Chapter 4 - The Frozen Assets
Three days later, the first hearing took place in a small, quiet family courtroom in downtown Connecticut.
Wendy arrived in a tailored navy suit, flanked by two high-priced estate attorneys and Luca, who looked pale, nervous, and refused to look me in the eye as we sat at opposite tables. Wendy sat in the front spectator row, her head held high, looking at me with absolute condescension.
Their lead attorney, a man named Henderson, stood up before Judge Patricia Vance.
“Your Honor,” Henderson began smoothly. “My client, Mr. Luca Mercer, is seeking immediate temporary physical custody of his two-year-old daughter, Fiona. The mother, Mrs. Jessica Mercer, abruptly removed the child from her home following a minor family disagreement and is currently housing the child in a temporary guest location. Furthermore, Mrs. Mercer has a documented history of severe postpartum psychological instability—"
“Objection, Your Honor,” Marcus stood up calmly. “Opposing counsel is mischaracterizing a standard medical check-up from two years ago as ongoing instability without a single recent medical evaluation to support it.”
“Sustained,” Judge Vance snapped, glaring at Henderson over her glasses. “Mr. Henderson, unless you have a current psychiatric evaluation showing an immediate danger to the child, do not throw around medical buzzwords in my courtroom.”
Henderson cleared his throat, adjusting his papers. “Regardless, Your Honor, the father’s residence is a five-bedroom established family home fully funded and supported by the Mercer Trust. The mother has minimal independent income and has severed financial ties with the family.”
Marcus stepped forward, placing a USB drive and a printed transcript on the judge’s desk.
“Your Honor,” Marcus said, his voice ringing loud and clear through the room. “We are requesting a temporary protective order for the child and sole temporary custody for Mrs. Jessica Mercer. We have submitted audio and video evidence demonstrating that Mr. Mercer and his mother, Mrs. Wendy Mercer, intentionally orchestrated a hostile environment to emotionally distress the mother and coerce her into surrendering parental decision-making.”
Wendy leaned forward in her bench, her brows knotting into a tight scowl.
Judge Vance pressed play on the media laptop on her bench.
The restaurant video filled the courtroom speakers. Luca’s recorded whisper echoed through the mahogany room: “Just say it now. If we bring up her delays in front of everyone, Jessi won't be able to refuse...”
Followed immediately by Wendy’s loud voice calling Fiona disappointing.
Judge Vance’s face turned into a mask of pure stone. She slowly looked up from the laptop screen and stared directly at Luca, then at Wendy.
“Mr. Mercer,” Judge Vance said, her tone icy enough to freeze water. “Is that your voice on the recording?”
Luca swallowed hard, his face turning bright red. “Your Honor... I was trying to manage a difficult family situation—”
“Did you, or did you not, coordinate with your mother to insult your two-year-old daughter in public to gain leverage over your wife?” the judge cut him off sharply.
Luca couldn't speak. He looked frantically at his lawyer, then at his mother.
Wendy stood up from the gallery bench, unable to contain herself. “Your Honor! I am the primary financial backer of that household! I have a right to ensure my granddaughter receives proper—”
“Sit down, ma'am!” Judge Vance slammed her gavel down with a crack that echoed like a gunshot. “You are a non-party spectator in this courtroom! Speak out of turn again, and I will have my bailiff remove you!”
Wendy gasped, her face flushing with outrage as she sank back into her bench.
Judge Vance turned back to her documents, signing two orders in rapid succession.
“Temporary legal and physical custody of Fiona Mercer is granted entirely to the mother, Jessica Mercer,” Judge Vance ruled firmly. “The father, Luca Mercer, will have supervised visitation rights for two hours every Saturday at an approved facility. A temporary restraining order is issued against Mrs. Wendy Mercer, prohibiting her from coming within five hundred feet of the child or the mother pending full trial.”
I let out a long, shuddering breath, feeling Rachel squeeze my hand under the table.
Luca looked crushed, sinking into his chair as if his spine had been removed. Across the room, Wendy glared at me with absolute, venomous fury.
May you like
She leaned toward her lawyer and whispered something loud enough for us to hear as we gathered our coats.
“Cut off the house funds,” Wendy hissed. “Freeze every credit line tied to his name. Let’s see how long she lasts when he has nothing left to offer her.”
