TaekWoon and I headed into the municipal building for the final day of deliberations about our case. Song led the way into the family law corridor and we passed several paparazzi on our way inside. This time I was prepared with sunglasses to prevent the flashes from blinding me and my husband held my hand in his, his tension evident in the tightness of his hold.

My own pulse was racing at the thought of the coming proceedings and all the potential outcomes. I knew logically that there was very little chance we could lose this case, but logic didn't seem to apply here somehow. My heart was anxious and no amount of reason would fix it.

Kang and her lawyer were here first this time as we reached the judge's quarters and the spoke in whispers as we walked up to sit down further along the hallway.

We didn't make eye contact as we took our own seats and soon our advisor had gone further away to prepare for court. Song's attitude was stern and I saw him going over his notes for his final appeal to the judge. I pulled him aside, wanting to give him some last-minute instructions.

"Song-ssi, I'd like it if you didn't say anything more about Kang's past choices in your appeal. All of this is hard enough without pushing it into her face constantly about what she did." The man looked up from his notes, shock showing plainly on his face.

"Imani-ssi, you and your husband hired me to help you win this custody battle. Why won't let me do everything I can to make that a reality?" His voice was full of incredulity and he spoke reason but I honestly didn't want to win this way.

"Mistakes were made and this is her way of correcting them. Whether they were good choices or not, without her I wouldn't have JaeHyun at all. I won't keep disrespecting her; at the time she was only a child herself. I know this may be hindering you, but I have faith that you can pull it off."

I patted his back just once and made my way back to TaekWoon who sat by himself, looking towards the judge's office doors. He smiled as I approached him and I leaned against his shoulder as I sat down, giving him one of mine in return. No matter what we would get through this day together and that thought itself was enough to comfort me.

"Are you ready?" he asked me as a secretary opened the doors to the judges' chambers.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I replied with a nod of my head and took the final steps into the room.

The lawyers on both sides gave impassioned speeches about proper conduct in adoption situations and how full custody had already been awarded to us by Song, and on Kang's side, how much she had tried to change to finally do right by her son and get him out of the system. The defense of her actions was similar to before but then so was ours; really what could be said beyond the fact that we had gone through the adoption process and had already been approved to be parents? But still Song managed to keep it fresh, bringing up his own past cases in his justifications of why the adoption ruling shouldn't be overturned.

The judge didn't keep his peace for long and his deliberation lasted less than ten minutes. He shared his findings with the clerk who sat in the room recording all that was taking place and after she had taken adequate note, he compiled his documents and made to speak.

"Wait your honor. Before you give the final verdict I just have something to say," A small voice spoke out, shaking only slightly. Surprise flowed through me when I realized it had been Jae's mother.

Kang's eyes met mine for the briefest instant and then she was back looking at the judge, her attention not even on her lawyer who was currently holding her wrist, whispering urgently as she asked what she was doing.

"Your honor, I requested this lawsuit because I wanted my son back. Everything that I have done up to this point has been done for him but I have been selfish and I've put my wants above his needs. In an effort to discredit the Jungs, I paid for Im to come to their home and try to gain false testimony from JaeHyun. This was unjust of me and after we finish here, I'll be turning myself in to the police."

Kang's statement was met with silence from all of us, her words spoken with such determination and finality that no one knew quite what to say. Kang's advisor was the first to break the ice, and she began muttering furiously to Kang, her face showing her irritation clearly. While Kang was berated, her face remained passive and calm, showing not the slightest hint of emotion. The judge looked shocked as well but he didn't let this revelation ruffle his feathers too much and this time he got around to his verdict.

"In light of this recent addition to the case, I can't in good conscious allow the once a month unsupervised visitation that I was planning on awarding the plaintiff. Instead I am revoking that and mandating that continued full custody will be with the Jungs. There will be no court appointed visitation required and Kang-ssi I expect you to follow through with the statement you just said. I will have a guard escort you to the lower level and have you meet with our police here. It's very lucky you have your counsel already here with you today. Court is adjourned."

The sound of his gavel hitting the table echoed in the room and I released the breath I had seemed to be holding for months. I hadn't quite prepared for the feeling of elation I felt at the thought that all of this was finally over. I looked at TaekWoon and he hugged me to him, his grip crushing but I couldn't feel much of anything past my happy tears. Jae was still ours.

Our celebration was short-lived as the sounds of deep sobbing could be heard just outside the doors. Fuming, Kang's lawyer showed the younger woman no mercy, citing her as the reason for her first lost case. The young woman seemed out of it though, her eyes a million miles away as she cried out and began to take off down the hall.

"Kang-ssi, wait!" I yelled and left the warm embrace of my husband to chase after her. I ran up to the smaller woman and grabbed her arm to stop her retreat. I took in her despair and it felt like my own heart would break as her large eyes filled with tears over and over again, her sobs only muted by the biting of her lip.

"You didn't have to tell the judge what you did with bribing Im. Who knows what the judgement would've been if you hadn't." I made it a statement but she knew I was questioning her and she didn't delay with her response.

"It would've been the same Jung-ssi. I heard what you said to your lawyer about me but as he pointed out, I was an unfit mother from the start. My actions were wrong and hiring Im to do what he did just proved that I'm still not ready to take full responsibility for JaeHyun. I hurt my baby again..."

Her words choked off abruptly and her hand clapped over her mouth, stifling the sound as she hunched over, her body almost collapsing under the weight of her guilt. But I couldn't stand to just watch anymore.

I took the young girl into my arms and held her tight as she cried on me, her pain so visceral and intense that it beat at me. Had my own biological parents ever felt such loss for me? I don't know how long we stood there, both of us mothers to the same son, both of us terrified of losing him. But my struggle was over; hers had never ended.

"SooRi-ssi," I began softly, my hands lightly patting her back, "on the weekends Jae likes to go to the park near our house. When things die down in a few months and Jae's had time to get used to the idea, why don't you meet us there?"

Kang's head rose slowly, her hair covering half of her red face, the hope in her eyes heartbreaking.

"Why would you do that for me?" She croaked in a harsh whisper, her tone one of disbelief. "After I tried to take him from you... how could you?"

"I always wanted JaeHyun to know where he came from, to embrace all of who he was. That's the reason I chose to stay in Korea. But you're also a part of who he is, and I don't want to keep that piece away from him. I will always put what Jae needs ahead of my own feelings, and despite what's happened, he'll need you one day." She stared at me for a long time, her eyes searching my for some untruth. But I had meant every word I'd said.

"Thank you," she said finally, her words clearer now. I could almost feel it, that same resolve that I always used to feel before an adoption meeting. That same look of fierce determination to do and be better lit her eyes, made her stand up straighter.

She moved away from me and I let her go. Further down the hall, I watched as Kang was led away by a guard, her lawyer still sour-faced over the loss but following her to the lower level. I didn't know what the punishments were for bribery but I doubted she'd be able to get away scot-free. But her resolve could be felt even from here and this was a part of her that I could understand and respect; in her own way I knew she would be able to finally embrace the biggest tragedy of her life and move forward. And as for Jae...he would grow up understanding the depth of both of his mothers' love.

A/N: Emotional right? I know it's not quite an ending, so look forward to an epilogue... or maybe an extra fluff chapter squeezed in somewhere who knows lol since I never do. I'm so glad you guys were enjoying, please remember to check out my other stories! Much love,