Bella Rosa might never have been an accident.
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