CHAPTER 151

THE CUSTODY HEARING

The family court building was cold and gray. The hallway smelled of stale coffee and stress.

Aria sat on a hardwood bench outside **Courtroom 3B**, her hands tightly folded in her lap.

Her fingers kept trembling.

Adrian wasn't here today. Lucian had made sure of that. Maya was watching over him at home, where he was safe.

This morning Adrian had looked at her with his big brown eyes and asked, "Mom, why do you look sad?"

Aria had forced a smile.

"I'm just tired,