Chapter 6 - The Viper's Revenge
The autumn wind howled outside the high-rise office building in downtown Boston, where Arthur met with his elite legal team.
Across the massive mahogany conference table sat Marcus Vance, Arthur’s chief legal counsel, along with three top criminal prosecutors. On the screen mounted on the wall were photographs of Richard Vance—Evelyn’s ruthless, politically connected father—and her high-powered defense attorney, Julian Sterling (no relation to Arthur).
"They are playing dirty, Arthur," Marcus warned, laying out a stack of court filings. "Richard Vance has paid off two local media outlets to run smear pieces on you. They’re claiming you were an abusive, absentee father who drove your first wife to depression and that Evelyn was trying to 'save' Lily from an unstable home."
Arthur slammed his fist onto the table, making the glasses rattle. "They are lying! My wife died of cancer! I have medical records proving it!"
"Truth doesn't matter to people like Richard Vance," Marcus said grimly. "They want to create enough public noise to force the family court judge to order an independent psychological evaluation for both you and Lily. If that happens, a court-appointed social worker will enter your home. And if Evelyn’s team can bribe or influence that social worker, they could temporarily remove Lily from your care."
"No one is taking my daughter," Arthur said, his voice dropping into a deadly whisper. "I will burn this entire city to the ground before I let anyone lay a finger on her again."
"Then we need to strike back hard," Marcus said. "We need to hit them where it hurts most: their money and their secrets. Richard Vance’s company, Vance Global, is under secret investigation by the SEC for fraud. If we can leak those documents and collapse his stock, he won't have the funds or the political pull to protect Evelyn."
"Do it," Arthur commanded without hesitation. "Use every resource Sterling Global has. Hire private investigators, buy out their creditors, buy their stock—I don't care about the cost. I want the Vance family completely ruined by the end of the week."
While Arthur was locked in the legal war room, back at the Sterling estate, a dark shadow was creeping across the perimeter walls.
A heavy black SUV was parked in the wooded area just outside the estate's rear gates. Inside sat Evelyn, her face still showing a faint yellowing bruise from Arthur's strike, wearing dark sunglasses and a coat. Beside her was a burly man in a leather jacket, holding a long, black electronic device.
"Are you sure the security perimeter is jammed?" Evelyn hissed, her eyes fixed on the distant mansion.
"The main gate sensors are disabled for the next twenty minutes," the man replied in a rough voice. "The guards at the front booth won't see a thing on their monitors. But you're crazy, lady. Going back onto Arthur Sterling's property while out on bail?"
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Evelyn smiled a sickening, twisted smile. "Arthur thinks he can destroy me. He thinks that video is his golden ticket. But if that little girl disappears, or if she has an 'accidental' tragedy while under his care, Arthur will be arrested for negligence, and the trial against me falls apart."
She opened the car door, pulling a pair of dark gloves onto her hands. "I'm taking back what's mine."
