Chapter 7 - The Battle for Ava
The Cook County Family Courthouse was a fortress of marble, glass, and high-stakes legal drama.
On Tuesday morning, the courtroom on the fifth floor was closed to the public and the press under a strict gag order issued by Judge Harrison, a stern, no-nonsense woman with thirty years on the bench.
Sitting on the left side of the room was Victoria Vance, wearing a pearl-white suit, surrounded by three high-priced Manhattan attorneys. She looked polished, icy, and entirely confident.
Sitting on the right side was Damian DeLuca, dressed in a sharp charcoal suit, flanked by his chief legal counsel, Arthur Pendelton.
Beside Damian sat Natalie.
She wore an elegant burgundy dress, her hair swept up into a neat braid, holding a leather binder filled with six months of detailed medical data, daily sensory logs, and progress charts she had personally meticulously maintained for Ava.
Ava was not in the courtroom; she was in a quiet, soundproof waiting lounge downstairs, accompanied by Leo and her favorite weighted blanket.
"Your Honor," Victoria’s lead attorney began, stepping up to the podium with practiced flourish. "We are requesting an immediate transfer of temporary custody for Ava DeLuca to her aunt, Miss Victoria Vance. The father, Damian DeLuca, is a high-profile figure associated with organized crime. Just eight weeks ago, an armed shootout occurred at his primary residence. The child is living in a war zone."
Judge Harrison adjusted her glasses, looking over her bench at Damian. "Mr. Pendelton, how do you respond?"
Before the lawyer could speak, Natalie leaned forward, whispering to Arthur, who nodded and stepped aside.
"Your Honor," Natalie spoke clearly, her voice echoing through the quiet courtroom. "May I address the court as Miss DeLuca’s primary caregiver and educational specialist?"
Victoria Vance let out a subtle, patronizing scoff. "Your Honor, this woman is a former retail clerk. She has no standing in this court."
"Miss Carter is the certified primary guardian designated in the child’s trust, Miss Vance," Judge Harrison corrected sharply. "Let her speak."
Natalie stood up, bringing her leather binder to the podium.
"Your Honor," Natalie began, her tone calm, authoritative, and laced with absolute conviction. "The environment at the DeLuca estate is not a war zone. It is a highly specialized, medical-grade therapeutic sanctuary tailored specifically for Ava’s severe autism."
She opened her binder, presenting documents to the bailiff to hand to the judge.
"These are six months of daily neurological tracking logs," Natalie continued. "Under Miss Vance’s proposed institution in New York, Ava would be subjected to standardized institutional care, which three board-certified pediatric neurologists—whose reports are attached—state would cause permanent, catastrophic neurological regression."
Judge Harrison flipped through the pages, her eyebrow raising at the sheer detail and scientific accuracy of Natalie's records.
"Furthermore," Natalie turned, looking Victoria Vance dead in the eye, "we have submitted financial disclosure audits from the Vance Family Trust in Manhattan. They indicate that Miss Vance’s personal business ventures are currently twenty-four million dollars in debt. Taking custody of Ava would grant Miss Vance immediate access to a four-million-dollar annual guardianship stipend from the DeLuca estate."
Victoria’s face went completely pale. "That is libel!"
"That is forensic accounting, Miss Vance," Natalie countered smoothly. "Submitted under oath by DeLuca Financial Auditing."
Damian sat back in his leather chair, a slow, proud, utterly smitten smile spreading across his face as he watched Natalie disassemble the opposition piece by piece without raising her voice once.
Judge Harrison slammed her gavel down with a thunderous CRACK.
"Enough," the judge declared sternly. "The petition for emergency custody is denied with prejudice. Custody remains fully with Mr. Damian DeLuca. Furthermore, I am issuing a permanent restraining order prohibiting Miss Victoria Vance from approaching within five hundred feet of Ava DeLuca or her caregiver, Miss Natalie Carter."
CRACK!
Victoria gaped in disbelief as her lawyers scrambled to gather their files.
As the court adjourned, Damian stood up, stepped around the counsel table, and pulled Natalie into his arms right there in the middle of the courtroom. He lifted her off her feet, burying his face in her neck, laughing aloud—a sound of pure triumph.
"You were magnificent," Damian murmured against her skin, setting her down gently.
"I told you," Natalie smiled, resting her hands on his lapels. "I protect my family."
Damian looked into her eyes, his heart overflowing with a fierce, absolute devotion. He reached into his vest pocket, pulling out a small velvet box.
Natalie froze, her breath catching in her throat.
May you like
"Damian..." she whispered.
"Not here," Damian said smoothly, a dark spark dancing in his eyes as he slipped the velvet box back into his pocket. "This deserves a much better stage than a courtroom."
