Chapter 4 - The Legal Offensive
Bright sunshine streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Claire Vance’s executive law suite on the thirty-second floor of downtown's premier office tower.
Claire sat behind her walnut desk, reviewing the folder of documents Grant had provided, alongside the police reports from the baby shower.
"This is a slam dunk, Avery," Claire said, setting her gold pen down. "The text messages between Brenda and Ethan establish clear premeditation to commit custodial interference and fraud. Furthermore, the financial records show Ethan converted over forty thousand dollars of your marital assets into his mother's accounts over the last eighteen months."
"I want him out of my life permanently, Claire," I said, adjusting Theo's blanket as he napped peacefully in my arms. "And I want a permanent restraining order against Brenda."
"We're filing for an emergency divorce based on fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and domestic abuse," Claire explained. "We'll also file an emergency petition for sole legal and physical custody, with zero visitation for Ethan until he completes a full psychological evaluation and anger management course."
"What about Brenda?" Sloane asked from the sofa behind me. "She's been showing up at Avery's house every morning, sitting in her car at the end of the driveway."
Claire smiled, a sharp, predatory expression. "Brenda Montgomery has no legal standing whatsoever. In this state, grandparents have no automatic visitation rights, especially when there's an active protective order and evidence of criminal conspiracy. I'm serving her with a formal civil lawsuit for intentional infliction of emotional distress and civil harassment by noon today."
At 1:00 PM, while Claire's process servers were hunting down Brenda, I received a call from my HR department at the accounting firm where I worked as a senior partner.
"Avery," my managing partner, David, said, his voice laced with concern. "We have a bit of a situation here at the office. Your mother-in-law is sitting in our main lobby, screaming at the receptionists and demanding to see your personnel files. She's claiming you're embezzling money and suffering from a mental breakdown."
My blood ran cold, but I forced my voice to remain steady. "David, she is currently under investigation for felony conspiracy and harassment. Do not give her anything. Call building security immediately and have her removed."
"Security is already escorting her out," David replied. "She's creating a massive scene, yelling that she's going to take your baby away. Avery, take as much time off as you need. We have your back."
Ten minutes later, Sloane's phone chimed with a video alert.
A local community news page on social media had just posted a video recorded by a bystander outside my office building.
The video showed Brenda being forcibly dragged out of the glass revolving doors by two large security guards. She was screaming at the top of her lungs, her hair wild, her designer purse swinging wildly in the air.
"THAT WOMAN IS AN UNFIT MOTHER!" Brenda shrieked for the camera. "SHE STOLE MY GRANDSON! ETHAN IS IN JAIL BECAUSE OF HER! I AM HIS REAL MOTHER!"
May you like
The comments under the video were brutal: — "Who is this crazy lady?" — "Looks like a nightmare mother-in-law from hell!" — "Somebody get her a straightjacket!"
Brenda had wanted an audience at the baby shower to publicly humiliate me. Now, the entire city was watching her burn her own reputation to the ground.
