Chapter 3 - The Gathering Storm
The next morning, the corporate executive turned into a protective warrior. Alexander contacted his attorney, a formidable family lawyer named Marcus Vance. They met in a private conference room downtown, the heavy glass windows shielding them from the bustling city below.
"This isn't going to be a clean divorce, Alexander," Marcus said, reviewing the photographs Alexander had taken of Emma’s bruised arm and the broken room. "Caroline’s family is incredibly wealthy and influential. Her father sits on the board of three major charities. They will protect her image at all costs to protect their own."
"I don't care about their image, Marcus. She put hands on my children. I want full custody, an immediate restraining order, and I want her out of my house," Alexander demanded, his voice steady but burning with rage.
"We can file for an emergency temporary custody order today," Marcus explained. "But be prepared. Caroline’s lawyers will attack your absence. They will argue that you are an absentee father who is fabricating these claims out of spite to avoid a massive alimony payout. They will turn this into a war of perception."
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Just as Marcus finished his sentence, Alexander’s phone rang. It was a number from his home security system. He answered it, and his heart dropped.
The security cameras showed moving vans backed up to his front porch. Caroline wasn't crying anymore. Accompanied by two high-priced attorneys and a private security detail hired by her father, she was systematically clearing out the house, taking everything of value and destroying any evidence of the night before.
