Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
“Answer with a yes or no, Mr. Valdez,” Judge Dalton said.
I sighed. “Yes, I am aware.”
“Do you believe blood relation is important in determining the best interests of the child as well?”
“Blood is not everything. Love, care, and being there every step of the way is what matters most in my opinion.”
“But how could the biological father have been able to love and care for Aleesa if he wasn’t aware of her birth?”
“He was not made aware because my wife clearly did not want him to be the one taking care of Aleesa.” This time, I glared at Rafael, who wore a smug smile and had his arms folded.
“Unfortunately, your wife is not here with us to attest to that,” the lawyer said. I clenched a fist in my lap. “The biological father never had the chance to be involved with Aleesa. Does he not deserve a chance?”
“Not in my opinion. She is perfectly fine where she is.”
“And that, too, is your opinion, Mr. Valdez. Would you say Aleesa is safe in your home?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure? Because according to Mr. Acosta, he was tackled by you and shoved by your sister. That sounds quite violent.”
“Objection, your honor,” Christine called. “Firstly, there is no proof of this happening. Secondly, Mr. Acosta came onto Javier’s personal property to inform him that he was filing for custody of his daughter—a little girl he has been attached to for four consecutive years. I have no doubt he was intentionally provoking Mr. Valdez, his family, and threatening their safety.”
“Sustained. Rephrase the question or don’t ask it, Mr. Cameron,” said Judge Dalton.
“Very well.” Cameron smirked. “Is it possible, Mr. Valdez, that the reason you do not want to share custody of Aleesa is because of your dislike for Mr. Acosta?”
“No. I do not want to share custody of my daughter with him because I do not trust him.”
“Why not? What has Mr. Acosta done, outside of his affair with your wife, that makes you believe he cannot be trusted?”
I hesitated with my response, shifting my gaze to Christine, who simply shook her head and mouthed the word breathe, and then to my mother and sister, who sat side by side with worried eyes.
“To me, it shows that he makes poor decisions. He chose to sleep with a married woman and got her pregnant. A man like that does not deserve to raise a daughter.”
“That was over four years ago. Are you saying Mr. Acosta is not capable of learning from his mistakes?”
“No. But my wife made her choice. She wanted me at the hospital during Aleesa’s birth. She wanted me to sign the birth certificate as Aleesa’s father. She clearly thought the same thing about Rafael’s character if she did not feel the urge to at least alert him that he could be the father.”
“Or perhaps your wife felt ashamed, Mr. Valdez. Did you think about that?”
“Objection, your honor. We are not here to discuss Mr. Valdez’s deceased wife or her affairs. We are here to seek the best solution for Aleesa.”
“Sustained. Remove the last question from the records,” Judge Dalton commanded. “Mr. Cameron, I expect you to conduct yourself professionally. There will be no further questions about the mother of the child.”
“Of course, your honor. No further questions.”
“Mr. Valdez, if the court were to grant the biological father visitation or partial custody, how would you handle that?” Judge Dalton asked me as Cameron walked away.
“If you want me to be honest, I would not like it, Your Honor. I believe that keeping her in my care is what is best for her. I do not care if she grows up and learns the truth about who her biological father really is. If she decides that she would like to get to know Rafael, that will be her choice, and I will not stop her. But right now, I do not think it is fair to throw that wrench in her life.” I noticed my eyes had drifted as I provided the explanation. I looked at the judge again, raised my chin, and said, “If it comes down to it, though, I will do what the court decides is best for my child.”
Judge Dalton nodded sympathetically as she regarded me.
“Thank you for your honesty, Mr. Valdez. You may now leave the stand. We will take a fifteen-minute recess, then proceed with Mr. Acosta on the stand.”
I walked up to the desk, where Christine was collecting papers in her folder. “Great job, Javier. You spoke calmly and kept your answers simple. Judge Dalton will take your behavior into consideration, considering how sensitive this situation is for you.”
“I hope so. I just feel like I did not say enough.”
“You said more than enough. Trust me.”
I slid my gaze to Rafael and his lawyer as they left their desk and sauntered toward the double doors.