Chapter 7 - The Legal Siege
By Monday morning, the corporate war had reached Ethan's front gates. A swarm of reporters stood outside the stone entry pillars, their long lenses pointed at the house every time a curtain moved.
Inside, Thomas Vance was pacing the length of Ethan's study, a stack of legal documents in his hands. "Julian Vance just filed a formal challenge to your temporary guardianship, Ethan. He’s using Gary’s testimony from the motel. They’re claiming you have a personal, unstable obsession with the Brooks family and that you’re using the children as a public relations shield to manipulate the stock price before the quarterly earnings report."
"They're going after my character," Ethan said, his face expressionless.
"They're going after your company," Thomas corrected him. "The board is holding an emergency vote of no confidence at noon today. If you don't show up with a valid defense, they will remove you as CEO. Julian has already positioned himself to step in as interim chairman."
The door to the study opened, and Mara Leland walked in, her face tight with worry. "Ethan, the family court has ordered an immediate psychological evaluation for Sadie. They want her to testify in a closed-door deposition this afternoon about her mother's final days and your relationship with her."
"She's seven years old!" Ethan shouted, his composure finally cracking. "She just watched her mother die in a transit lodge! I will not let them drag her into a boardroom to be torn apart by corporate lawyers!"
"If you refuse, the judge will revoke the temporary guardianship by five o'clock," Mara said softly. "Julian Vance has a team of child psychologists ready to argue that Sadie is suffering from trauma bonding and that she was coached to find you."
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Ethan looked out the window. Down on the lawn, Sadie was sitting in the grass with the stuffed rabbit, her eyes fixed on the security gate. She looked so small against the backdrop of his wealth—a tiny target in a game she didn't understand.
He turned back to Thomas. "Call the board. Tell them I’ll be there at noon. And tell them to invite Julian Vance. I want him in the front row."
