Chapter 5 - The Legal Storm
Within an hour, I was moved to the hospital’s exclusive, private penthouse suite. It felt more like a five-star hotel than a medical wing, complete with a private chef, a nursery for Sophia, and 24-hour private security outside the door.
My father sat in an armchair beside my bed, holding a cup of tea. We had a lot of catching up to do.
"I was so angry when you left, Vivienne," Arthur admitted softly. "When you said you wanted to live a normal life without my money or my influence. I thought you were throwing your life away."
"I was naive, Dad," I sighed. "I wanted to believe that the world was simple. I met Dominic at a library, and he seemed so sweet, so down-to-earth. I didn't realize his family's business was failing and that he was actively searching for someone he thought he could easily manipulate and control."
"They thought you had no one," Arthur said, his voice hardening. "They targeted you because they believed you were isolated. But a Sterling is never truly alone."
Sarah Jenkins entered the room, carrying a fresh stack of legal documents.
"The battle has officially begun," Sarah announced. "We have filed for an expedited divorce on the grounds of fraud, domestic abuse, and extreme duplicity. We have also filed a temporary restraining order against Dominic, Eleanor, and Chloe."
"And the baby?" I asked anxiously.
"Sophia's birth certificate has been registered," Sarah smiled warmly. "Mother: Vivienne Sterling. Father: Blank. We are challenging his parental rights immediately based on the forged surrogacy document. No judge in this country will grant custody to a man facing felony forgery and attempted kidnapping charges."
"What about Vance Enterprises?" Arthur asked.
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Sarah chuckled. "They are panicking. The stock is down 40% in after-hours trading because rumors of the Sterling acquisition of their debt have leaked. Dominic and Eleanor are currently holed up in their mansion, refusing to answer calls from their own board of directors."
"Good," Arthur said. "Squeeze them. Squeeze them until they have nothing left."
