“But you weren’t wrong. I chose you because I wanted someone who would be able to manipulate and outsmart Michael and that’s what you’re doing.” Hannah takes in a deep breath, before expelling it, the tension leaving her with it. “He would rather eat his own hand than forfeit seven and a half million dollars and be in charge of taking care of her full time.”

Caroline waits a few seconds to see if that’s it, before nodding slowly. “He won’t get Abbie,” she promises again, her voice low and intense. “If he even moved to go to court, I have more tricks up my sleeve. But he won’t.” She’s so sure of it, that Abbie’s custody never felt like a gamble to her. She says as much.

Hannah tilts her head up, eyes searching Caroline’s. “What about the alimony and child support? I don’t want to be dependent on Michael’s money at all; it’s always been his main source of threatening me. Even when it came to helping pay for my mom’s chemo – it was whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, with a smile or…” She trails off, her jaw setting as the memories clearly replay through her mind.

She struggles to bite back the swears that want to escape her, as she can just picture Michael’s face and – ugh. He deserves to pay, and if the only way to ensure he does is with his actual money, then it just feels only fair.

“Okay. Well. I can drop that, too, if you want. But it really is only right!” The words burst from her, surprising them both, because she really intended to hold them back.

“I’m not saying you can’t or don’t give Abbie whatever she needs, because I know you do. But you’re working so hard to provide for both of you and you shouldn’t have to, when Michael is sitting on six figures a year. That’s – that’s ridiculous. Abbie should get everything she needs with some extras on top without you having to work double shifts for it.” She bites the inside of her cheek. “The alimony… well, you deserve to be able to have everything you need with some extras on top of it, too.”

Her voice softens and it’s out of her control. Because Hannah is staring at her with that look again, the one that’s full of affection, and she’s so relieved to have it back.

The thing that she doesn’t say, is that she wants to protect Hannah. That she knows she doesn’t have to because Hannah can protect herself. But she wants to be able to ensure that she can move on from her terrible marriage from Michael with total freedom, without having to take on the world with any fear about how she’s going to provide for herself or her daughter.