Chapter 4 - The Petition Against Her
Naomi called the police.
Elena called again and again, but Sergio’s phone went directly to voicemail. Martin refused to answer. Celeste sent one message.
Sergio is fine. Stop creating emergencies.
Police visited the Hart house and reported that Sergio had left willingly with a friend.
Elena did not believe them.
Neither did Naomi.
They returned to court the following morning with Adrian’s letter, the medical receipt, and the video. Rourke objected to almost everything, claiming the materials could not yet be authenticated.
The judge watched Adrian’s recording twice.
Then she dismissed Martin and Celeste’s emergency guardianship request.
Grace would remain with Elena.
The judge also ordered an investigation into the false employment letter.
Martin’s face went red.
Celeste sat perfectly still.
Rourke requested that the evidence relating to Adrian Vale be sealed from public access. Naomi agreed only after obtaining permission to share it with law enforcement and the Vale family’s legal representative.
Outside the courtroom, Elena approached her parents.
“Where is Sergio?”
Martin looked past her.
“He made his choice.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means your brother finally understands that we cannot keep cleaning up his mistakes.”
Elena stared at him.
“You told the court I was unstable. You forged messages. You tried to take Grace. But Sergio made the mistake?”
Celeste stood.
“We were protecting him.”
“From Damian?”
“From poverty,” Martin said.
Naomi stepped closer, but Elena raised one hand.
She wanted to hear this.
Martin continued.
“You think love pays bills? You think promises from Adrian Vale meant anything? Sergio had one chance to enter that world. One chance to become someone. Damian offered him a position, connections, security.”
“In exchange for what?”
Martin’s silence answered.
Elena turned toward Celeste.
“What did he ask you to do?”
Celeste’s voice was barely audible.
“Keep you away from Vivian.”
“And after Grace was born?”
“Convince the court that you needed help.”
“You mean take my daughter.”
“It was supposed to be temporary.”
“Until when?”
Celeste’s eyes filled, but no tears fell.
“Until a private arrangement could be made.”
Naomi spoke.
“What arrangement?”
Martin caught Celeste’s arm.
“We’re leaving.”
Elena stepped into their path.
“Who was going to take Grace?”
Martin looked at the baby carrier.
For the first time, Elena saw something colder than anger in her father’s expression.
“Someone who could give her everything.”
Elena moved between him and Grace.
Naomi called courthouse security.
Martin and Celeste left before officers reached the hallway.
That afternoon, the story reached the press.
A gossip site published a headline claiming an unidentified woman was attempting to attach a newborn to the deceased Vale heir. The article described Elena as unemployed and emotionally unstable.
Her name was not printed, but photographs of the maternity center made her identity obvious to anyone who knew her.
By evening, strangers were sending messages.
Fraud.
Gold digger.
Terrible mother.
Some demanded that Grace be placed with the Vale family. Others accused Elena of inventing the baby’s paternity for money.
Elena turned off her phone.
Naomi did not.
She documented every threat and traced the first article to a public relations agency used by Vale Meridian.
“Damian is shaping the story before Vivian hears the truth,” Naomi said.
“Can we contact her?”
“Officially, yes. Getting through her staff is another matter.”
At six that evening, a Vale Meridian attorney named Jonathan Price called Naomi.
He requested a private meeting to discuss the paternity claim.
They agreed to meet the next morning at the crisis residence’s administrative office.
Price arrived alone, carrying a locked case.
He was older than Elena expected, with silver hair and a tired expression.
“I represented Adrian personally for eleven years,” he said. “I was not aware of your relationship.”
“Damian was.”
Price did not react.
Elena showed him Adrian’s letter.
He read it slowly.
When he reached the sentence about Rebecca Shaw, his face changed.
“Rebecca contacted me before she died,” he said.
“What did she say?”
“She believed Adrian’s crash was not an accident.”
Elena felt the room tilt.
Price opened the locked case and removed a tablet.
“Mrs. Vale has agreed to speak with you. Before she does, she requires a legal DNA test.”
“I’ll do it.”
“She also wants to know why you waited six months.”
“My parents convinced me Adrian had denied the baby.”
Elena showed him the false messages.
Price examined the timestamps.
“These were sent after Adrian’s phone was recovered.”
Elena froze.
“Recovered?”
“The police found it near the riverbank two days after the crash.”
“No one told me.”
“Only family and investigators knew.”
“Then whoever sent those messages had his phone.”
Price looked at Naomi.
“That information must not leave this room.”
Naomi folded her arms.
“Someone has already committed fraud, attempted to manipulate a guardianship case, and possibly interfered with a death investigation. We will not remain silent to protect the Vale name.”
“I am not asking you to protect the name. I am asking you to protect the child.”
Price turned back to Elena.
“There is something you should know about Adrian’s trust. If Grace is confirmed as his daughter, she will inherit his voting shares.”
“How much are they worth?”
“The current financial value is significant.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
Price hesitated.
“Approximately 1.8 billion dollars.”
The number meant nothing for several seconds.
Elena looked at Grace sleeping in the carrier.
“This was never about Sergio’s office.”
“No,” Naomi said. “It was about controlling your daughter.”
Price’s tablet lit up with an incoming security alert.
He read it, then stood abruptly.
“What happened?” Elena asked.
“Someone entered Adrian’s private archive at Vale Meridian headquarters.”
“Who?”
Price turned the screen toward them.
Security footage showed Sergio using an employee access card.
May you like
He carried Adrian’s chain around his neck.
Behind him walked Damian Vale.
