Chapter 4 - THE WRIT OF ATTACHMENT
My mother’s face went entirely red. “How dare you talk to your sister like that! She is getting married in six months! You are completely selfish!”
“She’s not getting married in six months, Eleanor,” a smooth baritone voice echoed from the hallway.
Marcus Vance stepped out of my study, holding a thick legal folder in his hand. He walked into the living room with the slow, imposing authority of a judge entering a courtroom.
My mother froze. She recognized Marcus immediately from high-society charity galas and legal news broadcasts. “Marcus...? What are you doing in my daughter’s apartment?”
“I am acting as lead litigation counsel for Claire Ward,” Marcus announced cleanly. He pulled three thick, blue-backed legal summonses from his folder and handed one directly to Vanessa, and one to my mother.
Vanessa stared at the paper in her hands as if it were a venomous snake. “What... what is this?”
“That is a formal Civil Summons and Complaint filed three hours ago in the Cook County Circuit Court,” Marcus explained calmly. “Plaintiff Claire Ward vs. Defendant Vanessa Ward, Defendant Eleanor Ward, and Defendant Creative Influence Management LLC.”
Vanessa’s voice rose into a high-pitched shriek. “You’re suing me?! For falling down three steps?!”
“We are suing you for intentional battery, severe permanent physical impairment, lost professional earnings, and intentional infliction of emotional distress,” Marcus corrected her smoothly. “The damages claimed total thirty-two million dollars.”
My mother let out a loud, mocking laugh, though her hands were beginning to shake. “Thirty-two million dollars?! Are you insane, Marcus?! Vanessa doesn't have thirty-two million dollars! This is ridiculous! A judge will throw this out in five minutes!”
“A judge just signed the emergency preliminary injunction thirty minutes ago, Mrs. Ward,” Marcus said, pulling a second stamped court order from his folder. “Including an immediate Writ of Attachment freezing all secondary bank accounts, corporate sponsorship escrow funds, and real estate trust transfers linked to Vanessa Ward pending judicial review.”
Vanessa went completely pale. “Freezing... freezing my accounts? What about my venue deposit for the wedding? What about my brand deal with Luxe Beauty?!”
“Luxe Beauty was formally served with a third-party litigation notice one hour ago,” I interjected, looking straight into my sister's frantic eyes. “As a public corporation, their legal department has already placed your quarterly influencer contract on administrative hold to avoid corporate liability for brand affiliation with a violent felony lawsuit.”
“You ruined my brand deal?!” Vanessa screamed, dropping her pastel gift basket onto the floor, spilling expensive lotion bottles across the hardwood. “You ruined my life over a stupid leg?!”
“You shattered my leg, Vanessa,” I said, my tone dropping into an icy, unshakeable register. “You shattered the bone I spent a year rebuilding. You laughed while I bled on the floor. You recorded it for clicks. And now, I am going to use the legal system to take every single thing you have ever owned.”
My mother stepped between us, her voice shaking with rage. “I am your mother, Claire! I forbid you from doing this! You will withdraw this lawsuit right now, or you are completely cut off from this family!”
“I was cut off from this family the moment you told me not to ruin Vanessa’s party while my leg was broken under her feet,” I replied softly. “Get out of my apartment.”
“Claire—” Eleanor tried to step closer.
Marcus stepped firmly into her path, his towering six-foot-three frame completely blocking her. “If you do not vacate my client's private residence within sixty seconds, Mrs. Ward, the building security team downstairs will have you both removed in handcuffs for criminal trespassing.”
My mother glared at me with pure, unadulterated hatred—a look that would have broken my heart five years ago, but now felt like absolute liberation. She grabbed Vanessa’s trembling arm and pulled her toward the front door.
“You’re a monster, Claire!” Vanessa sobbed as her mother dragged her into the hallway. “You’re just jealous because Daniel loves me!”
As the heavy oak door slammed shut behind them, my phone chimed on the side table.
A text message from an unknown number:
DANIEL: I just spoke with my parents. We have officially canceled the venue reservation and recalled our wedding trust funds. If you need my formal court deposition regarding the kitchen recording, my attorney is ready.
May you like
I looked at the screen, then looked out the window at the bright Chicago sky.
The legal machine was moving. And my sister was about to learn that real life doesn't come with an edit button.
