"Mila," the judge continued gently, "would you like to live with Mr. and Mrs. Kane, your biological parents… or would you like to continue living with the Blackwoods, who raised you until now?"
The question seemed to hang in the air like it would never end.
For a long moment, Mila said nothing.
Her lower lip trembled as she looked toward Lucas. His expression broke into anguish — his eyes full of love and pain all at once. Victoria and Charles leaned forward slightly, as if trying to reach her with their hearts.
Mila's eyes filled with tears. She blinked rapidly and pressed her bear closer to her chest. For a second, the courtroom blurred before her eyes.
In her mind, she saw Elena — the gentle face that always smiled at her, the warmth she missed every day.
That memory settled deep inside her heart.
She closed her eyes for a moment, whispered something under her breath that no one heard, and then looked up at the judge. Her voice was small but clear.
