Chapter 3 - The Queen in Her Castle
When I drove through the wrought-iron gates of Oakridge Manor at noon, the front driveway was blocked by a large commercial moving truck.
Two movers were hauled heavy leather armchairs out of the back, carrying them up the grand stone steps toward the front porch. Stand in the center of the foyer, barking orders like an absolute dictator, was my mother-in-law, Teresa Hayes.
"Careful with that mahogany dresser, you clumsy fool!" Teresa shrieked, waving her hand dismissively at a young mover. "That is genuine antique mahogany! If you scratch it, I will deduct it from your wages!"
Standing behind her was my father-in-law, Arthur, sitting comfortably in an armchair, sipping tea from my mother’s vintage porcelain cup—a cup that had been passed down to me as a family heirloom.
I slammed my car door shut and walked purposefully up the front steps, my heels clicking loudly against the marble floor.
Teresa turned around, her face instantly morphing into a cold, superior scowl. She crossed her arms over her chest, stepping forward to block my path into the foyer.
"Well, well, look who finally decided to show up," Teresa sneered, looking me up and down. "David left four hours ago, and you were nowhere to be found! I had to oversee the entire moving process myself!"
I stopped two feet away from her, my face entirely devoid of emotion. "What is all this furniture, Teresa?"
"What does it look like, Eleanor?" Teresa scoffed, raising her nose into the air. "It is our furniture! Your father-in-law and I decided that your taste in decor is far too dreary. We are redecorating the main living area and taking the master suite upstairs."
"The master suite?" I repeated, my voice terrifyingly calm. "My bedroom?"
"It’s not your bedroom anymore," Teresa declared loudly, loud enough for the movers to hear. "David is gone for four years! Why should a young woman sleep alone in a master suite when my husband needs the orthopedic mattress for his back? You can take the guest room on the third floor near the attic."
Arthur didn't even look up from his teacup. "And make sure you start dinner by five, Eleanor. My doctor says I need to eat my meals on a strict schedule. Low sodium, high protein."
I stared at the two of them—two parasites who had walked into my home, claimed my space, insulted my memory, and treated me like an unpaid housekeeper, assuming their son held absolute authority over my life.
I pulled out my phone, checked the time, and looked toward the open front door.
A sleek black sedan had just pulled up behind the moving truck. Two uniformed men in dark suits stepped out, carrying heavy leather folders. They were private process servers from Vance & Associates, accompanied by two off-duty police officers I had requested through Marcus.
Teresa’s eyes narrowed as she watched the men march up the stone steps. "Who are these people? Eleanor, did you order more movers without asking me?"
The lead officer, Sergeant Miller, stepped into the foyer, looking around at the cluttered furniture before turning his gaze to Teresa.
"Are you Teresa Hayes and Arthur Hayes?" Officer Miller asked, his voice stern and official.
Teresa straightened her spine defensively. "I am Teresa Hayes! What is the meaning of this intrusion?!"
The process server stepped forward and handed two thick yellow legal envelopes directly into Teresa’s hands, dropping a second set onto Arthur’s lap.
"You have been formally served with an Emergency Notice of Unlawful Detainer and a Temporary Order of Protection issued by the New York State Supreme Court," the process server stated calmly.
Teresa froze. She looked down at the official court seal on the envelope, then looked up at me, her cheeks flushing a deep, angry purple. "What... what is this nonsense?!"
"It means, Teresa," I said, stepping into the center of the foyer, "that this house belongs entirely to me. David has no ownership stake, no lease, and no right to grant you residency."
"You... you lying brat!" Teresa shrieked, dropping the envelope onto the floor as if it were burning her skin. "David owns half of this place! He is your husband!"
"Not for long," I replied smoothly. "I filed for absolute divorce two hours ago."
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Arthur gasped, dropping his porcelain teacup onto the hardwood floor. It shattered into a dozen pieces, splashing hot tea across his leather shoes. "Divorce?! Eleanor, have you lost your mind?!"
"You have exactly thirty minutes to instruct these movers to put every single piece of your furniture back into that truck and leave my property," I announced, looking Teresa straight in her furious, bloodshot eyes. "If you are still on this estate at 12:30 PM, Officer Miller will arrest you both for criminal trespass."
