He Left Our Daughter To Drown But I Saved The Footage Chapter 32
The color drained from Evan’s face.
His lawyer tried to steer the conversation back to the present.
“People can change.”
“Of course,” my lawyer agreed, looking directly at him. “But a certificate only proves he attended a class. It does not prove his child is no longer afraid of him.”
The judge was silent for a moment, then turned her attention to Evan.
“Why have you been seen outside the child’s studio and soccer field?”
“I didn’t approach her.”
“She has made it clear she does not wish to see you.”
“I’m her father. I just wanted to see if she was okay.”
“And posting a photo of the studio online—was that also just to see if she was okay?”
Evan’s throat worked, but no sound came out.
“I was desperate,” he finally croaked.
His desperation. Again.
From start to finish, the only needs he ever saw were his own.
The judge turned to the final page of her notes and issued the ruling.
The petition to restore supervised visitation was denied.
Unless and until Maisie herself requested contact, and her psychologist confirmed that such contact would be beneficial, Evan was prohibited from appearing near her studio, school, residence, or soccer field. He was also barred from publicly sharing any information that could identify the child’s location.
Once a year, he could submit one letter through his lawyer.
Maisie was under no obligation to read it or respond.
When the gavel fell, Evan squeezed his eyes shut.
Outside the courtroom, he caught up to me in the hallway.
“Claire.”
I stopped but didn’t move closer.
“You made her hate me.”
I looked at him, my voice flat.
“A seven-year-old can tell time.”
“She waited for you for three hours.”
A muscle twitched in his jaw.
“If it weren’t for Brooke, I never would have done any of this.”
“Brooke didn’t drive away in our family’s only car.”
“And she didn’t turn off your phone for you.”
My voice was even, devoid of heat.
“She just gave you a choice. And you kept choosing her.”
Evan stood frozen in the middle of the hall, his shoulders slumping in defeat.
I turned and walked toward the elevators.
This time, he didn’t follow.