Looking at my son, I realized that if I continued doing that, I would fail him the same way others had failed me.
So I stopped.
I gave the police every detail I remembered. I allowed the hospital to release my medical records. Jessica provided documentation from the donation page, and the café owner handed over the surveillance footage. Ryan helped me find a lawyer to handle both the criminal case and a protective order.
My mother called twice from jail before I blocked her number. In her voicemail she didn’t ask about Liam or my recovery. She only demanded that I “fix this” and claimed the money had turned me against my own family.
The court process wasn’t easy, but the facts were clear. Witnesses testified. Video recordings were shown. Photos of my injuries were presented.
The prosecutor made it simple: a pregnant woman had been attacked at her own baby shower over money meant for medical care.
Eventually my mother accepted a plea deal rather than face trial for more serious charges.
Some relatives stopped speaking to me after that.
I let them.