“Well, I'd rather go with my dad.”

That answer came as a surprise even to Judge Adams. So much so that she had to ask again for confirmation.

“Alice, when you say you want to go with your dad, do you mean Nick or Samuel?” she asked.

“Samuel, Samuel Baxter, my biological father. I want to go with him.”

Valeria and Nick looked at each other with incredulity, and Connor sighed with concern. The judge looked at them all and returned to the questioning.

“Alice, do you love your dad, Samuel, very