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What followed was suffocating. They tried to manipulate Maya with promises and whispered doubts, suggesting I was too old to manage finances. Late at night, their pressure made me question myself. Then, while cleaning the attic, I moved an old trunk from Thomas’s childhood and discovered a brittle courthouse postcard taped inside. It was a final notice from Seattle Family Court, dated thirteen years earlier, stating that permanent custody of Maya had been granted to me and that Thomas and his wife’s parental rights were terminated after repeated failure to appear.
The truth hit hard. They hadn’t just abandoned Maya emotionally—they had legally erased themselves to avoid responsibility. Court records confirmed it. Their sudden return wasn’t about love; it was fear. The house transfer was part of a legal trust that protected Maya and exposed their years of neglect and unpaid obligations. Their attempt to reclaim control had triggered a full legal review.
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