Every time I closed my eyes , I saw Liam's lips turning blue . I heard his little voice calling out for me , his breath fading fast like a flame caught in the wind . Even the steady beep of the hospital monitor couldn't convince me he was safe . He had finally dozed off , curled like a comma in the stark white bed , IV trailing from his arm , his fingers still holding onto mine like a lifeline . I stared at him for hours . Blaming myself . Hating Celine . Hating Zach for ruining our once perfect life . At 7:14 a.m. , I finally stood up to stretch , my back screaming from the unforgiving hospital chair . I took one last look at Liam , kissed his temple , and stepped out into the corridor to speak to the nurse about the latest lab reports . But I didn't get far when I noticed the box still sitting outside the reception desk . Celine's deadly cupcakes . With trembling hands , I took it and marched back to the room . Click . I took a photo of it . For my lawyer . For the police . For anyone who might dare ask if I was overreacting . And then I dialed Zach . He answered on the second ring . " This is attempted murder , " I hissed . " She left a note , Zach . With a threat . I'm done playing nice . " He groaned groggily on the other end . " I told her to stay away ." " Well , clearly your words don't work on her ," I spat . " You really think she'd go that far ? " I snapped a photo one more time and immediately sent it to Zach . No words . Just proof . " What the fuck , Celine , " he growled , heaving a deep sigh . " I'm filing for full custody , " I told him . " Today . And I want a protection order . I don't care what you say or do anymore - she is never coming near our son again ." My lawyer , Atty . Castañeda , was a soft - spoken but razor - sharp woman . She met me at the hospital by ten and already had the paperwork ready . Hospital staff gave us documentation of Liam's allergy response , and we requested surveillance footage from the lobby for the time the box was delivered . Everything had to be airtight . Celine was slipping up . Her smugness was making her sloppy , and I was going to use every piece of it to bury her . Still , something inside me twisted when I saw Liam curled up in that hospital bed . He didn't deserve any of this . The games . The lies . The manipulations . And yet , somehow , he was always the casualty in someone else's war . When he woke up that afternoon , he asked for apple juice and cartoons . It nearly broke me . " Mom ," he whispered as I wiped his lips . " Why does Aunt Celine hate you ? " I swallowed hard . " Because I took something she thought she could keep . " His brows furrowed . " Daddy ? " I nodded slowly . " Daddy . And maybe ... the life she always wanted but couldn't have . " He thought about that for a moment , then held my hand tighter . " You're better than her . She's weird . " I laughed through the lump in my throat . " She is weird . And cruel . But don't worry - I'm going to make sure she never touches your life again . " He didn't answer . He just curled beside me and said , " I wish it was just you , me , and Daddy . Like before ." The ache in my chest spread wide . I looked down at him - my reason for fighting , for standing up , for surviving . And I knew that no matter what it cost me . Liam was my heart outside my body .... And Celine was aiming straight for it . Chapter 19 : Rage Bait Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!